Situated in the Pinecrest Basin, Pioneer Trail Group Camp is great for camping with up to 100 of your nearest and dearest. The sound of clear water rushing by, birds of prey soaring overhead, and trout splashing around in perfect swimming holes. Don’t believe us? 3. The best part of waking up is the sweet smell of conifers in the morning. The campsites are cozy, offer fantastic views, and are a great place to rest your head under the moonshine. Just a mile from Highway 108, you’ll be an easy drive from civilization (read: food and gas), yet a limite Read more... Big Meadow Campground is spacey, dreamy, and scenic as a Mother Nature. Although the sites are not fully stacked with amenities, they are half the cost of standard sites—perfect for the rugged and down to Mother Earth kind of camper. In the busy summer months this park gets impacted as well, so early arrival times are recommended. only saw a few people. This is a moderate loop trail to Buck Lake Dam in Stanislaus National Forest. Piute Creek was almost completely dry where it crossed near Groundhog Meadow. Ranger was walking around Gem lake, making sure people weren't camping too close to the lake. Camped at Piute and Grouse lake. If that’s your thing, stay at Niagara OHV Campground. Some light afternoon and evening rain on Saturday with lots of thunder. Camp right in the forest and take it easy for a day (or two!). You can also snag some brook trout and a gaggle of other fish. Show up and vib Read more... Pacific Valley is beautiful! Open Campgrounds. There are no garbage services, so please pack out and leave the area better than you found it. RV Parks Near Me Top Searched States with RV Parks Arizona California Colorado Florida Georgia New Mexico Oregon Texas Utah Washington; RV PARKS VIEW ALL Best RV Parks – 2019 Campers Choice Awards Golf Courses with RV Camping. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from May until October. Grouse Lake via Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 11.7 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Past by about 10 groups of horse/donkey trains. Beautiful trail with a variety of lush green meadows and rocky terrain. Catch some pretty rainbow trout, like this guy. Deer lake had almost no one. Trailhead was a bit confusing about upper or lower loop towards Gem or Wood Lake, but ended up starting on the lower loop. Spicer Reservoir and Spicer Group Campground. Just don't expect a pristine trail and you'll be fine - it is rocky and there is certainly poop on the trail but it's no big deal and in fact the horse-folks were nothing but polite and encouraging. Ranger Districts. No mosquitos at all on the weekend. By night keep the large camp aglow with a bonfire fitting for Read more... Niagara Creek Campground is located in a mixed conifer forest about 15 miles from the Summit Ranger Station. Almost all the creeks in between are out of water. A primitive campground is available and it offers vault toilets. Thousands of acres of fresh, clean water await you. About 12 miles south of the town of Marysvale, along Hwy 89, about 198 miles south of Salt Lake City. There was one little beach that had accessible water, but people were camping right in front of it. Few key points though : I would really recommend this trip. Ha. 1:58 . Weather was perfect (other than smoke from the wildfires rolling in and out periodically as we got higher in altitude), although some stretches of the trail (particularly the hike back down from Gem) were completely naked of trees—the trail got hot so it stripped but we couldn’t. (Seriously, look at it.) There is a small s Read more... Get wild at Boulder Flat Campground. This site features thousands upon thousands of rock columns Read more... Part public and part private, River Ranch Campground is located on a meadow at the confluence of Basin Creek and the North Fork Tuolumne River. We recom Read more... Get stoned on the high country at Highland Lakes Campground. In the mood for something wild and scenic? Don't bank on water from the creeks. Mosquito Lakes is a pretty awesome place to fish. Lots of camping around it, but less places to swim. Stopped at Wood Lake next day and did a loop of Huckleberry Lake- highly recommend! Stanislaus National Forest . . Favored by the gypsies and vagabonds, there is a one night lim Read more... Pinecrest campground is in high-demand, and for good reason. Visitors to Stanislaus River Campground along the Spicer Reservoir Road are close to many outdoor activities and adventures.. Take advantage of great OHV routes at places such as Rattlesnake Creek and Black Springs. Sitting at 8,500 feet in the sky, this camp is a sight for sore eyes. Piute Lake State Park von Mapcarta, die freie Karte. The big city of San Fran is just a few short hours Read more... On the banks of that mighty Stanislaus River, you can revel in the nightly moonlight glow of Eureka Valley Campground. area contains multiple trails along the river, as well as some secluded camping sites that can be reserved. Lovely sights! Restrooms are but a short skip away, so you don’t have to worry about taxing your bladder when you rehydrate after your latest failed sa Read more... A small site along the banks of the Stanislaus River, Pigeon Flat Campground is the perfect camp for exploring the geological wonder that is the Columns of the Giants. Maybe we should have just made the push and camped at Gem lake. During our trip, we made Piute Lake our base camp while we trekked over Piute Pass and into the Humphreys Basin to fish lakes like Summit Lake and Lower Golden Trout Lake. Trail is not heavily trafficked to get any direction at critical points. Pick up supplies in several nearby communities including Cold Springs, the last chance for gas when traveling east. As an immaculate spot for paddle sports, don’t forget your kayak or SUP. I would have liked to have had an extra day to day hike out to Woods, Bucks, Deer, etc. Lake was ok but I wish I had been able to stay at Gem which was gorgeous. As you plan your visit, please check out the official campground webpage on the Forest Service website to find information on seasonal closures, any fees, fire alerts and necessary permits. The access road in places is steep and narrow. We dare ya to prove us wrong on your visit to the Utica/Union Reservoirs Campground. The parking lot was definitely full, but people parked along the side of the road going pretty far back. 4. We know it’s total newbie advice, but just keep all parts of your body inside your vehicle to keep your limbs safe. First come, first served campites and reservable campsites. Ranger Districts. 2:40. Gem was beautiful to camp at and swim in, but make sure to stop by Grouse for a dip with an a-moo-sing view . I think if you wanted to see sunset and didn't want to do the entire loop, gem lake is ideal, but really crowded. Location. Summit Miwok District #1 Pinecrest Lake Road Pinecrest, CA 95364. A few small towns (Sonora, Twain Harte, Cold Springs, Pinecrest, Strawberry) are located nearby to grab both gas and groceries. Explore the most popular trails in my list Stanislaus with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Sand Bar Flat Campground is a forested site on the middle fork of the Stanislaus River. We did pass by a handful of groups on pack trips with horses and pack-mules, making the trail a bit dusty for the time being, but might as well make the insides match the dusty, grime covered outsides! Out and back comes about a 2 miles more. Look no further than Bloomfield Campground. Sweetwater Campground is recovering from the Rim Fire, so use caution when dealing with trees and wildlife weakened from the natural destruction. The campground provides a trail down to the river, and great river access to float your tube or simply beach it up! I was here at Gem Lake. Must. At Spicer Reservoir Group Campground you can enjoy views of the picturesque 2000 acre lake, hiking in the surrounding Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, and paddle sports like kayaking and SUP. The park is not well known and is a great place for a quiet getaway. Set up camp between the trees and check out the breathtaking views of the Stanislaus River Canyon. I would probably do counterclockwise if there were a next time. Noted for a stand of beautiful aspen trees, Mill Creek Campground is located in a mixed conifer forest. This is a difficult loop trail to No Camping in Stanislaus National Forest. Sites were accessible. Steady ups and downs, a perfect trail for a backpacker who is looking for a chill time. Detailed descriptions of campgrounds in the Stanislaus National Forest. This trail goes by Camp Lake, Piute Lake Campground, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, and Chewing Gum Lake. Piute campground was pleasant. Calaveras District 5519 Highway 4 PO Box 500 Hathaway Pines, CA 95233. But the views and the granite and everything else was a 5. There is a stream crossing to reach the lakes and in the spring it may be difficult to negotiate. We certainly are. It's a four for me because the trail is not your normal trail and the horses do make it soft and sand at parts. Only open when the Alpine Lake basin is full, this spot is a life saver for all you spontaneous weekend-warriors out there. Contact Information. It has 1,100 miles (1,770.3 km) of non-motorized trails, and 2,859 miles (4,601.1 km) of roads, 188 miles (302.6 km) of which are paved. Groveland District 24545 Highway 120 Groveland, CA 95321 . The two lakes have a speed limit of 5 MPH and motorized boats are discouraged. This was in the beginning of Oct. No mosquitoes. Then you’ve come to the right place! The trail was only spotty between Lower Buck and Wood Lake. we did a counter-clockwise version of this loop, and added an extra ~4 miles to see Wood Lake, Deer Lake, and Jewelry Lake. Summit Miwok District #1 Pinecrest Lake Road Pinecrest, CA 95364. Typical sites have water faucets, picnic tables and a campfire pit with grill. Picnic areas are dispersed throughout the park as well. It’s got on-site comfort basics like water and toilets, but leaves room for spontaneity's spark with a first-come, first-served policy. The Granite Dome hike is definitely one of my favorites. Trip up to the picturesque Highlands Lake Campground in the Stanislaus National Forest Just make sure you pack the bug spray and sunscreen because you’re going to be outside all day. If you make your way to Pinecrest Lake day use area this winter, please respect the rules and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. We hiked counterclockwise, camped at Groundhog Meadow first night, and Piute Lake second night. Second to last mile leg is a trek up and out which was a slow and rough end. There are no showers here, but there luckily is a river nearby. Campgrounds operated by federal and state agencies are not yet bookable on Hipcamp. I work long sleeves mainly for sun protection but wore bug spray and have no bites. While here Read more... Get your fill of camping goodness at Baker Campground in Stanislaus Forest. Highland Lakes Campground is located next to the two Highland Lakes, 6 miles off Highway 4 near the summit of Ebbetts Pass. pack trail was a little blown down, but trail was not hard to find. 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