Pinecrest is a resort town in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County in the Sierra Nevada region of California. It has a mountain lake, Pinecrest Lake, that is popular for swimming, fishing, boating, and sunbathing.
Understand
[edit]The beach can accommodate many people; however, a large part of the beach is covered by pine needles and rocks, so coming early in the season/day is recommended. Do not leave equipment on the beach to reserve a spot. Campgrounds and motel rooms are available if reserved in advance. (Cabin owners are allowed only 2 weeks of renting time a year, so the chances of getting one is practically 0%.)
The lakes, streams, and rivers in the area were part of an elaborate wooden flume and ditch system built during the Gold Rush to provide water for washing gold in placer mining.
Pinecrest Lake used to be known as Strawberry Lake. The dam that forms the lake is known as 1 Strawberry Dam.
The lake is filled by snowmelt from the winter season. Late in the summer season the lake falls significantly due to evaporation and the snowmelt water from the winter season being used up. The lake can lower to the point that you can walk out to the buoys that mark the designated swimming section on the beach instead of having to swim. Be aware of this when planning what time to come.
Pinecrest and nearby Cold Springs and Strawberry are a small cluster of resort towns at roughly the 5,000-foot elevation level along Highway 108.
People were sold plots to build cabins and tent platforms, beginning in the 1900s. Many cabins you see as you enter Pinecrest started off as small tent platforms, and have since grown into multi roomed fully serviced homes. Modifications to these cabins are highly restricted, and in many cases, impossible due to forest preservation and wanting to preserve the natural beauty. Due to not wanting Pinecrest to become a source of income for cabin owners, the U.S. Forest Service restricts he amount of time you can rent your cabin for profit to 2 weeks per year. Many cabin owners have had the same renters since the cabin was built, so finding open rentals in Pinecrest is very rare. Be respectful to these cabins and their owners, as many have been passed down through generations.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Pinecrest is reached by traveling on Highway 108 from the Central Valley of California (e.g., Modesto) into Tuolumne County and past the foothills city of Sonora into the forest. Pinecrest is about 30 miles northeast of Sonora and 10 miles northeast of Mi-Wuk Village.
Except in winter, when Highway 108 over Sonora Pass is closed, Pinecrest can be reached from the eastern high desert by driving west from Highway 395 on Highway 108 over Sonora Pass.
From Highway 108, turn (right if heading east on 108) onto Pinecrest Lake Road and go about two miles to the lake and resort.
Get around
[edit]
On foot
[edit]The Pinecrest area, once you get to the lake and resort area, is pedestrian-oriented. Walk or ride a bicycle (Bring one or rent one near the general store, as well as grab a simple map of Pinecrest). It generally requires a car to go to nearby areas such as Cold Springs, Strawberry, or Dodge Ridge, although some use a bicycle.
By car
[edit]It is not recommended that you use a car to get around in Pinecrest, as the beauty and smells of Pinecrest are best experienced while outside a vehicle, and constant stops will need to be made due to the amount of people walking, but if you choose, which you should not, be warned, you cannot buy gas in Pinecrest.
By bike
[edit]You can bring your own bike or rent one.
- 1 The Pinecrest Hub, 421 Pinecrest Lake Rd, ☏ +1 209 965-3411. Bike rental stand at Pinecrest. You can get a simplistic trail map there for free as well.
See
[edit]Buildings
[edit]- Pinecrest Gallery, 421 Pinecrest Lake Rd, ☏ +1 209 965-3800. Saturdays & Sundays from noon to 4PM or by appointment on other days. Small art gallery. Wide range of size, style and price. On the second floor of the Pinecrest Library building.
- 2 Pinecrest Library, 421 Pinecrest Lake Rd, ☏ +1 209 965-4225. M-Th 9:30AM-8PM, F Sa 9:30AM-6PM, closed Sunday. A very small take-a-book-leave-a-book library.
Terrain
[edit]See Pinecrest Lake, the trees, the mountains behind the lake. Take a look around and see if you can spot remnants of ancient Me-Wuk grinding stones.
Animals
[edit]See many squirrels, the occasional raccoon, and the very occasional black bear. (The bears are around, but shy.)
Do
[edit]In summer
[edit]- Fish for trout in the lake, either from the bank or a boat. The fish are restocked weekly and exact schedules can be found online. They are restocked at the boat launching station, however you can be fined for fishing there. Please do not.
- Rent a kayak, a party boat, a paddle boat, or a motorboat.
- Hike around the lake and see Strawberry Dam. (Plan for 4+ hours if you are with kids or are going slow. If you have done it before and are by yourself or with a one other person, you can probably do it in 1 hour and 30 minutes.) The hike is about 5 miles long. It is marked as "easy," but includes many areas of somewhat jagged rocks and a couple of areas that can be pretty muddy the day after a rain, and it's easy to turn your ankle if you are not careful; moreover, near the dam, it is possible to fall to your death if you slip the wrong way, though that is improbable if you face the right way and can keep your balance in normal situations. Roughly halfway through you cross the stream which supplies water to the lake. There is a bridge to cross which is recommended, but if you wish you can try your hand at jumping across the rocks to get to the other side. This is not recommended especially early in the season when the water is flowing hard, along with that the rocks are slippery and small at times, and the jumps are far. Be careful and take your time. Besides that, the view is scenic and the vegetation changes.
- Sunbathe, socialize, or play on the beach (Sometimes there will be a food truck there. The fries there are known to be some of the best in the world.)
- Swim or snorkel in the lake
In winter
[edit]- Go skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing in nearby Dodge Ride Ski Area, or the Leland Meadows Snowplay Area.
- The lake freezes over during the winter and you can skate or walk across it. Be careful and bring some back up, as there has been at least 1 case of people breaking through the ice, falling in, and dying.
When you have the time
[edit]Walk down to the general store (which is always stocked with candy and cold drinks), and you can stop by the library on your way.
Buy
[edit]- Pinecrest General Store, 401 Pinecrest Lake Rd, ☏ +1 209 965-3661. 7:00am-10:00pm. Buy food, wine, other drinks, instant meals, camping equipment, toys, etc.
- 1 Sports shop, 411 Pinecrest Lake Rd #2 (Near-by the general store.). Winter clothing, snow gear such as sleds and toboggans, fishing tackle, rent skis, snowboards, boots, pocket knifes (must be 18+ to purchase) and the like.
Eat
[edit]- Steam Donkey Cafe. Cafe across from the general store.
- Dodge Ridge.
- Strawberry Inn, Strawberry (at the junction of Highway 108 and the Stanislaus River).
- Mexican restaurant, Cold Springs.
- Mia's, Cold Springs. Brick oven pizza and specialties.
- 1 Pinecrest Snack Bar, Pinecrest Loop Rd (near the Pinecrest Lake Trailhead), ☏ +1 209 965-3766. 11AM–5PM. Little shack selling soft-serve ice cream and hamburgers. $10.
Drink
[edit]In Pinecrest
[edit]Beverages can be purchased at The Serene Bean coffee shop, the Steam Donkey cafe, the general store, and the snack shack at the beach.
- 1 The Serene Bean Coffee Shop, 419 Pinecrest Lake rd (near the general store), ☏ +1 209 965-3421. Daily 6AM - 6PM. Small coffee shop. Drinks are $1-10.
In Strawberry
[edit]Strawberry general store.
Sleep
[edit]In Strawberry
[edit]Assorted rental cabins or the Strawberry Inn.
- 1 Strawberry Inn, 31880 Highway 108, Strawberry, ☏ +1 209 965-3662. Hotel in the next town over. $250.
In Pinecrest
[edit]Campsites are also available in Pinecrest, and cabins will rarely go up up for rental in Pinecrest itself. Motel rooms are available; however, they get sold out months before. Reservations are necessary.
Connect
[edit]As of 2025, cellphone connectivity is quite spotty, with Verizon only a bit more reliable than other providers. Definitely don't count on being able to text photos unless you have Wi-Fi, and make sure you have offline maps as needed. The ranger station has service most of the time, and is the nearest option.
Go next
[edit]- In summer, continue on Highway 108 to Dardenelle, Kennedy Meadow, and Sonora Pass.
- Yosemite National Park is about an hour away.
- Visit the Columbia historic town. (It is a drive, but very worth it)
| Routes through Pinecrest |
| Modesto ← Mi-Wuk Village ← | W  E
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→ Jct N  S → END
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