Stanislaus National Forest Overview

Stanislaus National Forest includes almost 900,000 acres of land in 4 counties in the Sierra Nevada of Northern California. Established in 1897, it is one of the oldest national forests.

The four counties within the National Forest include Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne. They are primarily rural in nature with rolling foothills and/or steep mountainous terrain. The latter three are in the heart of California’s historic “Mother Lode”  These contain many historically significant Gold Rush era towns, and both historic and prehistoric heritage sites.

Collectively, all four counties have an abundance of outdoor recreational sites. Visitors can enjoy numerous rivers, lakes and reservoirs, two state parks (Calaveras Big Trees and Columbia State Parks), one national park (Yosemite National Park). There are also several alpine and nordic ski areas.

Amenities

• BBQ Grills
• Boat Launch/Ramp
• Campground Host
• Cell Service - None
• Cell Service Poor
• Drinking Water
• Equestrian trail
• Fire Pit
• Fire Rings
• Firewood Available
• Golden Age & Access Passports accepted
• Grills
• Overflow Parking
• Pets OK
• Picnic Tables
• Recycling Center
• Restrooms (Flush Toilets, Vault Toilets)
• Showers
• Trash Collection

Activities

• Backpacking
• Biking
• Bird Watching
• Boating
• Canoeing
• Canyoneering
• Climbing
• Fishing
• Fly Fishing
• Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Hunting
• Kayaking
• Mountain Biking
• Nature Trails
• OHVing
• OTV Trails/Riding
• Paddle boarding (SUP)
• Paddle Boating
• Photography
• Picnicking
• Rafting
• River
• Stargazing
• Swimming
• Walking Trails
• Water Sports
• Whitewater Kayaking
• Wildlife Viewing