Lake Arrowhead, California Short-Term Rental Market
Lake Arrowhead STRs averaged $254/night at 26.4% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 8,400 active listings.
Quick Answer: Lake Arrowhead, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 40%. average monthly revenue is $2,980. average daily rate is $288. the top operator is Destination Big Bear with 486 listings. market score is 46/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Big Bear regional market, which includes Lake Arrowhead. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lake Arrowhead.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lake Arrowhead is a mountain resort community in the San Bernardino Mountains at approximately 5,100 feet elevation, drawing an estimated 2.4 million annual visitors to the surrounding San Bernardino National Forest. The short-term rental market here is large: roughly 8,400 active listings, with 8,324 (99%) configured as entire-place rentals. Just 81 private rooms and 6 shared rooms round out the supply.
As of April 2026, average daily rate stood at $254, with occupancy at 26.4% for that month. April is seasonally the softest month of the year, so these figures reflect trough conditions, not the annual average. RevPAR was $66.95. Year-over-year, occupancy improved 13.1% compared to April 2025, while ADR slipped 4.1% and overall revenue declined 6.9%.
By bedroom count, the inventory skews toward larger properties: 3-bedroom units lead with 2,929 listings, followed by 2-bedrooms (2,509), 4-bedrooms (1,370), 1-bedrooms (904), and 5-bedrooms (692). Distribution across booking channels shows the market is heavily multi-platform: 5,176 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 2,840 are Airbnb-only and 395 are VRBO-only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44% | $420 | $5,263 |
| Feb | 43% | $404 | $4,570 |
| Mar | 32% | $315 | $3,169 |
| Apr | 30% | $255 | $2,198 |
| May | 33% | $266 | $2,008 |
| Jun | 41% | $289 | $2,820 |
| Jul | 47% | $307 | $3,735 |
| Aug | 40% | $289 | $3,134 |
| Sep | 28% | $275 | $2,150 |
| Oct | 34% | $274 | $2,441 |
| Nov | 40% | $326 | $3,105 |
| Dec | 53% | $460 | $6,152 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lake Arrowhead
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Destination Big Bear | 486 | 27,721 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Big Bear Cool Cabins | 417 | 7,860 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | Big Bear Vacations | 416 | 7,402 | ★ 4.35 |
| 4 | Evolve | 269 | 11,248 | ★ 4.66 |
| 5 | Sky High Cabins | 189 | 9,233 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lake Arrowhead?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 904 |
| 2 bed | 2,509 |
| 3 bed | 2,929 |
| 4 bed | 1,370 |
| 5 bed | 692 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $291 |
| Luxury | $509 |
| Professionally Managed | $336 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,700 |
| Entire Place | $2,997 |
| House | $3,035 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 33.8% |
| vrbo | 4.7% |
| both | 61.5% |
Investment Analysis
The entry cost for a Lake Arrowhead STR property is substantial. Zillow data as of April 2026 shows a typical home value of $535,149, a median sale price of $568,500, and a median list price of $641,333. Properties are sitting on the market longer, with a median of 68 days to pending, and the sale-to-list ratio of 0.886 indicates buyers are typically closing well below list price.
At April 2026’s average monthly STR revenue of $2,203, annualized gross revenue would be approximately $26,440, yielding a gross return of roughly 4.9% on a $535,149 typical purchase. However, April is the weakest month; December averages $6,146 in revenue. Investors should model the full seasonal range rather than extrapolate from April figures.
Tier comparisons reveal meaningful pricing gaps: luxury listings average $441/night versus $254 for all listings combined, and professionally managed listings average $290/night. This $35 premium for professional management suggests yield uplift is achievable through management quality. The revenue gap between houses ($2,232/month) and apartments ($1,251/month) is also notable for property-type selection. Market scores show revenue growth at 74.7/100 and investability at 67.2/100, while rental demand (41.6/100) and overall score (46.3/100) reflect the market’s high seasonality and trough-month softness.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Lake Arrowhead guests book an average of 25.6 days in advance as of April 2026, a relatively short lead time that reflects the weekend-getaway nature of the market. Southern California visitors driving from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire can make same-weekend decisions, compressing the booking window compared to destination fly-to markets.
Average length of stay is 2.85 nights, consistent with a weekend-trip profile. This short-stay pattern means higher turnover and more cleaning cycles per month, which operators should factor into cost modeling. It also means pricing windows are brief: a listing that is not booked by Wednesday may not fill for the weekend.
The combination of short lead time and short stays points toward a dynamic pricing strategy that holds rates firm early in the booking window and discounts selectively within 72 hours to capture last-minute demand. Minimum-stay requirements of 2 nights on weekends and 3 nights over holidays can improve per-stay economics without meaningfully reducing bookings.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lake Arrowhead is an unincorporated community governed by San Bernardino County rather than a city. Short-term rentals (stays of 30 days or fewer) require a county Short-Term Rental Permit before listing or renting. As of July 1, 2025, a new permit costs approximately $1,144 (comprising a $600 application fee, $285 permit fee, and $259 notification fee). Permits are valid for one year and must be renewed annually, with renewal costing approximately $550 when no changes occur.
The application process requires a site plan, a certification of compliance with county STR standards, and an in-person exterior inspection by a Code Enforcement Officer verifying parking and other requirements. Operators must provide a 24-hour contact for complaint resolution.
A 7% Transient Occupancy Tax applies to all stays under 30 days. A November 2024 ballot measure (Measure K) that would have raised this rate to 11% was defeated with approximately 57% voting no. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no explicit annual night cap. However, the county limits STR density in mountain communities to one STR per parcel under 2 acres and two STRs per parcel over 2 acres. Enforcement is classified as strict: unpermitted operation can result in fines of $1,000 per day, escalating to $2,000 and $5,000 for repeat violations, with potential misdemeanor penalties. A county density study is ongoing and could produce additional caps.
Market Comparison
Nationally, STR markets average roughly 55% occupancy and $220 ADR. Lake Arrowhead’s April 2026 occupancy of 26.4% sits well below the national average, but April is the market’s trough month; the annual average occupancy across all months is closer to 37%, still below national norms. ADR at $254 exceeds the national median, reflecting the premium mountain-resort positioning.
The operator landscape is dominated by regional specialists rather than national platforms. Destination Big Bear leads with 486 listings, 27,721 reviews, and a 4.72 average rating. Big Bear Cool Cabins holds 417 listings (rating 4.50), and Big Bear Vacations manages 416 listings (rating 4.35). Evolve, a national operator, ranks fourth with 269 listings and a 4.66 rating. Sky High Cabins rounds out the top five with 189 listings and the highest rating in the group at 4.91.
The top three regional operators collectively hold roughly 1,319 listings, representing about 15.7% of the 8,411-listing market. Market concentration is relatively low, leaving room for independent operators who invest in quality and hospitality. The market’s regulation score of 69.6/100 reflects the county’s active permitting and enforcement posture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Arrowhead, California
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