I went here on a weekday, and when I arrived in the parking lot, I was shocked by how much was…read moregoing on. It definitely did not feel like a safe place to leave a car or to walk alone. There appeared to be drug activity, and there were people living in their cars. It felt more like a place for people to hang out and purchase drugs than a normal parking lot. I observed this as I drove through, which was very concerning. This was a bummer, especially since the trail itself looked beautiful. I'm surprised that law enforcement hasn't been called by the neighborhood, but then again, I understand that people can sometimes become used to these conditions.

We always love hiking here. It's easy to hike with kids, even though it can get a little rocky and…read morea little muddy. The cave is always beautiful, especially when the water is flowing. Today, there are still descent of people hiking, and we came around 12:30 Easy Hike!Gonna come back again soon. P. S please leave no trace

White Pines exploring this weekend was insane. My daughter and I had a blast riding some of the…read morefire roads with unreal views. There's miles of roads and trails everywhere that lead down to the river. Super chill people out and about enjoying the weather. Will definitely be back next time in Arnold.

Came up here for 4th of July weekend, and what a cool little gem it is! Lots of nice beach area,…read morehiking, frisbee golf, fishing, and just general fun on the lake with swimming, inflatables, etc. I totally recommend! :)

Lake Alpine is a beautiful spot that is a perfect getaway destination for those looking for relief…read morefrom the valley heat. Fishing, kayaks, SUP's and some great waterfront places to set up a chair or just sit on a rock and take in the beauty. Parking can be challenging, depending on the time of year, but weekends are the busiest. They started a fee program a few years ago that charges $5.00 for a day use fee, it is not for parking. If you are close to a camp monitor/host, they can be pushy about the fee. If you can make a weekday visit, the hassles of parking and crowds are generally less. There is a mostly paved trail that goes around the lake and is a great walk/hike, with no difficulty. The place is like a mini Lake Tahoe.

Alpine Lake offers an idyllic retreat for outdoor enthusiasts seeking tranquility and stunning…read morevistas. The surrounding terrain boasts incredible natural beauty and a serene ambiance, making it a popular destination for paddling, relaxation, and wildlife viewing. What many fail to realize is that the lake's true splendor is best appreciated from the water, where visitors can immerse themselves in the serene landscape. Nestled amidst the mature coniferous forests along the shores of serene Lake Alpine, the Lake Alpine Campground is one of five scenic camping destinations within the larger Lake Alpine Recreation Area. It is a superb place to paddle and camp! FOr more info: https://www.paddlingcalifornia.com/Alpine_Lake.html

Great hike, not very difficult unless you want to climb all the way up which isn't even necessary…read moreto enjoy the falls, but be mindful of slippery rocks especially if wet. Easy to find secluded spots for bathing. Water is cold! remember it is all melted snow runoff. This is the largest waterfall in the Tahoe area. You may view the Cascade falls near the base, or hike on up to Horsetail. Parking costs $10. unless you have a federal permit, which is available for sale, for seniors, and free for the disabled. We went in late July and the water was gushing nicely, and the weather was fine even though it rained a bit that day.

This was my first and probably my last time doing this hike. It's really beautiful The river and…read morethe waterfall is pretty cool. If you go all the way to the top of the waterfall and then go beyond it for about a mile or so you come to a gorgeous lake. However, this is a strenuous hike. Lots and lots of rock, climbing, and at times I just felt exhausted and I wasn't even sure that I wanted to complete it. I'm glad I did, but I probably won't do it again. The only downfall other than it just being strenuous is that the hike and trail itself is not well marked.

First full weekend of June, visited the lake several times…read more Parking Saturday by 10:20am, most of the overflow parking across from the restaurant and general store were already full. To avoid walking too far if you have a vehicle, strongly recommend getting here early to keep the walk short. In contrast, on a Sunday at Noon, there were sporadic parking spots lakefront. Crowds Saturday had some areas of the lake crowded with most benches or picnic benches taken but there were some left by 11am. Sunday, dramatically less crowds. Weather Even in mid-60s, being in direct sunlight can feel much hotter and burn you. Water Just fine for early June, did not feel terribly cold. Restrooms Generally in very good condition and multiple throughout the lakefront, no soap though.

Small yet popular lake in the Stanislaus National Forest. Very convenient for Bay Area vacationers…read moreas it is only a 2.5 hour drive. I've done a few summer weekend trips here, but as a child. So don't remember many details, just that it was always a blast, camping with a large group and delving into lake activities. As an adult, I've mostly come to this area during the winter/spring months, and that's only because Dodge Ridge Ski Resort is in the same area. But never really knew how close the actual lake is to the ski resort...until recently when I finally did both in a one weekend stint. The actual lake is man-made, it is a reservoir meant to harness water, snow melt is my guess due to the regular snow fall every winter in these mountains. Then PG&E bulit a dam and used this for hydroelectric energy and you can see the raging water on the bottom of the dam if you hike over to that corner. We hiked only half of the lake on a gorgeous clear winter's day. I wanted to hike the entire circumference of the lake, which is only a little over 3 miles, but we had a small child in our group, so we kept it manageable. The trail is well kept and very easy to stay on, not many off shoots to other trails. It climbs in a few spots but nothing too difficult (at least to me). The lake is in view in practically every spot on the trail, so very very scenic and picturesque. Even though a man-made lake, seeing the clouds drift by the snowcapped mountains and all the pine trees all around, that I never felt like it was a man-made lake. Very natural contours and plant and tree habitat. I saw an occasional deer and tons of birds enjoying the sun on an otherwise cool winter's day. Even saw a couple of eagles soaring from the trees to the lake line, may have even been bald eagles as I observed white heads. I didn't have binoculars to confirm, so just a hunch, but it still felt special. Not much activity on the actual lake during my winter visit, maybe just a few people fishing off of rocks near the shore. No one was boating or swimming in these months. But in the summer, it is a much different story, as my memories recollect. Now i want to come back during the summer/fall and do some camping and kayaking. A promise I am making to myself and will surely bring into fruition. Trust.

What a unique find! We were looking for a vacation within a few hours of home and stumbled upon TH…read more Looking at the rentals we noticed some had access to this private lake, which sounded great, so we decided to check it out and found it was totally worth it. At first the long list of rules and the $8 fee per person may be a bit off putting, but once you get there you'll understand the benefits that come from them. The beach is incredibly clean and large enough to accommodate quite a few families and there is ample parking. There are large trees shading benches along a well kept concrete path, all perfect for resting your belongings on less busy days. The trees also cast shade a good distance onto the beach, so you have some options for shade. I would still say a good umbrella is recommended, as the shade could fill up. The water feels cool when you get in but once you're under it's really nice. The water and lake are also very clean, with a nice sandy bottom. If you go out a little further you may encounter some algae as it gets deeper, but all in all it's a fantastic lake to swim in. There are water slides, sunning platforms in the middle if you swim out that far, great space for paddle boards and kayaks, and even a diving board in the deepest part and granite beach next to it. After 6pm it's free to enter and you can fish along the dam too. They said it's stocked with trout but we didn't find any. We did catch some bluegill though!

You have to have a membership to enter but this is the little piece of paradise we've dreamed of…read more Bring your own rafts and chairs. Just spent two days for my hubbys birthday. It was hot out and the lake was perfect.