We have had several fabulous dinners at GEL. We live locally so we bring our out of town guests…read morehere for a meal in the pines. Lynn is a great chef and the food never disappoints. It is also the trailhead for several great hikes.

We have been visiting GEL for 26 years and every year the food staff and amenities are amazing. So…read moremany fun traditions and opportunities for adventure. Swimming in Smith Lake or a 7 mile out and back to Hidden Lake. Golf and fishing within a few minutes from your Cabin make GEL a truly special vacation destination. Looking forward to next year's trip already. .

I witnessed the ladies of Salmon Lake Lodge save the life of a hypothermic kayaker this morning…read more Thank God for their efforts and courage to save this young man's life! You are heroes

First, it is referred to by most as "Salmon Lake". Technically it is at "Upper Salmon Lake" near…read moreSierra City, CA near Bassett's Station. I really enjoy Salmon Lake Lodge and here is my run down on everything: (See the pictures for detail) Basics: This place is remote! If you like being a hermit for a week this is the place. There is absolutely NO CELL RECEPTION!!! I am serious, you have to drive into Graeagle to get cell service. Many of the cafes in Graeagle have wifi. Also, you drive to the lake and then take a barge (floating dock with a motor for you city slickers) across the lake. The camp site and lodge are not reachable by vehicle! However for you die hard hikers you can reach the lodge using the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). It does get cold at night even in summer since you are at 6,500 ft elevation. You can also take a 30 minute hike from the parking lot around the lake to the lodge. However that trail is very narrow and pretty rocky. Again for the city clickers: None of the trails are paved! The Lake: Even in August the lake water is REALLY COLD! I wear a wet suit. My wife and in-laws (whom I think are crazy) swim without a wet suit. Basically, if you can handle the Northern California Ocean you may not need a wet suit. There is an island which is great to kayak to and jump off the rocks. There are quite a few rocks on the island and around the edge of the lake to jump off and it is so much fun! For the fisherman, the lake is stocked with rainbow trout, but there are some other fish in there as well. There are ducks, some eagles, some rocks for climbing, and a few coves to explore. Tent Cabins: Beds: Twin Bunk Bed and separate Full Sized Bed. Mattresses are pretty hard! Kitchen: Two electric burner cook top, Mini Refrigerator with Tiny Freezer section (like a college dorm, Table with two benches, Plastic tub for food storage, Trash bucket, Dish Tub, Broom, and dust pan. There is also a wood burning stove for heat and the site provides firewood. Outside each cabin is an outdoor table with two benches and a BBQ like you would find at a city park. Details: There are 10 tent cabins in 5 buildings labeled A-J. The I/J tent cabins are the furthest west and therefore the most quiet. The G cabin is the closest to the bathroom. Amenities: The Lodge provides row boats, kayaks, and a few canoes on first come first serve basis at NO CHARGE! This is a big reason I like Salmon Lake, it is a very small lake that you can kayak around and jump in the water as you wish. There is a bathroom/shower/dishwashing house for everyone in the tent cabins. The shower always has had hot water when I used it. The bathrooms are cleaned daily and have running water and lighting and are very nice. The dish washing station is outside and is a double sink for washing and rinsing. There is also a washing machine for clothing (great for you hikers). You hang dry your clothes (bring a clothes line or parachute cord). It is a great place for hiking. You can reach the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) easily and the Sierra Buttes. There are also shorter trails to Horse Lake, Deer Lake, and Lower Salmon Lake. Note: There is a waiting list to get in. It is fairly exclusive. Message me if you have questions I've been here a few times and my in-laws have been going here for generations.

Old world wilderness housekeeping cabins in the subalpine Lakes Basin of Plumas National Forest…read moreowned and operated by the same family since 1920. Incomparable retreat for those who want to unplug, slow down, and reconnect with themselves.

I have been coming since I was 6 years old!!! I am now 30+++! Visit every year with my family,…read morealthough I can no longer sleep on the property because of my dog. I no have to camp at Lakes Basin Campground (0.5 mi away) or stay at Gray Eagle Lodge (3.0 mi away) with Max-the-dog, because of their nature-friendly/no-dog policy while my family retreats at the fabulous ELL. Despite all that, if you do not have a dog, or can get a dog-sitter, stay at Elwell Lakes Lodge if you can! Yes, it's rustic, but it's the ultimate in unplugged. The Dining Hall and Recreation Hall are beautifully crafted buildings making the size of your cabin obsolete. Just come, hike, swim, read, contemplate and enjoy being with yourself and the one you love. All the cabins have their own flavor, but my favorites are Andrews, Childs and Cromwell. To each his or her own. You may prefer a bed-and-breakfast room above the Recreation Hall. Whatever you chose, remember it's casual and rustic and....a little piece of heaven.

River Pines was a blessing. Like thousands of people my wife and I were evacuated from our home…read moredue to the recent Hawk Fire. We had no choice but to travel north since the freeway was closed into Reno and traffic in the north valleys was catastrophic gridlock. We had to travel north on Red Rock to 395. Through cell phone tower failure when my wife got a brief bar of reception she reached out to River Pines and Jess was amazing and was able to get us a room. We arrived there around 10:45 pm and Jess was waiting for us. The hospitality, empathy and kindness demonstrated by the owner and staff at the resort was so genuine and truly appreciated. We stayed 3 nights until we could return home once the evacuation was downgraded. Despite our circumstances the staff made our stay as pleasant as possible. My wife and I can't thank River Pines enough for being so accommodating to us. We spend a lot of time in Graeagle and the kindness shown by everyone we had contact with in the area just truly demonstrates why Graeagle is a special place.

In the middle of a family vacation at an alleged family resort, they decided to make the hot tub…read morearea +18 only. Don't fall for the trap, not family friendly... I'd recommend one of the other nearby resorts instead.

We went to the Iron Door for our anniversary dinner, and it was amazing!…read moreWe started off with a Lavender Lemon-drop Martini and a Mule. The martini was the best one Iv'e ever had! The lavender essence is made in-house and is truly amazing! You could taste the lavender, but it was not overly strong. The mule was perfect and served in a copper cup. I had a dinner salad and their blue cheese dressing was delicious. My husband had the Chicken Marsala and it was very tender and flavorful. I had the shrimp Scampi and it was wonderful! The seasoning was perfect, the shrimp delicious, and the pasta cooked perfectly. We had a warmed fruit cobbler for dessert, which was served with ice cream. Our server was wonderful and we had a great experience! The prices are very reasonable, and the servings are good-sized. We will definitely return! Reservations are recommended.

My wife and I had to try this place out which staying in Graeagle. It is a very popular spot in…read moretown and we could see why once we walked in the door! It's a very warm and inviting place and family oriented. Our server was nice and took the time to explain some of the menu options and what she highly recommended. Our food was delicious and was served quickly which always makes us feel cared for! Can't wait to come back for more!

So Glad We Gave Them a Second Chance! (The Ultimate Pizza Redemption)…read more We first visited the Clio Inn last camping season, and honestly, we left with mixed feelings. While the service was top notch and the pizza sauce and toppings were fantastic, the dough itself was under seasoned, so we decided not to return. Fast forward to tonight.. We came back with the sole intention of sitting on the porch and having a couple of beers. But the universe had other plans. The moment we arrived, the hypnotic smell of pizzas drifting from inside completely broke our resolve. We gave in and ordered the Due and Proper. Oh. My. God. Am I ever glad to be proven wrong! It was absolutely amazing. The flavors completely blew me away. The dough was an absolute home run this time, perfectly seasoned, incredibly airy, and fragrant. The Clio Inn officially won us back. If you had a passable experience in the past, or if you're just looking for incredible food and stellar service, do yourself a favor and order a pizza. Magnificent!

Great little hotel, with awesome fresh homemade pizza! The staff were very friendly. The location…read moreis great right by the river. There isn't much around but that's what makes it even better. It's quiet and safe. The pizza was so good.

(Overdue review) We loved our camping experience at Dream…read moreCatcher! Even though it was Labor Day weekend, the campground and Lakes Basin area was so quiet and peaceful. It's a hidden gem, compared to more popular, overcrowded nature areas. Mike and Brandi were super responsive and helpful via text and in person. It truly is a family business so always happy to support that. We stayed at one of the two campsites and it seems like, at least when we were there, the rest of the RV park folks there were mostly chill, quiet seniors. We helped ourselves to free hot showers (!!!!) and had the sparkling clean restrooms pretty much to ourselves the entire weekend. Nice hiking trail on their property, games and activities available if you choose. We chose to SUP, check out all the pretty lakes in the area. Highly recommend this campground, will visit again.

What a beautiful spot. It felt like the 3 couples we had, had the entire park to ourselves. Clean…read morerestrooms, super funny signs that will make you want to potty in every stall. Only complaint is Dale and the boys working on their trucks ALL NIGHT LONG. I don't know what they were on but it rhymes with Shmeth. People actually live on the SE side of the campground so unless you're in to tweakers banging on things all night, don't stay on that side of the campground. Super loud metal on metal and welding and grinding. I didn't plan on staying at an auto shop but here we are. So we have to be quiet after 10 but they can rage all night? No thanks I do appreciate the care that the owners have put in to this spot, again, super clean and very well maintained. Location is great for golf, local restaurants etc. I'd stay here again but Dale and the boys better put their tools away. Other than that, super great experience

Tranquility and peacefulness... Until the horses show up!?…read moreAlong Gold Lake Highway lies MANY hidden gems...including Gold Lake! The scenic drive there was shared with bicyclists as they road, up the mountain in the sun...It's a truly spectacular drive filled with magnificent views... Creeks, water falls, lakes, ponds, rivers...the list goes on! Pebble beaches, grassy banks and warm water were just a few of the upsides to this beautiful lake, a piece of heaven. We heard about the lake by some locals at the RV park we camped at and just had to see for ourselves. I love going on adventures to places I've never been, which is what we had to do when our campground at Stampede was full, and finding ourselves in places we had no idea even existed!! As we enjoyed the lake, a few horses and a rather fine border collie dog were led down from the nearby stables by their owner to get them used to the lake...The dog played and the horses drank. It was a neat thing to see. Taven found and chased a little garden snake which prompted an educational speech by daddy about snakes, their dangers and their wonders... It was a great time!

Goose Lake campground is a small Forest Service campground located on the Gold Lake Highway just…read moresouth of the more well-known Gold Lake campground. It is often simply used as overflow for the latter. However, although much smaller than Gold Lake, it is no less beautiful, and the lack of motorized watercraft give it a quieter, more serene appearance. Not camping at the time, we were simply looking for a nice lake to have a picnic by that was accessible by car. In the Lakes Basin area, in spite of what everyone says, this is no mean feat. The forest service seems to assume that the great majority of users have four-wheel-drive vehicles anyway, so no sense wasting money fixing the multitude of hazardous potholes on seemingly every access road. At this campground, we took one look at the dirt campground road and its giant potholes, and aborted an attempt to drive in. Fortunately, off the highway just south of the entrance is a large dirt area to park, fairly devoid of holes, that had a walk-in path to the campground and the lake. Goose Lake is a short walk from that parking area, and if you don't mind sitting on a rock, there is an abundance of beautiful areas to have lunch by and enjoy the water. Even if you only have a short amount of time, Goose Lake is worth a visit. The campground is small, with only 13 spots, and was quite quiet during our midday visit. The big disadvantage to this campground: no water. You would probably need to make visits to nearby Gold Lake and refill water supplies. The vault toilet was clean and relatively odor free. The daily camping fee is only $10, and does not take reservations. To reach the campground, go south on Highway 89 from Graeagle for 2 miles, then proceed south for 12 miles on the Gold Lake Highway. Definitely a four star for day use, but potholes and the lack of water knocks it down a star for camping...

This place is an absolute gem. What a surprise as you drive up the road to find an oasis (food…read moretruck, pour house, mini-amphitheater, gorgeous solid tables/benches) among a forest of pines. The food was great - you must try the loaded fries, and the beer was cold. This is a place worth your time again and again. Share your table, easy to meet other visitors or locals.

It's a beautiful outdoor scenery with gorgeous tall pine trees. One can enjoy the outdoors drinking…read morea beer while waiting for food. We had the fried fish tacos and the barbacoa. The fish tacos were good but the fish was too small it kind of got lost in the slaw. My significant other enjoy the barbacoa tacos so I guess it was good. Service was nice :)

Love this course it was in beautiful condition as always ! The people are friendly and it's…read morehonestly my fav course and I've played many wonderful courses including PB. Whitehawk is my all time fav. We stay at the lodge and enjoy that very much . A+ goes out to Marcie s for a stop before you start the back nine ! Hot dogs sandwiches great drinks but mostly just a sweet person ! Marcie is so friendly and helpful! Hoping to get one more day of great golf in before winter and I live in beautiful Lake Tahoe! Whitehawk is prettier !

Note that the location on yelp is a little off regarding the course…read more This is one of the nicer courses I have played (vs all bay area public courses). I was first out at 8am, walked the course and played in less then 3 hours. The greens were amazing, fast and perfect. The course was in amazing shape. The staff was very accommodating and nice. At $125 to play, including cart, range balls and the round I felt it was expensive but worth it. They have pro v1's on the range so make sure to take a few warm up shots. The layout of the course is nice, hole 9 stuck out as one of my favorites, a drivable par 4 with a creak down the middle. All and all worth a drive if you are staying in Truckee or Reno and by the looks of it the best course in the area.