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.

Our stay at Pinecrest was completely ruined by the camp host…read more We arrived with two vehicles and a small pop-up trailer. Everything was inside our campsite boundaries, and we had a lot of gear with us including two kayaks, a paddleboard, and inner tubes. While we were trying to enjoy breakfast, the camp host unexpectedly walked up to our site and immediately started giving orders. The interaction felt aggressive and unwelcoming rather than helpful. He insisted that we move our small pop-up trailer because he didn't like how far back it was positioned, even though it wasn't causing any issues. He also told us to move one of our trucks despite the fact that we only had two vehicles and both were within the campsite limits. We complied and moved everything as requested. Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it. After spending the day at the lake and returning to our campsite, the host came back again and continued bothering us even after we had already made the changes he demanded. The repeated interruptions created tension within our group and turned what was supposed to be a relaxing family camping trip into a stressful experience. The constant scrutiny and confrontational attitude caused arguments among our group and completely changed the mood of the trip. I was so frustrated that I packed up my things and left early. We've camped many places over the years and understand that rules need to be enforced, but there is a respectful and professional way to treat campers. This experience left us feeling unwelcome and disappointed, and it overshadowed what should have been a great trip to Pinecrest.

One of the better cramgrounds around pinecrest. Your not down below crammed in with everybody…read moreelse. I recommend highly is you like camping in this area.

My 1st time at the Lair of the Bear ( Lair of the Golden Bear ) was amazing! We picked the 4th Camp…read moreBlue June 27th - July 4th since we had a few friends that annually go this week. From the moment we arrived, the staff treated us like family. They were always ready with a smile, whether they were leading the kids in daily activities, making sure the dining hall ran smoothly, or belting out songs at the famous campfire shows. So many activities throughout the week - Softball - Volleyball - Cornhole - Shuffle Board - Basketball Tennis - Pickle Ball - Ping Pong or just relaxing by the sparking pool. I could go on and on. If you are looking for an all inclusive camping experience for all ages this was a terrific. A hugh shout-out and kudos to Keith Wong for bringing endless energy, fun, and Lair spirit to our week at Camp Blue.

I've been camping at the Lair on and off (mostly on) since 1977, and my 10 year old has camped…read moresince he was 14 months. It is our happy place. The place where we unplug, roam under the pines and gaze at the stars, make new friends, play at the pool, hike, do arts and crafts, chill in the hammock... I could go on and on. One of my favorite things to do at camp is to just BE... and let my kiddo run free :)

Amazing camp grounds. about 10 miles down the road from pinecrest and 1000 feet up in elevation…read more(6000 ft total) is the most beautiful campgrounds ever. + only $5 a night!! +14 spots for camping + even though there is only an outhouse and no running water, this one was luxurious. the host adds lavender to the restroom and really makes sure nothing is stinky! what i was once dreading to use turned into a pleasant surprise + fresh creek running/ soothing to sleep to + fire pits/ bbq + 1 picnic table per site + wonderful host named Diane. smile and say hi to her when you see her definitely coming back here.

This place could be nice! But the camp host Dianne harass you the whole time you are there! We are…read moreadults not children Diane! We don't need to be told what time to go to bed. (10:00pm) according to her! We are also waaay over 21 and can drink if we want! We are not stupid and know how to maintain a low campfire. Never in all my years of camping have I come across such Nasty , harrassing , camp hosts. Mind you who are only volunteers and hold no authority at all. I would never reccomend this place to anyone , untill they get new camp hosts!

Have been coming to this campground for years, it is definitely changing for the worst. Went up…read moreon Tuesday, memorial weekend approaching, sites had an awning and chairs, or something to seem like someone was camping there, those were unoccupied sites for 2 days. Camphost was off duty for those days. When the old grump returned to his job he was complaining about people using there generator. Bathrooms needed to be cleaned, but he would rather try and pick on campers,who are on vacation wanting to enjoy themselves. Dodge ridge needs to reconsider who they choose to run and maintain the campground. Sad to say this is a first come first serve campground and they don't follow the rules, which is not fair for those who do. Please dodge ridge find a camp host who will do there job and follow the rules for every one who loves to camp. The honest camping way needs to come back, and if you can't do that,start taking reservations like your pinecrest campground.

It is just so amazing we loved it the worker so nice we had a good spot 27 is a good oneread more

I got married at Camp Sylvester in April, 2023. It was a wild winter, and there was more snow than…read moreexpected. We originally planned to get married outside in the amphitheater, but it was buried in snow. We ended up using DeBoer Hall for the ceremony, and it was magical! Our guests had so much fun, and everyone said the cabins were warm and cozy. Everyone embraced the feet of snow surrounding camp, and it made for a unique experience. Our camp wedding was everything we hoped for, and we are so glad we found Camp Sylvester. One of my favorite moments was watching our guests having snowball fights and building snowmen on the morning of the wedding. Ken was incredibly helpful in the planning process! All the Camp Sylvester staff were kind and responsive throughout the wedding weekend. I highly recommend you plan an event at Camp Sylvester!

Spent the week here for camp and have to say it was a very nice, well laid out camp. The camp as…read moreyou might expect has the hub for the leader/director to set up shop. Dining hall, bathrooms on both sides of the camp, amphitheater, activity room and of course cabins all named after trees, mine being the "Oak" cabin. Amongst all that are plenty of places to pitch tents all within the boundaries and not to disturb the residents who live around the camp. What I really liked about the camp are the other activities that available like a basketball court (not a full court) but enough to shoot some hoops and a volleyball net. Also the staff who run the camp (outside of our program) were accommodating if we needed additional supplies or had questions about the site. There are also plenty of trees to set up some hammocks and pits to have a fire. The camp is within walking distance to Pinecrest lake which of course is a plus. I enjoyed our time here, my only critique is the bathrooms could use either some ventilation or air fresheners. It was painful to my nose every time I had to go in there. We even tried to keep it clean but the smell was just too strong. Fun camp site otherwise though.

This spot is still fabulous! Been coming here for several years now. I always one of their little…read moreCabins! Staff is always friendly! Bathrooms are super clean! And everyone is always lovely and respectful on the grounds. Highly recommend!

We booked an overnight at this place a few years ago to attend a wedding. It is a smaller…read morecampground and feels a bit tight with 22 full-hook up sites and only 30 amp service. They have one site with 50 amp. They do have 6 pull-through sites for larger rigs. They allow tents on pull-through sites only. The sites are dirt, but fairly level. Anyone with a large rig and tow vehicle should avoid this place or call to ensure you will fit. There are several large trees in the park that can make backing your rig difficult. Most of the sites are fairly small. If you are trailering another vehicle, they recommend renting another site to accommodate that tow vehicle which is a bummer. They do have a pool, showers and bathrooms. For me, it was cool to experience this place one time, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

My first time visiting this National Forest…read more An absolutely beautiful and clean park. There's a lot to see and a lot to do. One day isn't enough when visiting the park. I visited Pinecrest lake and Rainbow Pool. The lake wasn't for me. However, there is plenty of parking. BBQ and picnic areas. Several restrooms. I saw kids swimming in the lake, and boaters enjoying the lake and scenery. Free entrance and parking. Day visit. The Rainbow Pool was it for me. I heard, the water is cold, but on this date with the temperature being 101, the water was perfect. I saw kids jumping from a high distance into a pool below. The river moves fast. I found it best to wear water shoes as the rocks in the river are slippery. Entrance and parking equals to $10 (cash). There's only 20 parking spaces in the lot. Driving up toward the exit, there are a few spaces on the side of the road. They're marked. I had to park on top of the hill where there was plenty of space. Definitely recommend Rainbow Pool. I wanted to visit Diana Pool, also but no time.

Great place to explore/hike/fish/hunt. Be prepared and safe…read more Research on the fact.usda.gov sometimes needs a little more clarification. If you're going to overnight, confirm with the ranger stations on if you need a wilderness permit (free) which can not be ordered online and only available at all 4 ranger stations. What really sucks is that the ranger districts don't know much about the areas in all regions,only the area they oversee, and they will not answer your question relating to an area they are not assigned, they'll defer you to the correct station to answer your questions: Summit (all areas need a wilderness permit for overnight, but not when you're exploring during the day) I felt the lady who answered my questions from this station was kind of curt with me. She may need to get some training on customer service or choose a new line of work if she doesn't want to answer phone calls. Calaveras (some areas) call to confirm if the area you're going to overnight at may need it. Groveland (some areas) call to confirm if the area you're going to overnight at may need it. If you last minute decide to overnight, the permits can be collected at a self service area for when the stations are closed.