Whenever I'm driving down CA-120, I always try to make it a point to stop at this vista point. The…read moreviews of Don Pedro Lake from this vista are just simply incredible! There's a large parking lot that seems to never be full when I come here, and plenty of places to take in the gorgeous views. You can also see the Jacksonville Bridge in the distance. There's a small hiking trail that will take you to the top of the hill. I've never had enough time to actually hike it all the way to the top, but the Jacksonville Bridge is clearly viewable from the trail. There's lots of dry brush depending on the time of season that you go and this trail doesn't seem to be maintained on a regular basis. Just be prepared to have a few pieces of the dry brush stick to your socks and clothes. At any given time, you'll see people kayaking and sailing their boats on the lake. This vista point doesn't grant actual access to the lake, but you can pay $10 (per standard vehicle) for full access at the nearby Moccasin Point Marina Recreation. This vista point is an excellent spot to catch a beautiful sunrise and sunset. I've usually come here on the way to and from Yosemite, so I've had the pleasure of seeing both. It's definitely worth a stop if you're passing through the area.

Love this place. Spent a few hours here on the way to Yosemite. There are a lot more house boats…read morethan I remember, but it's been years since I've been here. I only wish there were more shade trees Great place to spend some time to unwind

First full weekend of June, visited the lake several times…read more Parking Saturday by 10:20am, most of the overflow parking across from the restaurant and general store were already full. To avoid walking too far if you have a vehicle, strongly recommend getting here early to keep the walk short. In contrast, on a Sunday at Noon, there were sporadic parking spots lakefront. Crowds Saturday had some areas of the lake crowded with most benches or picnic benches taken but there were some left by 11am. Sunday, dramatically less crowds. Weather Even in mid-60s, being in direct sunlight can feel much hotter and burn you. Water Just fine for early June, did not feel terribly cold. Restrooms Generally in very good condition and multiple throughout the lakefront, no soap though.

Small yet popular lake in the Stanislaus National Forest. Very convenient for Bay Area vacationers…read moreas it is only a 2.5 hour drive. I've done a few summer weekend trips here, but as a child. So don't remember many details, just that it was always a blast, camping with a large group and delving into lake activities. As an adult, I've mostly come to this area during the winter/spring months, and that's only because Dodge Ridge Ski Resort is in the same area. But never really knew how close the actual lake is to the ski resort...until recently when I finally did both in a one weekend stint. The actual lake is man-made, it is a reservoir meant to harness water, snow melt is my guess due to the regular snow fall every winter in these mountains. Then PG&E bulit a dam and used this for hydroelectric energy and you can see the raging water on the bottom of the dam if you hike over to that corner. We hiked only half of the lake on a gorgeous clear winter's day. I wanted to hike the entire circumference of the lake, which is only a little over 3 miles, but we had a small child in our group, so we kept it manageable. The trail is well kept and very easy to stay on, not many off shoots to other trails. It climbs in a few spots but nothing too difficult (at least to me). The lake is in view in practically every spot on the trail, so very very scenic and picturesque. Even though a man-made lake, seeing the clouds drift by the snowcapped mountains and all the pine trees all around, that I never felt like it was a man-made lake. Very natural contours and plant and tree habitat. I saw an occasional deer and tons of birds enjoying the sun on an otherwise cool winter's day. Even saw a couple of eagles soaring from the trees to the lake line, may have even been bald eagles as I observed white heads. I didn't have binoculars to confirm, so just a hunch, but it still felt special. Not much activity on the actual lake during my winter visit, maybe just a few people fishing off of rocks near the shore. No one was boating or swimming in these months. But in the summer, it is a much different story, as my memories recollect. Now i want to come back during the summer/fall and do some camping and kayaking. A promise I am making to myself and will surely bring into fruition. Trust.

Very nice park. Very well maintained (old buildings, lots of items). Lots of things to see and to…read morelearn. Highly recommended. Many stores to visit and shop, bakery, restaurants, ice cream, museums and more. Air conditioned store rooms. Some rare book editions on sale in the bookstore! Free parking. Dog friendly.

I come here every year! I walk around and enjoy seeing the old, small town of Columbia that…read moresettlers founded. It is now recognized as Colombia State Historic Park. It has a one-room school house where students of different ages, once sat and listened together to their teacher's lectures, in harmony. I always visit the old cemetery where some members of The Donner family, who survived their perilous journey from Missouri to California during the gold rush, are buried. The old mercantile building and the Blacksmith stable where the horses were shoehorned and cared for, still stands. The countryside is beautiful. The hills and rivers are gorgeous. This is a great place for families and especially for children who should know our great history regarding brave settlers who traveled from far and wide, by horse and buggy (wagon trains of home crafted covered wagons). It is always such a nostalgic feeling going back in history for me. Enjoy this great town!

This particular park is a gem. It's a fantastic spot to enjoy a casual walk, an afternoon picnic,…read moreand a mid-day hula-hooping session. It's a lovely peaceful spot to bring your dog, to bring your kids, to play horse-shoe, and you can even view a magical railway from 1899. West Side Memorial Park hosts a variety of activities throughout the year from local fairs, flea markets, a farmer's market, music concerts, exercise activities - and much more. It's located right by the Veterans Memorial Hall - which is also a fantastic and historical resource for the community. Parking is easy (though I'm sure it can get challenging for busier events) - and it's in walking distance to many wonderful local Sonora stores - which is an additional plus - if you're looking to bask in the fresh autumn air on a mellow day. Trust.

This is a great place to stop on your way to and/or from Yosemite. There is some information on the…read moreRim Fire of August 2013 here. It was a little eerie standing here in the middle of where the Rim Fire had swept through. Still, a good place to stop, stretch your legs and enjoy some views of the hill-sides.

I think Sarah is missing the point that there is no service at this place. It is a scenic…read moreoverlook. Neil not too sure how a scenic overlook can discriminate over someone's non-disability related choices. Great view. Stop by anytime for a family photo on the way to of leaving Yosemite on 120.

Don't think, just stop. This is the best $10 you will ever spend, besides maybe that NFT investment…read moreyou made last year...yes, we all know about it. Anyways, this place is the real deal. Right off the highway, clear water, big leaves like in the dinosaur movies you still watch (no judgement), and the perfect cliffs to jump off of with a rather safe landing. There is a sign about hazards, but I think it's a governmental approach at satire, because everybody and their grandma was jumping (saw one cannonball with walker). Nice work feds, you finally did something right. But still, make sure to bring your goggles and thoroughly inspect all conditions before jumping, flipping, and / or bellyflopping into the best day of your life. I'll post a full story and underwater videos on YouTube and IG soon IG: instagram.com/luke.kitchel YouTube.com/@PlantBasedLuke

!!Warning!! We witnessed a young boy suffer a traumatic head injury here. Please don't dive…read more Protect and supervise your children. There is no reception so getting help takes time (and you have to run to the entrance for help). It took the ambulance 30 minutes and the medical helicopter even longer. We came here late summer 2026, parking is $10 cash only. Parking is very limited but there is plenty out back (10 minute walk). It gets crowded. I'd say the main pool is not a place for kids under 7-8. Rocks can be slippery and there isn't much of a safe space for the littles. You can drop off your gear by the restrooms on the way up. They have smaller pools above the waterfall that may be more suitable for the littles, regardless, parents beware. Many were jumping off the cliffs (we did too) which may be relatively safe for the olders but no way for young ones. Please take care I'd give this a 4 of 5 if I had not witnessed what I did. Swimmers beware

First off, be warned... Getting camping reservations here are EXTREMELY HARD to get and very…read morecompetitive too!! Each campsite is for six people and two vehicles only!! I've been camping/fishing/hiking at Pinecrest lake virtually my whole life. It's has always been our family favorite place to camp including swimming, boat rentals, snack shack, lakeside movies, store, restaurant, etc. for five generations, so far. Be warned... EVERY evening, people will shout out "ALBERT" at the top of their lungs for several hours throughout all the campsites. It generally ends between 9-10 pm. So if you have little children that go to bed early, this may be a sleeping problem for them. My ratings for this year's family camping trip (as follows): Everything listed above "5 STARS "; EXCEPT for our campsite bathrooms "1 STAR " located in "Loop B" had absolutely NO POWER (Lights, etc.) at all, especially at night. Potential serious falling injuries may occur. I consider that to be a safety hazard and a potential liability issue. Overall, we generally have a great time camping there with our families. We'll still return again and carryon with our family tradition in the future.

I have been coming here for over 60 years, the last 5-6 years it has changed a lot…read more Most of the below is way worse on the weekend. 1. No dogs allowed on beach, there are dogs all over the beach. 2. You cannot leave pop/ups chairs at the beach unattended, there are pop ups/chairs on the beach at sunrise, some are not occupied until mid or late in the day. 3. People line their pop ups right up to the water side by side, not thinking that anyone on the beach behind them has to walk completely around. 4. It's nearly impossible to reserve a camp site, if you then are lucky to get one, you walk around and you see empty sites everywhere. 5. It's time to replace the bathrooms with the same as the day use, it's been too long. A great family campground, outdoor theater, great hike around the lake, plenty of things to rent at the marina for the lake, store, Serene Bean coffee and the steam donkey restaurant. Don't go on the weekends!

I've rented the big party boat here twice for my birthdays, and I honestly can't even describe how…read moremuch fun we had--it was such a vibe both times! Being out on the water with friends, music going, and just enjoying the lake... unforgettable memories every time. We also added jet skis, which made the whole experience even better. Definitely worth it if you want to level up your day on the water! What really stood out to me was the staff. Everyone was so friendly, patient, and made sure we understood everything before heading out. They explained all the safety details clearly and made us feel completely comfortable getting on the water. If you're planning a birthday, group outing, or just a fun lake day, this is 100% the move. I'll definitely be back again!

My group of friends have rented from here a few times. On our recent visit we rented the boat for 3…read morenights. Check in is at 3pm and they say we have to return the boat back by 10am. However we ran into some trouble not being able to start the boat so we didn't return until 11am. There was no penalty. All the staffs were kind. This time we were welcomed with a choice of water, soda, beer or mimosas. Of coarse we opted for the mimosas. Not sure if this is a new thing but we did rent the biggest boat, the 60' Escapade II. We weren't offered drinks in the past where we rented smaller houseboats. They do have a store where you can get some food including ice cream, drinks, apparel and this is also where you check in. They also have an ice and water station. Houseboating is so much fun. The house boat had everything we needed to enjoy our getaway.