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    Silver Valley Campground

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Lake Alpine - Moody afternoon

    Lake Alpine

    3.7(43 reviews)
    0.0 km

    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

    Beautiful Lake at 7300 feet! I came up to this lake to go kayaking. The water was clear and…read moreperfect for paddling around in Mid-September. Probably a little chilly for swimming, though. There was plenty of irregular cloud cover, and the temperature was in the seventies with a slight breeze. I wore a long-sleeved shirt and PFD and felt comfortable. My paddling companion was wearing a t-shirt initially, but felt cold and had to add layers partway in our circumnavigation of the lake. There are some nearby structures that I guess are privately owned residences nearby. A few others were also kayaking around. I saw one motorized craft tooling slowly around, so it is allowed. Parking was pretty crowded for the number of available parking. Day use parking is $5 available at the store in the lodge building or at the little shack near the boat launch. $10 fee to use the boat launch. The campground host of the Silvertip campground also oversees the camping at Lodgepole campground, about a mile east of the lake where we camped. According to him(Thom), he also patrols the parking in the day use parking and along the shore. If you are staying at the campgrounds and have checked into your site with the host(Thom), the additional $5 day parking fee is waived (wish someone had told us that. We had already paid at the store earlier).

    Photos
    Lake Alpine - Along the creek

    Along the creek

    Lake Alpine
    Lake Alpine - Wooded trails

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    Wooded trails

    Pine Marten Campground - Restrooms next to site 29

    Pine Marten Campground

    5.0(1 review)
    1.3 km

    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! :)

    Photos
    Pine Marten Campground - Site 32 -- large shady site

    Site 32 -- large shady site

    Pine Marten Campground - Site 32

    Site 32

    Pine Marten Campground - Site 32A

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    Site 32A

    Utica and Union Reservoirs - Sunset over granite

    Utica and Union Reservoirs

    4.0(5 reviews)
    5.4 km

    My pictures do not even come close to documenting just how pretty this place is. I'll have to…read moreremember my waterproof case next time so I can take pictures beyond the shore. At any rate, these reservoirs are nothing short of awesome. Totally non-motorized and crystal clear water - this is a paddler's paradise. There are plenty of spots along the shoreline and throughout the many granite islands to camp out and enjoy. The west side of Utica also features a shallower, swimming hole-like section with large slabs of granite to lay out and enjoy the sun. This was the perfect place to relax after SUPing around the lake. Both Utica and Union reservoirs each feature two small first come, first serve campgrounds that fill up fast to capacity and have limited resources. Seriously though, this place could have zero bathrooms and I would still give it five stars. Utica has a large day use/overflow parking lot across from the Sandy Flat campground that is totally free. Keep driving down the road another couple of miles and you'll find the staging area at the start of the Slick Rock Jeep Trail. I'll definitely be back, especially to explore the waterfall area between the two reservoirs.

    This is an excellent place to bring your non-motorized watercraft (SUP, kayak, canoe...what have…read moreyou) and have hours and hours of fun exploring the shores of islands and peninsulas within this scenic, granite-rich reservoir. In fact, you can bring tents and sleeping gear in your kayak and spend the night on a rocky-gorgeous island. [If it happens to have more granite than dirt, be sure to have a WAG bag in your kit.]. I recommend bringing a brightly-colored piece of cloth to hang to assist in finding your camp after you've set up and gone for a day paddle. It can get somewhat confusing. Unload your gear at the staging area close to the lake and then re-park at the free day-use parking area somewhat further back. Secure your water transport with your supplies in dry bags and put-in to Union Reservoir. There are many vistas to paddle to and from as you explore this paddler's wonderland from a water's-level viewpoint. [Please practice Leave-No-Trace as this is too nice of a jewel to ruin by leaving litter.] Bring a picnic lunch and your beverages of choice to enjoy as you paddle to your arm's content in this little slice of wilderness heaven.

    Photos
    Utica and Union Reservoirs
    Utica and Union Reservoirs
    Utica and Union Reservoirs

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    Duck Lake Trail - Duck Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Bear Valley, California.  Sept.2023

    Duck Lake Trail

    5.0(1 review)
    3.7 km

    Duck Lake Trail or Loop is a very nice, moderately challenging hiking trail around Duck Lake (one…read moreof several lakes with that name) in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, an appendage of the Stanislaus National Forest in the Sierra Nevada east of Sonora and north of Yosemite. This is reached by Highway 4 (running across the Sierra Nevada from Stockton to near Markleeville, via Ebbetts Pass). The trailhead is at the Silver Valley Campground on the eastern side of Lake Alpine. If coming from the west, this is reached via a small road to the right off of Highway 4 just east of Lake Alpine, which is just east of Bear Valley. The small access road ends at the campground and just before the campground is the trail head. As of September 2023, the trailhead was not immediately obvious because of damage to the trees and sign. There is limited parking on the side of the road. In its full length includes a roughly 4-mile loop. There are links to other trails as well. Much of the trail is easy going physically, but there are some significant uphill or downhill parts, mostly at the beginning and end; around the lake itself the terrain is mostly easy going, with some woodland, meadows, and granite outcroppings. This trail could take about 2 hours to complete, more or less, depending on a number of factors. For us, the biggest thing to slow us down was the fact that the trail, though obvious in the start/end, tends to become vague and harder to identify in many sections around the lake. It is not especially well cleared for much of that, and mostly one must follow it by being careful about the direction, orienting via the lake, looking for trail blazes, and, especially in the hard granite areas, stone markers which hikers put up. This is a common issue, apparently. Otherwise, it is a very nice hike, and the lake is lovely. There is an old cabin next to the lake, and some pasture areas with cattle since livestock grazing is permitted int the Wilderness. It is peaceful and we only encountered three other groups of people on the entire hike when there in September 2023.

    Photos
    Duck Lake Trail - Duck Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Bear Valley, California.  Sept.2023

    Duck Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Bear Valley, California. Sept.2023

    Duck Lake Trail - Duck Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Bear Valley, California.  Sept.2023

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    Duck Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Bear Valley, California. Sept.2023

    Silver Valley Campground - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

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