Everything about this walk, hike, views, sounds, was worth every moment of the visit. We had recent…read moreviewed this from someone else's Facebook post and decided it was part of our summer vibes. This was well worth it. FREE access, views, nature sounds, fishing. What more could you ask for. Pack your own snack or lunch even if you wanted too. You won't many benches to sit along the way, but hey, why not utilize one of the many massive tree trunks that were just cut up on the side of the trail. If you have any type of water shoes, bring those alongside your walking shoes. During our visit we did about a good 4 miles of trail visit. The road entering into the location is very narrow, and almost like a one vehicle a time passing.We would DEFINITELY see ourselves visiting here again. No IF, ANDs or BUTS about it.

Beautiful views and a super unique hike. The dam at the end was very cool too. It was very hot so…read morewe could even get very close and get splashed by the dam water, cooling us off. Pro tip, you can drive up to near the dam and do the trail backwards if you want to be able to see the dam without hiking as long. One caveat, you have to walk single file so it's a bit hard to have any big group conversations.

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

"stalagmites or stalactites???? " Who knows, but this place is cool…read more Location and parking: kind of out in the middle of nowhere and parking SUCK. Get there earlier or wake up at noon, have brunch, then make your way here and post up for a parking spot. LOL Trail: easy going and plenty of shade along the way. There was people of all ages, sizes, and shape; " Very Do-able". - Secret swim hole: a true gem. Natural, dripping cave filtering the run off from snows above. Water was super cold, but where else can you swim through a natural cave. "Gotta JUMP IN." Very refreshing. Short swim to opposite end of cave. "Safety 1st" - bring a life jacket or floaty. Read sign and follow rules, leave ROVER at home and pick up your TRASH. Adjudication: definitely worth a day trip to check out. "IT's COOL."

Don't think, just stop. This is the best $10 you will ever spend, besides maybe that NFT investment…read moreyou made last year...yes, we all know about it. Anyways, this place is the real deal. Right off the highway, clear water, big leaves like in the dinosaur movies you still watch (no judgement), and the perfect cliffs to jump off of with a rather safe landing. There is a sign about hazards, but I think it's a governmental approach at satire, because everybody and their grandma was jumping (saw one cannonball with walker). Nice work feds, you finally did something right. But still, make sure to bring your goggles and thoroughly inspect all conditions before jumping, flipping, and / or bellyflopping into the best day of your life. I'll post a full story and underwater videos on YouTube and IG soon IG: instagram.com/luke.kitchel YouTube.com/@PlantBasedLuke

!!Warning!! We witnessed a young boy suffer a traumatic head injury here. Please don't dive…read more Protect and supervise your children. There is no reception so getting help takes time (and you have to run to the entrance for help). It took the ambulance 30 minutes and the medical helicopter even longer. We came here late summer 2026, parking is $10 cash only. Parking is very limited but there is plenty out back (10 minute walk). It gets crowded. I'd say the main pool is not a place for kids under 7-8. Rocks can be slippery and there isn't much of a safe space for the littles. You can drop off your gear by the restrooms on the way up. They have smaller pools above the waterfall that may be more suitable for the littles, regardless, parents beware. Many were jumping off the cliffs (we did too) which may be relatively safe for the olders but no way for young ones. Please take care I'd give this a 4 of 5 if I had not witnessed what I did. Swimmers beware

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.

This will always be one of our top places to visit for our camping trips along side one other…read morelocation. Just the scenery of all the beautiful trees, listening to nature all times of the day and night, the trails to explore, the beautiful marina, the ice cream hut, the post goes on. We stayed this time around for Father's Day weekend. And it was a FULL house indeed! Took our fur baby with us, and let me tell you she had a good time but she left exhausted lol! There were two camp grounds to stay at while up there if space permitted as the third location was closed. We made about 4 trips throughout to their little convenience store as they had lots to choose from plus ice and fire wood. We had a small meal from the local little pub a few doors down from there, which is also connected to their post office, surf shop and coffee/ice cream hut. Plenty of bathroom locations spread through the campgrounds which is always a plus. No showers though. Each night was $40. We stayed 2. For the most part each spot can hold two economy size vehicles. There is so much more to be said about visiting here. But it's better if you can find the time To just visit and or stay in order to relate. For sure a fun family spot to get away too.

Fun Bar! The food is nothing special, but it's a nostalgic place with the magic of the high…read moresierras. Great hiking trails and horseback riding.

My resupply on the PCT at Kennedy Meadows turned into a mini vacation that I'll look back fondly on…read morefor years. I took advantage of the shuttle they run from Sonora pass to the resort. I called to confirm the pickup time, and it was right on schedule. The guy driving the van was filling in for the usual driver, but he was professional and shared some cool facts about the area. At the resort he pointed me towards the designated hiker hangout area and let me know where the front desk was so I could work out accommodations. I had my heart set on a cabin to nurse my chewed up feet and wait for my replacement shoes to arrive via FedEx, but they were totally booked up. The woman at the front desk was awesome though and told me she'd put me in an empty dorm and try to let me have it to myself as long as possible. Picking up my resupply at the general store was easy, and the hiker area was convenient for repacking my bag. The general store had a great selection of all the typical hiker foods, and tons of great snacks. Laundry was a little chaotic because people (workers and hikers) were leaving their finished loads in the machines for ages, but eventually all my chores were done and I was able to relax in the restaurant. There was only one server working but she was friendly and kicking butt. The burger made with their own beef was great. After retiring to my dorm to kill many hours using the strong WiFi, I came back down to the restaurant seeking dinner. The days they offer prime rib are a bit of a madhouse because people travel specifically for the occasion. I couldn't get the attention of any server so I went back to my room. I came back closer to closing and was able to awkwardly shuffle in. The prime rib dinner was massive and pretty good. Even with my hiker hunger I wasn't able to finish it. The generator is LOUD, but you generally get used to it. When it slams off at night the silence is welcomed but jarring. The WiFi still works though. The next morning the restaurant was bustling for breakfast. It always seems like there's never quite enough servers, but that's not surprising considering it's a remote resort. I signed up for one of the short trail rides for a very reasonable $35. I turned out to be the only guest taking that particular ride, which was fun if not a little awkward. The guide was extremely professional and did a good job giving me directions and keeping an eye on how my saddle was positioned and how my horse was behaving. It was a beautiful short ride with a little bit of surprising rocky terrain and creek crossings. The rest of my second day at KM was spent in the saloon waiting for my shoes to arrive. Even though they recommend UPS, FedEx managed to arrive on schedule and my feet were saved. The bar had a great vibe with its strictly western jukebox and friendly barkeep. Dinner on a weekday was much less chaotic, and the ribeye was delicious. The next morning the shuttle driver struck a deal to take someone to a nearby town, so the shuttle was off schedule. Luckily the backpackers spread the word amongst ourselves and after sending a package home with the front desk, I wound up back at Sonora pass in the morning as planned, probably a few pounds heavier. I highly recommend Kennedy Meadows as a resupply and zero spot. They're extremely honest and upfront about how much everything they offer costs, and I didn't feel looked down on for being a smelly hiker. It's a beautiful area, and I plan on coming back for a vacation someday and getting my hands on one of those cabins!

Another great day at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. I was first into park besides those there for…read morecamping. Clean restrooms, clean trails, impeccable grounds and views, ample parking for me but when I was done hiking the spaces were full. Hiked to the viewpoint then walked the numbered trees loop. Saw bear, dear and likely raccoon tracks. Plus saw proof that "yes" a bear does poop in the woods. Lots of woodpeckers, chipmunks, ground squirrels, jays and junco birds, The trees are so large, incredible sequoias. Many of the huge downed trees have been preserved, propped up and or fenced. I hiked about 4 miles. It was a great day.

I went there with my daughter and grandkids and enjoyed Beaver Creek and the Sequoia grove at the…read morenorth end 1.5 hiking loop. Unfortunately my granddaughter's were too tired and it was pretty hot to hike the Bradley trail to the south grove sequoia's. We ended up at the north grove which landmarks were numbered to 25 then back to the visitor center and it was amazing

Great place for fishing and swimming. Plenty of spaces to explore and swim…read moreThere are several picnic tables and bbq pits around the lake

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.

As members if the California State Railroad Museum, we have been here manny times…read more - 10:30 AM Train pulled by 1922 2-8-0 #28 Car #597 - celebration of the movie train's return - roundhouse tours are not to be missed

Of course we arrive a day late, when Summer schedule switches to Autumn and trains only run on…read moreweekends, so we used the VERY CLEAN restrooms at this park and poked around the small museum. From what we saw, there are picnic tables on a green lawn - RARE, in this area of golden hills and meadows, and PLENTY of free parking. Many films and TV shows have been shot here. It's located in historical Jamestown, CA and also less than 20mins from Columbia, CA, another great stop along the 49 in California Gold Country. I look forward to returning and riding the rails at this little gem. Cheers! "CC"

We enjoyed a 1.5h ride at Dreamor it was a fantastic experience. Our guide Billy-Bob introduced us…read moreall to our horses and put our children who'd never ridden before at ease. We appreciated the amazing views of the forests and the Yosemite mountains in the distance. Thank t for a fantastic experience and the work that you do with the horses.

This was an amazing experience! Our guide was great. Explained everything up front. He was very…read morepersonable. He seemed to pair the perfect horse for me and my son. Breathtaking views. We drove an hour to get there, and I would do it again with no hesitation

Whoa. I've been into…read morethe Sierra Nevada mountain range all my life, so I'm well aware of how rugged and gorgeous it all is. But it seems that the Emigrant Wilderness takes this up a notch. I didn't think this was possible. I bought a backpack last year to take to Channel Islands. Why not use it this year for a semi-major backpacking trip. Of the places I was considering, I narrowed it down to the Emigrant Wilderness. Got my route planned out, and off I went to Kennedy Meadows. I ended up using two trailheads. When I got my wilderness permit, the ranger warned me that snow was blocking a lot of my itinerary. It certainly was. My four days out of Kennedy Meadows turned into only 26 hours. In that 26 hours was jaw-dropping scenery ranging from vast canyons and mountain ranges to pretty seasonal creeks and wildflowers. I camped near Summit Creek, going to sleep with a raging waterfall close by. By now, you're probably thinking of the first few minutes of "The Sound Of Music", and saying "Aw, I wish I was there!" I wish you were too. Be warned that it is pretty strenuous, and you start at 6500 feet. Okay, my second trip: the Crabtree trailhead. I did much less hiking this time, only five miles to Grouse Lake. I didn't need to go any further. The area around Grouse Lake has a lot to see and do: a smallish lake divided by a peninsula, lots of fishing and swimming spots, birds flying and singing, glaciated granite to climb and run on. (And plenty of mosquitoes; bring lots of repellant.) There are other destinations from this trailhead, too; hikers I saw said that they were going to Camp Lake, Bear Lake. It's a remote trailhead, but it filled up on a Saturday afternoon, so beware! A big part of the attraction of the Emigrant Wilderness is that the only "improvements" we've made are trails and the occasional reservoir. Everything else is just as it was when California became a state. It's wild. It does take a bit of effort to get back here. And when you do, you're not disappointed. It's an immersion into the mountains, a place with just you and the Lord, and He rejuvenates your spirit among His handiwork. Dick Proenneke, who lived in solitude near Alaska's Lake Clark, told John Kauffmann for National Geographic, "Mountains are a man's best friends if he only knew it. You hike and climb every day and you don't grow old." (He was 63.) The same can be said for the Emigrant Wilderness. If you get the food situation figured out, you could live here for an entire summer and still not see it all, and still wish you had more time.

Beautiful! We did the Kennedy Lake trail (15 mi) and camped overnight. It was so peaceful!…read moreBeautiful mountains, streams, trees, and wildlife (deer and rabbits). We tried to get to the lake but it was super swampy. It was very cold (30 F in late June so be sure to pack warm stuff! Happy Hiking!