Pinecrest Lake

If you have a dog (I take my Service Dog everywhere I go) and are taking it with you to Pinecrest be sure to have its leash and its poop bags… and do not walk on the beach. Your dog will love the scent of pine trees.

Looking for a good but cold swim. Look no further this place is nice. Beautiful scenery great picnic tables and not to mention it’s all free. No parking fees and no entrance fees. It’s only a half an hour drive from Sonora. So bring your cooler and a chair. Umbrella is a must, just in case you get a open spot in the sun. Parking is a pain but worth the wait.

This was a great place to spend an afternoon. My friends and I (six total) drove up from San Francisco and arrived at our Airbnb in Sonora, where the property manager recommended Pinecrest. Lots of families around the lake for Memorial Day Weekend, but the water wasn’t too crowded. It only cost us $ 35 total to take out a paddle boat (seats four) and a kayak (seats two) for an hour – less than $ 6 each! The employees at the boat facilities were friendly and funny too. I was on the kayak, and we paddled out to the other side of the lake, docked on the rock outcroppings, and did some hiking there, then paddled back.
Pro tip: If you want to go out on the water in a paddle boat or kayak, bring a waterproof phone case or sandwich bag to avoid any mishaps. We didn’t have any issues, but if your party is a bit more rambunctious or you bring your dog on the water (a group brought their dog on a paddleboat), you should probably do it for your peace of mind!

Dont come here expecting a nice quiet little mountian lake. The scenery is beautiful but people crammed in eveywhere not as peaceful and relaxing as i would like.

We LOVE the outdoor movies under the stars! Great prices, brand new movies and stars and pine trees to boot! They also let the kids help lower the screen so it makes a great memory for the whole family. LOTS of fun!

Pretty area. Lodges are outdated and overpriced.

I have been going here since I was a child. This is a great place to hang out or camp. I like the outdoor movies. I have great memories at this place. I buried my hamster here as a child. I really hope they find albert !?

Spent a few nights camping and hiking here the last week in August. The lake is absolutely beautiful and the camp grounds are clean. Water was a little cold and it did get chilly at night. They have a little shack by the lake that had soft serve ice cream which was a plus. The only reasons for not giving 5 stars is because I felt like I was camping in someones front yard as the campgrounds are very close to people personal cabins and the bee’s were out of control! Cooking bacon in the morning was tough as I was running away from 10+ yellow jackets chasing me trying to eat my breakfast. There was no way to keep them away, I recommend using a fully netted canopy for cooking any meat.

I was looking for a family oriented camping spot within 3 hours of the south bay area, Yippee!
The lake was awesome, even my 14 year old daughter «put up» with sleeping in a tent, and enjoyed our stay here. Everyone is friendly, and I was quite at ease giving the kids a fair amount of latitude in their roaming. Coffee and espresso is a 5 minute walk from the campground, what a way to start the day!
It was basically the lake experience I had while growing up!

It is a wonderful lake. Just a little crowded in the summer time. Swimming, hiking, camping are all great. Even in the winter it is fun to explore the lake after the water levels drop.

A breathtaking relaxation my get-​away from the city kind of place! I would definitely recommend this place to everyone!

Favorite lake in the world! You can hike around the entire lake in a few short hours. It’s a fairly easy hike and you often see families and children walking it. We rented a pontoon for the day and fished off of it and also docked several times to swim and jump off the several jumping rock sites around the lake. The day use area consists of several beachy swim areas to picnic and lay out at. There is a great store to buy firewood and ice and pretty much anything you need. There is a tackle shop with flotation devices to purchase and the Steam Donkey restaurant and Bar next door. My only complaint about this lake is that parking is insane and feels like the mall at Christmas where you have to stalk people and follow them back to their cars to get their parking spot!

Been coming here for 15 yrs. gorgeous. Bathrooms re done & so many more now !
Snack shack yum as always. Nice pathway. Gets super crowded. My only complaint is they no longer allow dogs at the beach. You have to walk past the marina to find a spot which is kind of a drag when it’s crowded. & with kids. Love the general store & sport shop. Think it’d be fun to stay here !

Words can not explain how much we adore this lake! It’s clean, lots of bathrooms, the market is fully stocked and has an amazing wine selection, fishing, and family friendly. It is going to be our yearly spot!

I have been coming to Pinecrest since I was three; my family has a cabin on the north shore of the lake that has been in the family since the 1930’s. Needless to say, I love this place, maybe more than anywhere else in the world.
Aside from being a naturally beautiful setting, I have a deep sense of family history attached (nearly all the north shore cabin owners have grown up with each other, and have for multiple generations). There is just nowhere as relaxing, enlivening and rejuvenating to visit. Even hard work around the cabin offers a zen sort of satisfaction.
There are beautiful hikes all around — the lake circuit is excellent, and the walks up the canyon, catfish lakes, outlook and look out are superb. Not to mention being the perfect gateway for pack trips into the Emigrant Wilderness.
Shooting across the lake at dusk to catch an outdoor movie, burger at the beach shack after a long hike, cold beer at the Steam Donkey for, well, any reason at all, early morning trips up the canyon with fly rod in hand, the smell of campfires, bear clover, pollen on the water, sitting around the fire rock sipping vino, listening to ripples lap against the dock, canoeing to the river mouth, diving for fishing lures snagged in the shallow rocks, watching osprey and bald eagles hunt at dawn, watching the sun set and stars come out — nothing compares.
I grew up with amazing memories of this place, and now look forward to my kids having their own amazing memories here.

Just discovered pinecrest and loved it.
Yes, the camp sites are huge and so clean. The people are nice overall. The staff at the campsite were helpful and left you alone when you want privacy.
Activities — everything water and more… you can chill or be active. This weekend was for me to chat and be with my friends. Loved it.
Lake — awesome. Lovely morning runs around it. Fishing can be due if you wish, but I hate fishing. Kayaking paddle boats or just boating are great in this small dam/​lake.
Coffee is great if you forgot to bring your own. I ran for 2 miles then walked to the stand for mocha… man, you just can’t sleep when you are there.
Campsite — huge space, rocks great for kids to Rin and jump. Bring your mountain bikes to ride. Water for cooking is every where.
Bathrooms — closely but no light after 10 pm, no need to shower.
Great friends and site made my experience at pinecrest one of the best campsites that I visited.

Gorgeous views, Great Weather, and Nice Clean Campgrounds. Hubby and I traveled the weekend after Memorial Day with our 4 Kids and beloved dog Dixie. I do suggest insect repellent, warm clothes for the evenings, and good walking shoes. Flip flops are nice for lounging campsite but there is rougher terrain walking to lake and fishing spots. Great bike riding trails in and around campsites for younger children and low impact riders. We camped 3 nights/​4 days and by the 3^rd day opted for a $ 5 shower worth every penny. Definitely, a family friendly destination for tent camping, fishing, biking, and relaxing.

I had a Amazing time here with my son, boyfriend and friends this past weekend.
The lake is absolutely gorgeous, great fishing & nice swimming all around the beach area. Dogs are allowed along the trail that begins near the marina.
They have a outside movie theater here as well. You can watch a movie under the stars which is really cool. They have horseback riding, local store and a few restaurants which is only a walking distance away. We brought our bikes here and it seemed everyone had bikes and rode their bikes everywhere here. The people here are very friendly and welcoming. I had a couple friends that camped at Yosemite and said they prefer camping here by far. The people here aren’t uptight either we can drink on the beach and it still was clean, everyone cleans after themselves. I saw a occasional group of skinny dipping in the morning. but hey they are on vacation let them enjoy themselves…
I give this place two thumbs up! NO bears… Nice people… Beautiful lake and beach. good time with fam and friends. away from the city.
What else can you ask for?
Grab a beer, relax and enjoy the beach…

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.

We only came up here for one night, before the snow was gone. We stayed in a regular cabin and was pleasantly suprised at how nice it was. While things were a bit outdated (old school 19 inch tube tv) the beds were decent and everything was fairly clean.
We didnt even have to leave the site to play in the snow. We were playing like crazy on the tennis courts since thats where they plow all the snow to. It was pretty fun!
There is plenty of places to eat, you just need to drive a bit. We didnt have a chance to eat in the on-​site resturant, but it was pretty pricey from the looks of the menu.
Overall, we’ll definately come back during the summer for a different experience, and would certainly consider returning in the winter for more fun in the snow!