Stanislaus National Forest reopened September 16 Fire Restrictions remain in effect
Office Information
Forest Supervisor's Office
209-459-9238
Phone services Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed federal holidays
Groveland Ranger District
209-962-7825
Front desk is OPEN
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed federal holidays
Calaveras Ranger District
209-795-1381
Front desk is OPEN
Tuesday - Friday
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Closed federal holidays
Summit Ranger District
209-965-3434
Front desk is OPEN
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed federal holidays
Stanislaus National Forest is soliciting public comment on proposed fee changes to recreation sites for maintenance and infrastructure improvement. The Forest is proposing to charge new or increased fees at 31 developed recreation sites to conduct deferred maintenance and make improvements to enhance visitor enjoyment. More information on the Recreation Fee Proposal process including maps of sites included in the proposal package is available here. Public comments on the proposed fee changes to the developed recreation program must be submitted by close of business on November 30, 2021. Information on ways to submit comments is available here.
October 2021 Know Before You Go! Weather is changing quickly. Check Caltrans for information about Highway conditions. You can also find information by visiting the Caltrans Facebook page.
CAL FIRE suspended dooryard burning permits (residential burn piles) effective 5/2. Contact your local fire agency or CAL FIRE for more information.
Prescribed burn plans announced for the Experimental Forest and Mi-Wok Ranger District: News releases for prescribed burn plans on South Fork on the Mi-Wok Ranger District and the Experimental Forest on the Summit Ranger District are located in the News & Alerts section of the website. In addition, maps for both burn notices are included with the news release.
Select a tab below for information (click minus symbol left of text)
Forest Orders
Enhanced fire restrictions and recreational target shooting prohibition effective August 26, 2021 (STF-16-2021-12).
Henry Fire Area Closure effective July 9, 2021 (STF-16-2021-11).
Forest Road Closure (Road 1S28B) effective July 2, 2021 (STF-16-2021-10).
Rainbow Pool alcohol restrictions effective June 25, 2021 (STF-16-2021-09).
Cherry Lake Camping restrictions effective June 25, 2021 (STF-16-2021-08).
Fire Restrictions
Enhanced fire restrictions and recreational target shooting prohibition effective August 26, 2021. (STF-16-2021-12)
Pinecrest Day Use Area
June 6, 2021: The Pinecrest Day Use Area is open to the public year-round. The Forest Service has been working closely with Tuolumne County and State officials to ensure alignment with all State and County health guidelines.
We are asking visitors to socially distance themselves from other parties in compliance with State and County health guidelines.
Trash removal is limited - please pack and take all your trash and waste with you when you leave!
The boat ramp is open.
Pinecrest businesses are open. All permitted businesses are required to follow State and County health guidelines, so you may notice adaptations when you visit.
Restrooms are open and cleaned daily. Visitors will need to bring their own hand sanitizer and soap in the day use area. Paper towels are not provided, visitors are advised to bring a hand towel if you want to dry your hands.
Park your vehicle in designated locations and in parking stalls only.
If you are planning a trip to Pinecrest Lake, please know it can be extremely crowded, especially on weekends!
Campgrounds
Campground Information
Developed campgrounds on the Stanislaus are generally open from May to October. Some campgrounds may be open as early as April and close as late as December. Go to Recreation to learn and find recreation opportunities on the Forest, including campgrounds. If you have questions, call the Ranger District where the campground is located for more information.
Wilderness Permits
A Wilderness Permit is required for overnight trips into the Emigrant, the Carson-Iceberg, and/or the Mokelumne Wilderness Areas.
You can acquire a permit the following ways: Phone, Walk-In, or Online
Phone: Please call the nearest Ranger District office to your trailhead departure for your permit 1 to 5-days in advance of trip departure date.
Walk-In: You may acquire a permit on the same day or day before your trip from a Ranger District Office nearest to the departure trailhead.
Online: Online applications must be submitted 5 to 15-days in advance.
To apply online, your trip plan must meet all the following conditions:
You must submit no less than 5-days prior to your trip start date, and no more than 15-days ahead of your trip start date. This gives staff time to review the request and possibly make a change based on regulations. It also ensures permit requirements are met.
Your trip must be no more than 7-nights total. If your trip is longer, call the District office to get a permit. The online system currently does not have the ability to issue permits for trips longer than 7-days.
Your trip must start at a trailhead on the Stanislaus National Forest and the trip must stay within one of the three Wilderness Areas above. The online system currently does not have the ability to issue multi-wilderness requests.
You must be able to receive email and print the permit. Visitors are required to carry a paper copy of the permit during the trip. If you do not have access to a printer, call the District office and a copy can be printed and be ready at the office for pick-up, either inside the office or in the overnight pick-up box.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) and Over-Snow Vehicle (OSV) Recreation Information
The Stanislaus National Forest has hundreds of miles of roads and trails for OHVs to explore. Most OHV routes are open to wheeled-vehicles for riding and driving from April 15 to December 15. In the high-elevations country and during winter snow, tracked OSVs are permitted on groomed routes and in other areas where snow is continuous and with minimum depths, some area restrictions apply. For more information on OHV riding opportunities, go to OHV Riding in Recreation; for OSV riding opportunities, go to Winter Sports in Recreation.
Forest Product Permits
If you are looking for other forest product permits, please contact the ranger district (phone numbers are listed above) where you wish to collect other forest products for more information.
Fuelwood permits can be requested through the Permit Request Line at 209-288-6241. Please leave a voicemail with your name and telephone number and a front desk clerk will contact you.
Mushroom permits are available for harvesting on all ranger districts. To request a mushroom permit please call the ranger district office in the area where you want to harvest. View the 2021 free permit 16-117a Forest Products ROG.
For information about other forest product permits, please call the Ranger District closest to you or the Forest Supervisor's Office.
Forest Visitor Maps
Are you looking for a Stanislaus National Forest map? Our partner, 3 Forests Interpretive Association, or 3FIA, offers National Forest Visitor Maps for sale online! Learn more about other online map tools.
Forest Supervisor's Notes
Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken believes there is nothing more critical to maintaining good relationships than communication. Residents, communities and ranger districts share a dedication to keeping the forest healthy, but sometimes Forest Service procedures and actions may not be clearly understood by those outside the agency. Jason is committed to engaging the community by sharing information about some of the actions being undertaken on the forest. Jason will post a series of notes highlighting some of the vital activities that go into regaining a healthy forest. Read Jason's notes.
Fun activities you can do on your own in the Stanislaus National Forest: nature exploration, Junior Ranger booklets, tours, trails, mobile apps, videos, and more!
A vistitor guide in an app! Recreation information, tours, maps, and activities. Download before you go for use offline or view on the web when you have connectivity.
Forest Orders
Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken believes there is nothing more critical to maintaining good relationships than communication. Residents, communities and ranger districts share a dedication to keeping the forest healthy, but sometimes Forest Service procedures and actions may not be clearly understood by those outside the agency. Jason is committed to engaging the community by sharing information about some of the actions being undertaken on the forest. Jason will post a series of notes highlighting some of the vital activities that go into regaining a healthy forest. 
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