Bear Valley is a ski area located near Angels Camp, on highway 4, between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, approximately 3 hours southeast of Sacramento, California, USA.
Near Bear Valley, on Highway 4 lies Lake Alpine about 50 mi//80.5 km from Angels Camp. Elevation of the lake is 7300 ft/2225 m. If you visit Lake Alpine, you should definitely go backpacking in Duck Lake. It is a small over 2 mi/3.22 km, round trip and you can camp around the lake. It is a kind of easy route.
There is some elevation gain and before you reach the meadow on the last part of the trail, it could be a little slippery. The lake might be small, but the beauty is worth your effort. If you go backpacking in spring, you can see the blooming flowers on the meadow as a colorful carpet, that covers the west side of the lake.
Throughout summer the meadow stays green. On the north side of the lake there is a large aspen tree. Trailhead for Duck Lake is located at the southeast end of the Alpine Lake.