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

We camped at Lake Alpine's East Shore a couple of weeks ago, and loved it so much, we decided to…read morereturn two weeks later. A week ago, I happened to see an availability for a weekend so I snapped it up. We stayed at Pine Marten a couple of weekends ago, so just down the hill from Silver Valley. Site 5 was just gorgeous. Lots of wildflowers were in bloom on this site. It's a large site, so there was plenty of room for a picnic table, a fire pit, and a few tents. There is even a water spigot conveniently located at the site. There are three vault (pit) toilets on site, and we used all three at some point, and the one that was best was the farthest one from us which by Site 10. No showers but you can use the showers at Lake Alpine Resort for a fee. You can also rent kayaks and boats, and buy stuff at Lake Alpine Resort. The stargazing was awesome! Our site had a great view of the sky, so we got to see the Big Dipper, lots and lots of stars and the Milky Way. We made sure to hang out and look at the stars after we've completely doused our campfire. We stayed up until about midnight just to enjoy the stars. To get down to the Lakeshore Trail, head to Site 12. You will see a trail next to the water spigot (to the right of Site 12 facing it), go down that trail and you will be at Pine Marten and follow the road to the Lakeshore Trail. I would book a site located on the inner ring of the campground. The ones across the road from Site 5 are all on the hill and it may be hard to pitch a tent on flat ground.

I'm local and have been visiting Grover for two decades and things have really gone downhill since…read moreCovid. The reservation system sucks. Why can't we make reservations the same day? This makes no sense. I used to visit Grover weekly, so they made around $500/year from my visits. Since Covid, I've been three times, so they've made about $30 from my visits in the last five years. Making it harder to visit is extremely stupid and has turned off many locals who used to visit regularly. I'm in favor of keeping the reservation system, but the 48 hour cutoff is idiotic. The other major issue is the inconsistent opening hours and arbitrary closings. This has been true since before Covid. However, these days the phones NEVER work, so there's no way to know if they are actually open. Even if you have a reservation, I wouldn't trust them to be open. I've made that mistake more than once and wasted an hour and half in the car. Since they can't be bothered to fix their phones (this has been going on for YEARS) or get a cheap cell phone for the pool area, it's impossible to know if they are truly open. Buyer beware. Opening hours also suck from a soaking standpoint. Grover used to be open until 8pm, then it was 7pm, and now it's 5pm. Grover used to be a great place to stop for a soak after skiing, but now that's no longer possible because of the 5pm closing. Soaking in the summer is even worse. Who wants to soak in a hot spring mid-day in July? No one. In the summer you want an evening soak, when the sun has dipped behind the mountains, but nope! They're closed at 5. Stupid. Opening hours on Yelp are incorrect as well. I've submitted a correction. Per the State Park website, Grover is now only open Friday-Sunday. Of course no one who works for the park bothers to update this information. This place is so poorly run., On a positive note, the staff is always very nice and it's a beautiful spot.

Cute place to hike with a beautiful view of nature and waterfall. Once you're done head over to the…read morehot spring pools for a nice soak.

This spot is still fabulous! Been coming here for several years now. I always one of their little…read moreCabins! Staff is always friendly! Bathrooms are super clean! And everyone is always lovely and respectful on the grounds. Highly recommend!

We booked an overnight at this place a few years ago to attend a wedding. It is a smaller…read morecampground and feels a bit tight with 22 full-hook up sites and only 30 amp service. They have one site with 50 amp. They do have 6 pull-through sites for larger rigs. They allow tents on pull-through sites only. The sites are dirt, but fairly level. Anyone with a large rig and tow vehicle should avoid this place or call to ensure you will fit. There are several large trees in the park that can make backing your rig difficult. Most of the sites are fairly small. If you are trailering another vehicle, they recommend renting another site to accommodate that tow vehicle which is a bummer. They do have a pool, showers and bathrooms. For me, it was cool to experience this place one time, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Nice place to stay with family & friends. Plenty of room for our 5th wheel along with our Honda…read moreeu3000is to relax and enjoy the area without disturbing anyone else's family time. Amazing place to experience

We were really happy to get a spot at the last minute, to camp one last time this season. The…read moreweather is cooler, but it's so much nicer without the Summer crowds. When we arrived, we were told the bears were very active, which in this area, they usually are. There are alot of signs informing the public they are in Bear Country and what to do if they come across one. There's also information on the proper way to store food, so the bears can't get to it. Unfortunately, we see the carelessness from campers all of the time. It's very frustrating, especially when you hear a bear and cub may be euthanized because they have gotten too comfortable approaching people at the campsites and could be a danger. This place is beautiful and the bears are a treasure. If you camp here, please be responsible! Aside that, we love this campground. Staff are always very pleasant and helpful.

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!

Our family's been going here since 1972!!! We absolutely LOVEI IT!! Camping cabins horseback riding…read morecamp fires great food at their restaurant. Gorgeous Views everywhere!!!

2021 Camping Trip #2…read more I was soooo lucky to get a weekend reservation here! They must have just opened up reservations as there were still sites available when I booked in May. We camped here the last weekend of June, and from the looks of it, the snow must have just all melted as the ground was still soft and damp. This meant we had mosquitoes of course, but it wasn't too bad. They were around in the morning and at dusk. However lots of wildflowers were in bloom, and lots of butterflies. It was also damsel flies mating season, so they were flying around, landing on people and rocks to mate. Lol We also saw a lot of trout jumping! Saw lots of stars at night and the sky is definitely bluer and cleaner up at this elevation! This campground is located at 7300 ft elevation. We did not feel the elevation which is nice. This campground is on the East shore of Lake Alpine which is the less busy side of the lake. Pine Marten is just past the Backpackers Campground and the beach is only a few minutes walk from Pine Marten. There is very limited parking for Day Users (maybe 10 cars?) so it is better than the West Shore. Site 32 was great! It was spacious. You can easily fit 3 tents on flat ground. There is a bear box which has a nice easy latch system, and a picnic table. It's about 2 sites away from pit toilets and water. The fire ring is very low though. Just make sure you don't build too big of a fire. The campground hosts were so nice! They would always wave and say hi when they are making their rounds. The campground was pretty quiet all weekend. Maybe coz it gets so cold at night. Friday night temps got all the way down to the high 30s, but Saturday night lows only got down to the 40s. Lake Alpine Resort is only a little over a mile walk away, so we walked there to rent kayaks in the afternoon. So much fun kayaking the lake! They also have a general store so you can buy ice, sundries, food, souvenirs, fishing stuff and drinks. Bear Valley is less than 4 miles so you can always drive there if Lake Alpine Resort doesn't have what you need. We will definitely camp here again. The Lake is gorgeous, the people friendly, and it feels secluded. Lots of trails, and lakes nearby too. Ebbett's Pass is also nearby. We loved our camping here so much, we are returning in another week, albeit at Silver Valley Campground which is adjacent to Pine Marten. I had reserved a campsite near Nevada City, but I happened to see an availability at Lake Alpine for the same weekend. Someone must have just cancelled their reservation. Can't wait to return! :)

Spaces are to small. And access to Lake is only via boat ramp and it is 300 yards away. Bathroom…read moreare not maintained very good

Beautiful views Nice calm waters for stand up paddle…read moreboarding The only reason not a 5 star was due to the swarms of mosquitoes Definitely will go back

Beautiful place in the summer. I totally want to go back in the winter when it's snowing and…read moresnowmobiling is in... We had about 20 people at our campsite. Plenty of room. Tables and water spigots to rinse off dishes and feet and little kids too were provided at our site, very helpful. We also had our own small amphitheatre/firepit with lots of benches to sit around it I would guess about 30 people would be comfortable sitting around it. Although no fires were allowed due to Californians most recent droughts and wildfires. REMEMBER; Non potable water comes from the spigots. All drinking and cooking water must be brought in... Non potable means you can't drink it. Vault toliets- That means= Outhouse! Bigger and nicer than most but it still doesn't flush! Firepits are there, but in drought conditions we pretended they weren't there. We had fire rings for s'mores & such. Each different campsites comes with an Attendant to report problems, they pick up garbage & replace TP in those vaults. Basically the manager at each campsite to reduce issues. Ours was a really cool guy named Steve. The lake itself is gorgeous, fairly empty and looks a lot like Tahoe with the humungous boulders. While we were there the boat launches were a nightmare due to the low water levels in the lake. Although the lake was still absolutely beautiful for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, fishing and a million other activities you can think of. Also the stargazing is amazing the night skies are beyond stunning the elevation is high enough and its dark enough to really enjoy that too! It is a very beautiful and tranquil campground. It is called "group" because you are allowed more people but parking is limited at each campsite and nearby parking lots are fairly close. You could walk around and still not see or hear other people at nearby sites... Very tranquil.

Beautiful beautiful place to spend a couple of days at in a tent. If you're looking to stay longer…read moreI would definitely recommend being a RV owner or renting one. As the campsite location that we stayed at only offered one outhouse. Which means non-flushable man hole and no sink for washing hands. Surfer looking for that true rugged tent camping lifestyle here's the place to be. From the campsite they were at we're probably about 15 minutes from the actual Bear Lake resort campground which offers a lot of amenities in their little neighboring area. In back of our camp site was a little creek that we walked down to and enjoyed the beautiful view for a couple of hours while panting for Gould. The weather was beautiful during the day it did drop down to low 50s in the night. Lots of beautiful wildlife we saw squirrels, two deer, and plenty of birds flying around the night view of the stars was just amazing. Going down to the lake was just an amazing view lots of people out enjoying the water their boats and other fun festivities over the Fourth of July weekend. For sure a grand time while we were there.