Fawnskin is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, located on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. The hamlet sits within the San Bernardino National Forest at an elevation of about 6,800 feet, tucked into the northwestern side of Big Bear Valley. With a permanent population of only a few hundred residents, it is one of the quieter corners of the Big Bear region. The area's history reaches back to the region's gold-rush era. In 1860, a bear hunter named William Holcomb discovered gold in what became known as Holcomb Valley, drawing prospectors into the mountains. Fawnskin later emerged as a north-shore settlement, known at various times by names such as Bald Eagle Valley and Big Bear Village before taking the name Fawnskin in 1917, when a road was completed to the north shore. The community has long served as a retreat for vacationers seeking escape from city life. Today Fawnskin is known for its natural setting, particularly as bald-eagle nesting grounds, and for its connection to the logging heritage of the San Bernardino Mountains. The community offers a quiet, pine-forested environment removed from the busier resort development on Big Bear Lake's south shore. Several hundred homes line the north shore, many used seasonally. Education is provided through the Bear Valley Unified School District, which serves the communities of the Big Bear area. For residents and visitors alike, Fawnskin represents the quieter, more secluded side of Big Bear Lake, defined by forest, lakefront, and wildlife rather than commercial activity.