Pinecrest Camping in Stanislaus National Forest

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If you’re looking for a great family camping destination that makes you feel like you’re a million miles away from your everyday stresses while giving you comforts like fresh coffee and an on-site restaurant, a Pinecrest camping trip at Pinecrest Lake needs to be next on your list. Pinecrest is a hidden gem, and is one of my favorite California camping lakes.

We’ve always been huge fans of camping in Yosemite, but we also enjoy camping with friends. Yosemite is hard enough to get one campsite, let alone multiple sites, so we decided to try something new. And we were not disappointed. In fact, we loved it so much, we keep going back.

Pinecrest Campground Location

Pinecrest Lake is located in the Stanislaus National Forest, just north of Yosemite. The Pinecrest campground has 196 campsites, most that can fit RVs and trailers anywhere between 20-40 feet. The D loop sites are closest to the lake, but tend to be the smaller sites, as well as the more popular sites. In addition to campsites, there is also the Pinecrest Lake lodge onsite if camping isn’t your thing.

Amenities While Pinecrest Camping

This campground doesn’t have any RV hook ups, but it has a lot of other conveniences to offer. There is a coffee stand called The Serene Bean, a general store with all your grocery needs, a sports store where you can buy souvenirs, fishing licenses and equipment, floating devices, etc., and a restaurant, The Steam Donkey.

Cell service isn’t great while Pinecrest camping (I can usually get service in the early morning and late night, once the day-use people clear out), but you can get wi-fi for a fee at the Pinecrest Lake Resort, if needed.

Note: There are no showers at the Pinecrest Lake campground.

The lake is open for day-use visitors, so there is a parking lot located adjacent to it. This makes it easy for people who might be camping in the further loops, and for transporting your paddleboards and kayaks. We load everything up in the back of our truck and haul it to the lake everyday rather than trying to carry everything back and forth.

Boating and Fishing at Pinecrest Lake

The lake has a boat launch area and rentals available for anyone looking to fish. They rent fishing boats, paddle boats, kayaks, and party boats.

We love to kayak and paddleboard on the lake, and also have giant inflatables perfect for lounging on. Last year, we loaded a speaker and cooler on the kayaks, and anchored ourselves to the buoys for hours, creating a giant floatopia. It was the best!

Fishing is also very popular at Pinecrest Lake. You can fish by boat or from the shore. We watched them drop in thousands of fish last year, so they keep the lake fully stocked.

Hiking Around Pinecrest Lake

In addition to being on the lake, there is also a 4-mile hike that goes around the lake. It’s long, but easy enough for the kids, and provides gorgeous views of the lake. There’s also a swimming area you’ll pass, with rocks to jump off of and logs to climb on, if you want to stop and let the kids get wet.

Pinecrest Camping Outdoor Movie Theater

Every night, they play movies in the outdoor amphitheater. This is the town’s movie theater, so they actually offer movies that are still in the theater. There is a cost to get in, but it’s pretty reasonable, and makes for a fun activity for the family. They sell concessions as well.

Pinecrest Camping Reservations

The Pinecrest Lake campground is not open year-round. It opens in May and stays open through the beginning of October. Campsites cost $32.14/night and do not have any hookups. The campground has bathrooms and drinking water, but no showers.

Pinecrest camping is one of the best campgrounds in Northern California and will book up early for the summer months. You can book your reservations 6 months in advance on recreation.gov. Make sure you check out my post about tips to getting the best sites at your favorite campgrounds.

The Pinecrest Lake Resort, however, is a year-round destination. You can book motel-style rooms or full cabins by calling 209-965-3411, and you can check the rates here.

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