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Pinecrest Lake Resort

3.4 (57 reviews)
ModerateHotels, Parks

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Otto N.

Its a great lake resort. The town home is nice and comfortable. The only downfall is no AC and no TVs in rooms. The beach is very nice but there's nobody enforcing social distancing and nobody is wearing masks. As long as we stay 6' from everyone we are fine. Internet and TV connection is not guaranteed both services were out almost 2 days since we been here. That was a big inconvenience because of work deadline couldn't be met. Today is day 4 of our stay. We leave our canopy and small tent out on the beach to reserve our spot because it really gets crowded, specially on the weekend. Rented a motor boat to go fishing, didn't catch nothing yet. But its beautiful out there. I would of gave it a 5 stars but they make you do your own housekeeping before you leave and wi fi was out for almost 3 days and mattresses are outdated. For 305 dollars a night I expected better.

We had a great time here. We were in cabin number 22, it's a 3 bed 1 bath. It was pretty updated and fully stocked! I would recommend bringing a couple extra rolls of toilet paper. I was also able to get pics of cabin #21 next to us since we are coming back next year and reserving that one as well. It is a 2 bed 1 bath. We were right next to the tennis courts, general store, coffee shop and restaurant. It was the perfect location! The lake was great too!

Irina V.

For father's day we decided to get away from the heat and celebrate our daddy by playing at the lake. We came early around 9 am which was a great idea because we still found some parking nearby. There were picknic areas nearby and restrooms. The restrooms were also kept clean which we appreciate. It's a perfect place for kids and those wanting to teach their children how to fish. Many fished nearby us and they were catching fish especially in the morning. There were bbq rear by. Not every park allows you to grill but here they did which is so great. One of the great things is that there are no parking fees for day use. If your planning to come here arrive early and bring all your fun water play with you. Many were wearing life jackets which is so important when playing in a lake.

Rent a boat here
Ron L.

I'd rate Pinecrest Lake third, after Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, in the list of greatest mountain destinations in Northern California. One thing this means is that Pinecrest is not readily quiet and peaceful. You can find that here, but only by planning ahead and pushing through the crowd. And it is a crowd, believe me. The monster-sized campground is one of the few in the area that takes reservations, and if you haven't reserved your spot by April, you're out of luck. Growing up, my family camped at Meadowview, and it's likely that it's also full by the time you get there on Friday afternoon in the summer. There are lots of parking places, and guess what: they're full too! (Minus one star.) I think you're starting to get the idea of how much people love Pinecrest. It's the sort of place where people came here with their kids, then their kids grew up and got married and started bringing their kids here, and now THOSE kids are married with children and coming up. Charismatic preachers would call that a "generational curse". But don't break the curse. There is plenty to love about Pinecrest. It's a medium-sized lake with plenty of room for everyone. You can rent motor boats, party boats, or kayaks, or bring your own. There's a safe beach to play at, and the rest of the shoreline is pine-shaded. The convenience store and Steam Donkey restaurant are close by. Lots of places to fish, whether on the shore or from a boat. Amphitheater for nature talks, movies, church gatherings, or as a central meet-up spot. What I recently did: put my inflatable boat into the water, rowed out a few hundred feet, stopped, and ate my dinner while enjoying the spectacular mountain scenery and the crowd enjoying themselves. Happy Wanderers will note the Pinecrest National Scenic Trail, a 4-mile loop encircling the lake. It is not an easy hike. There are several uphills that test your stamina, and a few places where you need to look for the trail markers to make sure you're not lost. Surprisingly, it also serves as the Main Street for the many large lakeside cabins on this lake, most which you cannot drive to. This trail is a good introduction to Pinecrest Lake, with 1/3 party central, 1/3 genteel cabin living, and 1/3 unspoiled mountain scenery, all while testing your hiking abilities. I mentioned the cabins. You go straight through a summer home community when you drive to Pinecrest Lake. They're all privately owned, and many owners rent them out to vacationers. If you can own a little piece of Pinecrest for yourself, then you don't need to worry about getting a spot at the campground, and you can walk to the lake. And preserve this for your family to come. Yes, a place like this does exist in the Land of Fruits and Nuts. Generations have loved it without loving it to death (think Tahoe). Pinecrest is worth the trouble. And plan ahead!

Brown c.

This place is my awwwwe place to enjoy nature and fresh air! Great family fun for everyone. Been coming here for over 50 years and still enjoy the surroundings. Stayed in the Motel for my first time as we went for a one night stay. Clean rooms close to walking to the lake , general store and campgrounds. Ate at Steamed Donkey and enjoyed a great dinner outside on the back deck. I will be back!!!!

A few pics of our townhouse. Be sure to bring a DVD player for a movie night! Kitchen was well equipped.  Bring disposable goods though.

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3 years ago

Pinecrest Lake has been a summer destination for many people for decades. The resort is a wonderful place to go for a day or a weekend.

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3 years ago

love it had fun but they. didnt have wifi everywhere. but the cabins who confitable for my family & I

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3 years ago

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16 years ago

nice little lake, picnic and barbacues no charge for entry. They had a outdoor church service going on one early sunday morning

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Review Highlights - Pinecrest Lake Resort

Pinecrest Lake Resort Marina is the best place for renting a boat.

Mentioned in 5 reviews

Read more highlights

Emigrant Wilderness - Sunrise at Granite Lake

Emigrant Wilderness

(13 reviews)

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!

Pinecrest Lake - Vanilla Soft Serve

Pinecrest Lake

(137 reviews)

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.

Pinecrest is a great recreational area all year long. During the summer months it is great for…read moreswimming, 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.

Stanislaus National Forest

Stanislaus National Forest

(11 reviews)

Great place to explore/hike/fish/hunt. Be prepared and safe…read more Research on the fact.usda.gov sometimes needs a little more clarification. If you're going to overnight, confirm with the ranger stations on if you need a wilderness permit (free) which can not be ordered online and only available at all 4 ranger stations. What really sucks is that the ranger districts don't know much about the areas in all regions,only the area they oversee, and they will not answer your question relating to an area they are not assigned, they'll defer you to the correct station to answer your questions: Summit (all areas need a wilderness permit for overnight, but not when you're exploring during the day) I felt the lady who answered my questions from this station was kind of curt with me. She may need to get some training on customer service or choose a new line of work if she doesn't want to answer phone calls. Calaveras (some areas) call to confirm if the area you're going to overnight at may need it. Groveland (some areas) call to confirm if the area you're going to overnight at may need it. If you last minute decide to overnight, the permits can be collected at a self service area for when the stations are closed.

This is truly a beautiful place to come & just get your Zen back! I mean the meadows, Duck lake ,…read moreAlpine lake, cherry lake need I say more. They have some of the most gorgeous hiking trails. If you like mountain biking that's a great option too. The camping here is always fun. The smell of all the trees, so refreshing.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park - "All was quiet in the deep dark wood. The squirrel found a nut, and the nut was good."--Julia Donaldson

Calaveras Big Trees State Park

(387 reviews)

Giant trees, wild mushroom, snow cover paths, and wild stuff animals - it was an adventure…read more -been wanted to check out the "GIANTS" and they didn't disappoint. I guess January is the most awesome time to visit. Whether was nice and warm, with snow play still available in the parking lot and on the trails. Perfect day to be outdoor. -Park is very well kept and accessible for all. The North Cove Trail was a walk in the pak with stunning display of different trees. Look carefully, wild mushroom has been inoculated and is ready for their debuted. -Visitor center and ranger were very informative. -Pro tip: if your family is the outdoorsy type, buy a California State Park Pass - include entrance to this place and you can skip the line when visiting on a busy weekend....

Beautiful state park with giant sequoias, easy trail which is beginner friendly. Points of interest…read moreinclude a large tree stump which is large enough to be a little stage, fallen ancient giants, humongous exposed roots, hollowed out tree stumps which kids can walk through etc. Apparently the people who took care of the park previously cut out a hollow in one of the trees as a point of attraction for cars and people to walk through to compete with other such parks. The tree finally gave away and fell during a heavy rain a few years ago. We took the north grove trail, with kids and toddlers it took us about an hour with several photo stops. There is no elevation so it was an easy stroll. There is no signal in the park. But since it's a single loop, there is no possibility of getting lost.

Twain Harte Lake

Twain Harte Lake

(33 reviews)

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.

Pinecrest Lake Resort - hotels - Updated May 2026

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