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Pinecrest Lake

Pinecrest Recreation Area is located at Pinecrest Lake, a 300-acre lake owned and operated by Pacific, Gas and Electric Company. It is located 30 miles east of Sonora on State Highway 108. The Recreation Area lies in a timbered setting at an elevation of 5,600 feet. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly stocks Pinecrest Lake with rainbow trout. Groceries and other services are available at the Pinecrest commercial center. Recreational opportunities available at the Pinecrest Recreation Area include:

Three hundred campsites with tables, grills, flush toilets and potable water in two campgrounds (Pinecrest Campground and Meadowview Campground)
Three group campsites with tables, grills, fireplaces, vault toilets and potable water in 1 group campground (Pioneer Trail Group Campground)
Day Use Sites: Pinecrest Boat Launch; 50 picnic sites with grills, flush toilets and potable water in one picnic area (Pinecrest); Designated swimming area.
Fishing: Accessible fishing pier and boat launch available.
Hiking: Pinecrest National Recreation Trail, a 4 mile hiking trail around the lake; paved pathways connecting points of interest. In winter, the Pinecrest Recreation Area is a popular destination for snowplay, downhill and nordic skiing at Dodge Ridge Ski Resort. Groomed or marked ski trails are maintained for winter recreationists throughout the area.

Fish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by Passenger Car; Fish available include: Trout; Types of fishing available include: Wade, Shore, Motorized boat, Float tube, Fly, Spin, Bait; ADA Accessible fishing access with fishing pier and boat launch

Current Conditions

No boating restrictions at this time. Please help prevent the spread of Invasive mussels! "Don't Move a Mussel"! Clean, Drain, Dry! www.wildlife.ca.gov/Invasives / 1-866-440-9530

General Information

Hours are 6am to 10pm

A valid California state fishing license is required to fish in the National Forest. Licenses are sold at sporting good outlets in many department and other retail stores. Make sure to pick up a current state fishing regulation guide with your license, for information on fishing times and limits. Contact California Department of Fish and Wildlife for more information.

Pinecrest Day Use is for day use only, overnight camping is prohibited, (hours are from 6am to 10pm).
Pets are not permitted within the Day Use Area between May 15 and September 15. Pets MUST be on a leash at ALL TIMES elsewhere in the Pinecrest Lake Recreation Area per Tuolumne County Ordinance.
Boating is permitted on the lake and subject to a 20-mph speed limit on the lake and a 5-mph speed limit near the marina and swim area, (personal watercrafts are prohibited).
Fishing is permitted on the lake, (fishing is prohibited at the marina docks, Forest Service boat launch area or in the designated swimming area).
The swimming area at Beach 1 enclosed and marked by white buoys is for swimming only, (no hard shell boats or fishing in the swimming area).
Overnight boat storage on beach or shore is prohibited including awnings and float toys, (items left overnight will be considered abandoned and removed).
Foot travel only on the Pinecrest National Recreation Trail, (bicycles and other modes are prohibited).