Forest Updates
CRITICAL UPDATE
Updated Oct. 16, 2020: Regional Forester Randy Moore signed Regional Order 20-22, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Oct. 22.
Fire restrictions remain in effect at all elevations on the Stanislaus National Forest. There were no additional revisions to the new regional fire restrictions; visitors are allowed to use propane and gas stoves in developed recreation sites only. Developed recreation sites are defined as areas which have been improved or developed for recreation, such as campgrounds and day use sites. Stoves remain prohibited in all dispersed camping and wilderness areas on the Stanislaus National Forest.
Updated Oct. 16, 2020: Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken signed Forest Order STF-16-2020-22, Temporary Camping, Occupancy and Use Restrictions, which prohibits recreational target shooting and dispersed camping in the moderate and high fire hazard areas on the forest, but opens the forest for day use between sunrise and sunset, and allows camping in open developed campgrounds.
Hunters with valid California Fish & Wildlife permits and tags are authorized to hunt in permitted zones. Be aware that campfires and campstoves are not allowed, except in open developed recreation sites. Know where your permitted zones are before you travel to the forest. View forest map and hunting zones (note there is no hunting allowed in Yosemite National Park).
The current forest order outlines allowed activities on the forest based on the three fire hazard zones normally in use for fire restrictions. View the forest order and map for hazard area locations.
For an explanation of what is prohibited and allowed by the forest order, read our Forest Order Fact Sheet.
Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r5 to view the forest orders and other supporting documents. Get answers about fire restrictions, closures and how hunting is impacted during this regional closure by reading our regional FAQs.
Most of California remains under the threat of unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions with a combination of extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched to the limit. Due to these conditions, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region is announcing the temporary closure and increased fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts.
Air quality is directly related to the amount of smoke in the air and prevailing winds. Currently the Stanislaus National Forest and surrounding communities are experiencing periods of unhealthy air quality. Before traveling to the forest, visitors are encouraged to check on any active fires in the area at inciweb.nwcg.gov for federal fire incidents, or https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/ for any CalFire incidents. In addition, due to the many active fires you may find very smoky conditions across the forest, so we recommend you check the local air quality at www.airnow.gov.
Finally, many visitors are not practicing good stewardship and are not taking all their trash with them when they leave. Please bring large trash bags and PACK OUT EVERYTHING YOU BRING WITH YOU! If you find that trash dumpsters are full, please take your trash bags with you and dispose of them at home, or in a dumpster or trash can that isn't overflowing.
Dispersed camping takes a lot more effort than camping in a developed campground, but for those with an adventurous spirit, it can be a lot of fun. Be a responsible visitor and practice Leave No Trace principles, including Plan Ahead & Prepare; Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces (No Overnight Camping at trailhead or along trail); Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack it In, Pack it Out) Leave What You Find; Minimize Campfire Impacts; Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors. For additional tips and suggestions, visit https://lnt.org/why/7-principles.
Updated Aug. 31, 2020: Attention backpackers and hikers in the Emigrant Wilderness! Read some important info about water sources before you head to the back country in the drop-down section titled Wilderness Permits below.
While visiting the forest, stay alert for any fire conditions and be prepared to react quickly if you are contacted by firefighters. Remember that due to critical fire conditions there are NO FIRES allowed anywhere on the forest except in developed campgrounds. Do your part and help keep our forest healthy!
Updated July 23, 2020: Are you looking for a Stanislaus National Forest map during our virtual services? Our partner, 3 Forests Interpretive Association, or 3FIA, offers National Forest Visitor Maps for sale online! Learn more about other online map tools.
Fire Restrictions
Updated Oct. 16, 2020: Regional Forester Randy Moore signed Regional Order 20-22, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Oct. 22.
Fire restrictions remain in effect at all elevations on the Stanislaus National Forest. There were no additional revisions to the new regional fire restrictions; visitors are allowed to use propane and gas stoves in developed recreation sites only. Developed recreation sites are defined as areas which have been improved or developed for recreation, such as campgrounds and day use sites. Stoves remain prohibited in all dispersed camping and wilderness areas on the Stanislaus National Forest.
Human-caused ignitions are a significant fire management challenge for the forest and unintentional human-caused ignitions far outnumber intentional ones. When a forest fire ignites, the forest's proximity to large population centers and communities within the wildland-urban interface creates a situation where the risk of catastrophic property damage and loss of life is high. In California, over the past 10 years, escaped campfires ignited 25 percent of all wildfires. Reducing the number of these starts will best enable us to successfully suppress the fires that do occur while protecting the safety of our employees and the community.
Always remember—it's not just firefighters who are at risk during fire operations in this time of COVID-19—you shouldn't have to move to an evacuation center where your risk increases as the number of people increases. Don't forget—we depend on you to help minimize fire danger as much as you depend on us to fight fire!
Pinecrest Day Use and Campground
Oct. 19, 2020: The Pinecrest campground has closed for the winter, although the day use area remains open to the public. The Forest Service has been working closely with Tuolumne County and state officials to ensure alignment with all state and county health regulations.
- 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.
- Businesses operating at Pinecrest are allowed by state regulation to remain open, but they must adhere to any state or local restrictions. All permitted businesses are required to follow state and county health guidelines, and you may notice adaptations when you visit them.
- Restrooms will continue to be cleaned, following regional guidance for COVID-19 cleaning. Visitors will need to bring their own hand sanitizer and soap in the day use area.
If you make your way to Pinecrest Lake day use area this winter, please respect the rules and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
Open Campgrounds
Updated Oct. 16, 2020. Please note: Only these campgrounds are open at this time. For information about activities that are allowed on the forest, read the Oct. 16 update above. Please note fire restrictions prohibit campfires and smoking everywhere on the forest. Visitors may use propane or gel-fuel stoves in open developed recreation sites, which include campgrounds and day use areas. We will update this list as other recreation areas open.
List of developed campgrounds by ranger district that are open:
Calaveras Ranger District
| Campground |
Status |
| Big Meadow Campground |
$19.00 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
Lake Alpine complex
Only Silver Tip, West Shore campgrounds are open. (All other Lake Alpine campgrounds are closed.) |
$30 per night fee charged,
Reservations only at www.recreation.gov. |
| Bloomfield Campground |
$12 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Hermit Valley Campground |
No fee, first come, first served |
| Highland Lakes Campground |
$12 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Mosquito Lakes Campground |
$8 per night fee charged; no water service; first come, first served |
| Pacific Valley Campground |
$10 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Stanislaus River Campground |
$19 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Union East Campground |
$16 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Union West Campground |
$16 per night fee charged; first come, first served |
| Utica - Sandy Flat Campground |
$16 per night fee charged, first come, first served |
| Utica - Rocky Point |
$16 per night fee charged, first come, first served |
Groveland Ranger District
| Campground |
Status |
| Lumsden Campground |
No per night fee; first come, first serve; there is limited trash removal during the winter season - pack and take all your trash and waste with you when you leave! |
| Sweetwater Campground |
$16 per night fee; first come, first serve; there is no water or trash removal during the winter season - pack and take all your trash and waste with you when you leave! |
| South Fork Campground |
No per night fee; first come, first serve; there is limited trash removal during the winter season - pack and take all your trash and waste with you when you leave! |
| The Pines Campground |
$16 per night fee; first come, first serve; there is no water or trash removal during the winter season - pack and take all your trash and waste with you when you leave! |
Mi-Wok/Summit Ranger Districts
| Campground |
Status |
| Hull Creek Campground |
$12.00 per night fee, $24.00 per double site fee charged; first come, first served |
Other recreational day use sites are also open. Check the alphabetical list on the Recreation tab to see which rec sites and trails are open.
Wilderness Permits
Aug. 31, 2020: If you are planning a back country trip, be aware of water access during backpacking trips. Water is drying up quite fast this summer, so lakes are really the only reliable source for water in the Emigrant right now - especially out of Crabtree and Gianelli trailheads. Creeks are almost completely dried up, including Piute Creek, West Fork Cherry Creek, and Buck Meadow Creek. Creeks in the Upper Emigrant, including Summit Creek and North Fork Cherry Creek can still be used as water sources and are still flowing but they are getting low as well. Know before you go!
June 11, 2020: FREE permits are required for overnight visits to the wilderness areas.
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Stanislaus National Forest has updated the process for obtaining overnight wilderness permits. NOTE: All visitors are responsible for knowing and abiding by all current regulations, including campfire prohibitions in place for the 2020 summer season. Read the current campfire restrictions and regulations in the Forest Order here. NO CAMPFIRES ARE PERMITTED in Wilderness. The Stanislaus National Forest does not have quotas for wilderness area access.
Forest Product Permits
June 15, 2020: If you are seeking a fuelwood permit, please call 209-288-6241 and leave a voicemail message with your name and telephone number. A front desk representative will call you and issue you a fuelwood permit over the phone. Once it is digitally signed by our front desk clerk they will mail the permit and the accompanying fuelwood tags to you. All fuelwood permits are free of charge during the 2020 collection season, but you must have your permit and tags with you when you are gathering wood on the forest. Our front desk representatives will be able to answer your questions when they call. We appreciate your patience while we developed a new process for issuing fuelwood permits.
- For other forest product permits, please call (209) 272-5455.
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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