Small yet popular lake in the Stanislaus National Forest. Very convenient for Bay Area vacationers as 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. read more

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Pinecrest is a great recreational area all year long. During the summer months it is great for swimming, hiking, boating and fishing. During the fall its great all of the above but may be too chilly for swimming. They drain part of the lake in the fall and more closer to winter so the water is pretty low in the fall. Pinecrest is also a great place to build a snowman in the winter and is right by the Dodge Ridge ski resort. It is beautiful, alot of people take photos here. They have a trail that goes around the lake, its not the easiest trail but it is not difficult either. read more

Pinecrest Lake - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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Came here to spend a day with my 4year old and husband. It's a 3hr drive from Santa Clara, we started around 7am and reached there around 11am. There were plenty of parking and found some restaurants near the spot. We bought our lunch and snacks from home. We wanted to take our daughter to play in snow and found this place to be amazing as we were not interested in heavy snow area as we had a small car. This place was really beautiful spot to spent the entire day. The restrooms were also pretty clean. We had fun. read more

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Such beautiful waters but extremely frigid & ice cold during our visit... Thank you to my sister & BIL for finding Pinecrest Lake and making plans for our little munchkins to have a fun-filled day. Pinecrest Lake neighbors Stanislaus National Forest. This place is great for a hike, some swimming, and offers grills for your usage/pleasure. Cabins are available if you do a quick search and plan ahead. Even on a day where the sun was shining bright and the waters being bitterly cold, there was no shortage of people frolicking. Granted, most families were smart enough to bring x-large floaties where you could simply hop on and drift along peacefully. Paddle boarding was also a popular activity. Extra points for the snack shack located nearby offering ice cream, burgers, hotdogs, corndogs, and drinks- just to name a few. 5/5 stars for the beautiful views. I'd happily make a return visit and hopefully it'll involve warmer waters and some grilling deliciousness. read more

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My husband and I started this tradition of coming up here once a year to kayak ! We really appreciate how easy it is to rent a kayak here. The lake also is not that big (it is man made, after all), so it does not take a while to kayak around. There is also a food shop near the lake. It's a bit pricey but it's kind of like how the movie theatres have food and snacks. I really appreciate and was surprised that the food shack has plant-based options ! Oh also this lake is just a really pretty place. We have not yet lounged on the shore and played in the water, nor have we hiked around the lake yet, but those are definite possibilities in the next times we go ! 4 stars because bathrooms don't have handsoap and also parking is really tough to find - gotta come early or park far. read more

Pinecrest Lake - place to rent kayaks - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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I decided, on a warm June Saturday, to head over Highway 108 and enjoy some sightseeing before hitting the Sonora Pass. Hiking around the lake was my first stop. Knowing that summer is crowded, I made a point to get there by 10:30. That wasn't early enough, as day use lots were already full and I snagged one of the last roadside spots near the lodge's cabins. It was utterly chaotic and I'm not sure how anyone who comes there for lakeside relaxation or beach time, could find that enjoyable. The sand was mobbed and it was just loud and stressful navigating the initial path. Once past the main beach, though, I had a wonderful and scenic hike around the lake. It becomes quieter, and you can truly enjoy taking in the mountain scenery There are no day use fees and you can hike the entire perimeter or the lake, with mountain scenery, small waterfalls, some rock scrambling, a dam, and the river rushing into the lake. It's a beautiful hike with lots of variety of the scenery. Either you look past the crowds or choose to go during a slower season. Park maps and other reviews put the loop at 4 miles. My tracker showed it at 5.5 and I've read other reviews that put it at 5-6. While there's not any true elevation gain, you do need good tread, as there are some up and down granite steps and some roots and rocks. I'd rate it low-moderate. Mix of sun and shade. I'd love to hike it again either on a weekday or before the summer crush. Bring more water than you think you need-the lake reflecting off the granite makes it hot and while some sections are shaded, you'll be in full sun quite a bit. Lovely spot, but if crowds aren't your thing, do not come on a weekend. I almost left, as the initial parking and first part of the hike were bordering on miserable. I'd heard this area used to be more of a low key spot-but there are no more hidden gems. Plan accordingly and come with the right expectations. read more

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Amazing lake to enjoy and cool off during summer. It does get crowded during peak season so arriving early is the key, better yet book a campsite at the nearby campgrounds which is what we did. Several bald eagles in the area especially near the less busy north shore. They also have an outdoor movie theatre during summer months. read more

Pinecrest is the best family lake in California. Make sure you go to the Marina and rent a water boat or water activity gear. Ask for Leighton and Sawyer - to amazing students working over the summer making the sunny shiny days fun filled with laughter. read more

Beautiful location. Super busy with campers and daily visitors. Twenty minutes from Sonora or Mi Wuk and a great way to relax with family. There is a snack shack nearby and a lot of camp grounds. Would highly recommend this for those in the nearby area. We saw kayaks and rafts all day long. It was beautiful and very clean read more

Pinecrest Lake - Just there over the weekend and it was gorgeous. Search pinecrest marina - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Love Pinecrest. You can rent a boat to adventure in, fish, swim, barbecue, float. I've been going since I was a kid and now I take my kids.

We love coming here each summer! We do each year to honor my husband's late grandma. We normally rent a cabin near the lake and go to the lake early. You need to get there early to get a close parking spot and a nice shaded area close to the lake. If you get there later there is still plenty of parking but you'll just need to walk a little more or you can unload your stuff near the entrance and then park your car afterwards. There are plenty of bathrooms but just bring your own soap or sanitizer because there's no soap. They have a snack shack and today they had a food truck nearby. My kids usually love to get the ice cream cones from the snack shack. They accept cash/card. We normally chill by the lake and our kids play and sometimes we get a paddle boat. Today they didn't have paddle boats so we rented two kayaks. They also have regular boats for fishing, party boat and two different kinds of kayaks to rent. It was so much fun! They provided us with life jackets as well. It can get crowded so just get there early. The employees are very friendly and knowledgeable. We can't wait to continue to come back. read more

Pinecrest Lake - Double kayaks we rented - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Crowded but fun! A bustling parking lot! Hold your kids hands, please!! People are friendly, even in this Summer Crush. Everyone wants to come here, easy access to sandy beach, but water level is low. Lots to do - rent a boat, a party boat would be fun with more water in the lake. Trails: Mostly Flat (but uneven) trail goes around the lake. There are spots to rest along the trail. Some strollers were at the start of the trail where it's paved, but you can't get too far until the trail has dips and turns and craggy rocks. To hike around the lake: With small kids bring a front pack. Wear sturdy shoes to avoid trips and falls... the more sure footed and "10 year olds" do quite well on the dirt trail. Great family place! Enjoy ice cream cones at the refreshment stand. Bring cold water- don't get dehydrated up here. Limited cell service in some areas. read more

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This is the nearby lake that serves the many camps surrounding it and destination for those who come to the mountains on the weekends. Pinecrest lake is a large lake where full advantage of it is taken - people swimming, fly fishing, paddle boarding, rafting, kayaking, and other types of boating. Along with this are great views of the mountains and all the trees you in the back drop of the lake all which have a path on the outskirts of the lake leading to the hills and mountains. Surrounding the lake are camp grounds and many mountain vacation houses making it convenient for those who want ease of coming out to the water and for some even crossing the lake to get to town for supplies. Yup just a few yards away there is a town featuring a general store with all your needs, but also a small hotel, library and restaurant among other fronts for your needs during the visit. Pinecrest Lake is the perfect addition for if you're already camping up this way and wouldn't be surprised if it has influenced the grown attraction to the area. read more

Pinecrest Lake - Looking out the lake on a calm day - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Favorite place for the whole family to spend a relaxing weekend. We come to this Lake every summer, is worth the drive. read more

Pinecrest Lake - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Amazing place geared for family's fishing is increable movie theater in the forrest boat rentals Hospitality is amazing throughout the whole resort very welcoming staff read more

Review #161 - 2020 After we finished checking in to our rooms, the kids were ready to head out for an adventure. We showed up at around 6:30 PM on Saturday, August 22nd, and there was still plenty of people out on the lake. We got pretty lucky since we showed up right when most people were leaving so we found a parking spot pretty close to the lake. There's plenty of parking and it's free, so that's definitely a bonus! The lake is beautiful, even with all the smoke and ashes from the fire. Sadly, we were only able to spend an hour here because the sun was getting ready to set. The kids had a great time playing in the water, even though they complained it was a little cold. There's a restroom, which my siblings made use of, and they all said that it was clean enough for a public restroom. They even mentioned that they might prefer coming here over going to Lake Tahoe, which was definitely a surprise to me. read more

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Lovely little lake up in the Sierras; we stopped by on a gorgeous June afternoon after driving all the way up route 108 and 395 to the snow line. There was plenty of parking for day trippers like us; all the camping spots were long occupied by those who plan much more than we do! The late afternoon sun was warm as we walked about halfway around the lake; it felt good to stretch our legs after being in the car for several hours. After our "hike," we headed to one of the beaches; my wife and I found a comfortable bench while the kids played in the clear cool water nearby. Relaxing in the shade close to my loved ones, I felt the serene calm that being out in nature bestows. As the sun arced its way down the horizon, we packed up, changed the now-filthy kids into clean clothes, and headed back down the mountain, refreshed and ready to face "civilization" again. read more

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the perfect location for some fun in the snow . i highly recommend going early , the parking was a mess as we were leaving and the late crowd was entering. we drove 3 hours from San Jose to play in the snow . make sure to bring more than just snacks they had bbq grill areas and yes people were still bbq'n in the snow it smelled delicious lol as for us we took snacks not knowing they had bbq areas in full effect . Although ,They do have a restaurant nearby . i will come back ! read more

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I feel very fortunate my family cabin in Long Barn is only 7 minutes away from the lake. Such a breathtaking place in the winter and summer. I would live here permanently if I could but it will be our getaway for many many generations to come! read more

Pinecrest Lake - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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I love Pinecrest lake me and my camping buddy go there to camp all the time never have an issue plus it always rains and lightning's so that's kind of cool also there's a nice little gas station where the Lakers and it has really good stuff for fishing if you like fishing. Also they have an onshore burger joint with really good ice cream it's a little on the expensive side but it's worth the wait it's great read more

Pinecrest Lake has been a part of our family for generations. We have so many memories of fishing, swimming, playing on the beach, getting frosty's, going to see a movie at the amphitheater, renting a cabin, camping and hiking around the lake. It's just the best place for good family fun. read more

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Took about 2 hours to hike the Pinecrest Lake Trail, along the perimeter of the lake. I suggest going clockwise to tackle the sunny side earlier vs later when you are more tired. It is a good cardio workout with the whole family. My favorite part is rest and recreation by the South Fork Stanislaus River inlet, lots of boulder hopping around there. Love visiting the Sierra Nevada Mountains with less crowds. read more

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I had no idea this place existed. We stayed at a nearby campground (Meadowview) and could walk or make a quick drive to the lake. There is a hike up to Cleo's baths that is great (prepare to scramble a bit). The lake itself was very nice with food beaches. They have very cheap not rentals there as well, which we opted for to avoid the crowds on the beach. The only issue I have right now is their enforcement of masks. For the most part you're spaced out. However, on the dock where you rent water toys it says masks required, but it isn't enforced. So the anti-maskers aren't wearing them and not being turned away for not wearing them. Overall, a great place. Highly recommend. read more

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Pinecrest is a popular lake for families that live in the Modesto area. Its only a short drive from home, and it has a lot of amenities. There are nice campsites for tent or trailer camping, and if you aren't the camping type, the lake is close enough you can make a day trip and still have plenty of time to enjoy the amenities. The lake is clean with a large lake area, and a marina where you can rent small fishing boats or pontoon boats. The water is cold year-round, but most people would consider that a positive thing during out 100+ summers. There is a snack shop at the beach as well as plenty of bathroom that are kept reasonably clean. There is also a general store, gift shop, coffee kiosk and restaurant nearby - all of which are reasonably priced. A few caveats to be aware of: 1. The beach gets very busy, and the parking lot fills up early. Not an issue if you are camping, but if you are making a day trip, be sure to arrive early. 2. The trailer sites are placed at a relatively sharp angle to the road making it a challenge to back smaller trailers (i.e. pop ups) into. It's not impossible, but unless you are really adept at backing up your trailer into a campsite, arrive at least 30 minutes before sundown. You don't want to try parking your trailer in the dark. 3. The campground will sell you firewood, as well the general store, but it is much cheaper to buy firewood in town before heading out to the lake. If you forget to do that, you can still purchase firewood along the road on the way to the lake at a better price than you will get at the campground. Seems like a small thing, but it's nice to be able to have as big a campfire as you like without having to worry about running out of firewood. read more

If you have kids, great place to go camping, boating, outdoor movie nights, ranger talks, etc. but extremely busy! read more

Pinecrest Lake isn't just a summertime destination! The roads are maintained perfectly. Plenty of parking and the restrooms are open and maintained. We went on a Tuesday and the restaurant and general store were closed so bring water and snacks. Plenty of dining options not to far down in Twain Harte. Enjoy!! read more

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I adore Pinecrest Lake and it's magical beauty. We've been here a number of times - and each experience is just as intoxicating. From summer dips in it's stunning clear water. To peaceful hikes around the whole lake's diverse terrain. To evening singing sessions on big boulder rocks around it's periphery. To daring jumps from high peaks at Cleo's Bath. To brisk winter walks - around a gleaming frozen lake. Pinecrest Lake is the best. The absolute best. Trust. read more

Favorite lake to camp, fish and swim in. But it does get a little crowded. It beautiful lake.

Loved this lake! Preferred this one over Lake Alpine. Came to visit for the day and would definitely come back. We camped down the mountain and wished we knew about this area otherwise we would have stayed here. We do have a fifth wheel though that I like to at least hook to electricity. So since it's a state camp ground, you are dry camping, which I don't mind but I at least like my plug in power. I still would stay a few days, just for the bike and hiking and sitting by the shore. Beautiful setting! I totally recommend a visit read more

Pinecrest Lake - Pinecrest Lake - Lakes Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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Love this place! I used to come here every winter staying in a family cabin and walk to the lake and check out the general store. Sadly when I went recently the general store was gone. The ranger said it closed last week and they sold it. When you come in summertime it is a mad house for sure.... tons of people. But it's alway fun and you can rent a pontoon and chill on the lake. They also have bathrooms. read more

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This is a beautiful Sierra Mountain lake at 6,500 feet elevation. It offers great recreational facilities, camping, cabins, and hiking. Highly recommended. read more

Such a nice place to go with your family to play in the snow and hike around the lake. I want to come back during the summer to stay and play, but winter was so pretty. We went in November for the first snow of the season and the ground had the perfect "play" snow to make balls and snowman and angels. You can really some really long walks, parking is free and bathrooms are available. read more

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It's a lake, so of course it's beautiful: Ice-blue water surrounded by alpines and granite cliffs, a dam on one side with dramatic water gushing through the out-spout, and thin, crisp mountain air. The thing I do here is hike the path that surrounds the lake in the summertime (winter, the lake is pure ice and snow). The 4-mile trail is best approached from the small marina where paddle boats, party boats, and kayaks can be rented. From there, it's up and down the rocks, cabins on your left, lake on your right as you make a complete loop of the lake. The whole thing takes just shy of 2-hours and, with all the ups and downs, provides a sweet workout. It could be run, if you're into that, but only if you're steady on your feet. Additionally, this loop trail is a branching off-point for more vigorous hikes (up to Cleo's Baths) or different hikes (over to Strawberry for a beer, perhaps). The loop trail (and its offshoots) are fairly well marked (or easy to recover from if you miss one of the small metal markers). Dogs are allowed. Fishing is allowed. Swimming in the lake is allowed too, though it's mountain run-off and always far too cold for me. The little beach on the shore is always packed with people from surrounding cabins and campgrounds, and their gaggle of inflatable flotation devices. Not really my scene, which is why I mostly stick to hiking around the lake. For that, it's hard to beat. read more

This was our first time camping at Pinecrest (site C5) and we loved it. With camping there's always pros and cons so here is my list. PROS: Camp site was flat and great for tent camping Lots of shade everywhere Not many bugs at all Quite and peaceful Bathroom by most all camp site's and kept clean for the most part Water sink at every bathroom for washing dishes Water spigot not far from site General store within walking distance (in case you forgot something) Air pump at store to blow up your water floats The weather was perfect for August 97 degrees Great little concession stand for ice cream and goodies on the Lake Ppl around us we're all very nice people even the host Ken CONS: No showers (do to Covid) had to take Cold bucket showers No view of the lake from our site Lake was about a mile walk to get to Can't leave your pop up canopy's at the lake for the next day Super crowded Lake side (get there early to set up 7am) At night the bats and mice come out to play Day use and campers have to share the lake which is why the lake is so crowded. Day use should have their own area All in all we had a great time and will definitely be back next year. We will book sites closer to the Lake and hope that the showers are open because that was my biggest Con. read more

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Definitely crowded at the beach area with people sledding, but the Pinecrest Lake Loop trail was relatively empty. Not many people wearing masks though. The trail was difficult to find on the dam side, so we ended up going to the other side and found the trail easily there. Sometimes the trail disappears a bit when you get to the area with the boulders, but just keep a lookout for the signs. Definitely bring shoes that you can wear in both the snow and the mud! read more

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Amazing and clean lake. The staff at the marina to rent boats were friendly. The snack shack had pretzels, yummy super nachos and ice cream. The beach and swim area was perfect for kids to play and paddleboard in. Lots of room on the lake to boat around and find a spot to explore. Nice hike around the lake to start the day. FREE parking. Gem of a lake. read more

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My family and I love this place. Always a summer go to. Very family friendly and clean. Pet friendly too. Not a bad drive from Modesto. Quick same day trip for some water fun. read more

It's a yearly thing. Ever since I started dating my bf in 2013, he'd take me here every year. We used to come every 4th of july as a family tradition. Slowly, as the years went by, family members slowly started to drop off. Now, we just make it a lake day for the two of us. Every year we bring new friends and extended family to join. I love hiking around the lake, as it is both a beautiful view and a great workout. There's ice cream by the boating dock which makes a good reward at the end of the hike. You can rent paddle boards, speed boats, and all sorts of other gadgets for your fun day in the sun. They also have a mini grocery store, gift shop/bait shop, and a coffee bar. Camping is highly recommended or the alternative, which is to rent a cabin! The place can somewhat seem small, but between napping, hiking, eating, and swimming, that takes up the entire day! read more

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Beautiful free and natural I came here from a recommendation of a friend and this place is amazing, the hikes, swimming, sight seeing is great. If you come during winter the place is covered with clean white snow 10/10 would recommend read more

I have traveled to many lakes with my friends over the past several years, having a fantastic time, until the Pinecrest Lake trip. Our traveling group is in unanimous agreement not to come back. The parking was inadequate, and I drove around for twenty minutes until I was lucky enough to be the car in the right position to get a spot from people who were leaving. While my group was making their way to the marina, we met a frustrated lady who had to wait over half an hour in line and for her number to be called just to get one soda at the snack stand. Thank goodness we brought our own food and beverages and I encourage you to do so as well. The party boat rental was pricier then what we have paid at other lakes. It doesn't come with an anchor or way to tie off other than two dock clips. They will warn you ahead that you need to bring equipment that has always been standard with our previous rentals but the price balance compared to other lakes isn't in the favor of Pinecrest. We discussed with the dock attendant that we had previously piloted party boats but never came to Pinecrest Lake before. He wished us a good time with no location specific instructions and off we went. We spent the next 1 1/2 hour trying to find a place we could securely park. We rode up to an unmarked dock. A woman let us know it was private and we couldn't park there. We told her we were sorry, would move and only went there because it was unmarked. We noticed the other docks had been clearly marked as private so it's an easy mistake for anyone to make but we didn't point that out. Even though we apologized and immediately began to move away she started yelling at us that she wasn't responsible for our injuries. I'm not sure if she was threatening us or just being a colossal jerk. She followed up with a screaming, unprovoked rant cussing us out in front of our children. I have never had such an unfriendly experience with locals at a lake. Pine-unfriendly. We returned early from our rental end time due to feeling underwhelmed by the aforementioned circumstances. There were two dock attendants. We told them about the jerk. One attendant said we should never try to park at any of the lake docks and all were private. Gee, thanks for validating her teaching our kids new derogatory words for her failure to use proper signage. The other began explaining that there was a Pinecrest day use dock. Where was this guy when we departed? This could have saved us a lot of trouble. He started coaching us how it could go better next time but I let him know there wasn't going to be a next time. Pine-bust. One of our party had to use the bathroom after we vacated the rental and there was no tp or paper of any kind available in the bathrooms. Another thing to add to the bring it yourself and don't breathe too loud in the direction of the locals experience at this lake... read more