Overview
Pinecrest is a resort town in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County in the Sierra Nevada region of California. It has a mountain lake, Pinecrest Lake, that is popular for swimming, fishing, boating, and sunbathing. Campgrounds and motel rooms are available if reserved in advance. (Cabin owners are allowed only 2 weeks of renting time a year, so the chances of getting one is practically 0%.)
2 sights · 6 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Pinecrest
Pinecrest Gallery
Small art gallery. Wide range of size, style and price. On the second floor of the Pinecrest Library building.
Pinecrest Library
A very small take-a-book-leave-a-book library, it also has board and card games to borrow, as well as movies in the form of DVDs (and potentially VHS tapes, although those may have been removed/taken), and a notice board…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 32°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Sonora)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MCE Merced Regional Macready Field, Merced — 69 mi away. Directions
- SCK Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton — 71 mi away. Directions
- RNO Reno Tahoe International Airport, Reno — 91 mi away (major hub). Directions
Pinecrest is reached by traveling on Highway 108 from the Central Valley of California (e.g., Modesto) into Tuolumne County and past the foothills city of Sonora into the forest. Pinecrest is about 30 miles northeast of Sonora and 10 miles northeast of Mi-Wuk Village.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Pinecrest Library
- Lunch Pinecrest Snack Bar
- Afternoon Pinecrest Gallery
- Dinner Steam Donkey Cafe
- Evening The Serene Bean Coffee Shop
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The lakes, streams, and rivers in the area were part of an elaborate wooden flume and ditch system built during the Gold Rush to provide water for washing gold in placer mining.
Pinecrest Lake used to be known as Strawberry Lake. The dam that forms the lake is known as Strawberry Dam.
The lake is filled by snowmelt from the winter season. Late in the summer season the lake falls significantly due to evaporation and the snowmelt water from the winter season being used up. The lake can lower to the point that you can walk out to the buoys that mark the designated swimming section on the beach instead of having to swim. Be aware of this when planning what time to come.
Pinecrest and nearby Cold Springs and Strawberry are a small cluster of resort towns at roughly the 5,000-foot elevation level along Highway 108.
People were sold plots to build cabins and tent platforms, beginning in the 1900s. Many cabins you see as you enter Pinecrest started off as small tent platforms, and have since grown into multi roomed fully serviced homes. Modifications to these cabins are highly restricted, and in many cases, impossible due to forest preservation and wanting to preserve the natural beauty. Due to not wanting Pinecrest to become a source of income for cabin owners, the U.S. Forest Service restricts the amount of time you can rent your cabin for profit to 2 weeks per year. Many cabin owners have had the same renters since the cabin was built, so finding open rentals in Pinecrest is very rare. Be respectful to these cabins and their owners, as many have been passed down through generations.
Get in
By car
Pinecrest is reached by traveling on Highway 108 from the Central Valley of California (e.g., Modesto) into Tuolumne County and past the foothills city of Sonora into the forest. Pinecrest is about 30 miles northeast of Sonora and 10 miles northeast of Mi-Wuk Village.
Except in winter, when Highway 108 over Sonora Pass is closed, Pinecrest can be reached from the eastern high desert by driving west from Highway 395 on Highway 108 over Sonora Pass.
From Highway 108, turn (right if heading east on 108) onto Pinecrest Lake Road and go about two miles to the lake and resort.
Get around
On foot
The Pinecrest area, once you get to the lake and resort area, is pedestrian-oriented. Walk or ride a bicycle (Bring one or rent one near the general store, as well as grab a simple map of Pinecrest). It generally requires a car to go to nearby areas such as Cold Springs, Strawberry, or Dodge Ridge, although some use a bicycle.
By car
It is not recommended that you use a car to get around in Pinecrest, as the beauty and smells of Pinecrest are best experienced while outside a vehicle, and constant stops will need to be made due to the amount of people walking, but if you choose, which you should not, be warned, you cannot buy gas in Pinecrest.
By bike
You can bring your own bike or rent one.
Place The Pinecrest Hub
Bike rental stand at Pinecrest. You can get a simplistic trail map there for free as well.
See
Buildings
See Pinecrest Gallery
Small art gallery. Wide range of size, style and price. On the second floor of the Pinecrest Library building.
See Pinecrest Library
A very small take-a-book-leave-a-book library, it also has board and card games to borrow, as well as movies in the form of DVDs (and potentially VHS tapes, although those may have been removed/taken), and a notice board outside. Books range from very short to extremely long, all ages.
Terrain
See Pinecrest Lake, the trees, the mountains behind the lake. Take a look around and see if you can spot remnants of ancient Me-Wuk grinding stones.
Animals
See many squirrels, the occasional raccoon, and the very occasional black bear. (The bears are around, but shy.)
Do
In summer
- Fish for trout in the lake, either from the bank or a boat. The fish are restocked weekly and exact schedules can be found online. They are restocked at the boat launching station, however you can be fined for fishing there. Please do not.
- Rent a kayak, a party boat, a paddle boat, or a motorboat.
- Hike around the lake and see Strawberry Dam. (Plan for 4 hours or more if you are with kids or are going slow. If you have done it before and are by yourself or with a one other person, you can probably do it in 1 hour and 30 minutes.) The hike is about 5 miles (8 km) long. It is marked as "easy," but includes many areas of somewhat jagged rocks and a couple of areas that can be pretty muddy the day after a rain, and it's easy to turn your ankle if you are not careful; moreover, near the dam, it is possible to fall to your death if you slip the wrong way, though that is improbable if you face the right way and can keep your balance in normal situations. Roughly halfway through you cross the stream which supplies water to the lake. There is a bridge to cross which is recommended, but if you wish you can try your hand at jumping across the rocks to get to the other side. This is not recommended especially early in the season when the water is flowing hard, along with that the rocks are slippery and small at times, and the jumps are far. Be careful and take your time. Besides that, the view is scenic and the vegetation changes.
- Sunbathe or play on the beach. The beach can accommodate many people, but large part of it is covered by pine needles and rocks, so coming early in the season/day is recommended. Do not leave equipment on the beach to reserve a spot. Sometimes there will be a food truck there. The fries there are known to be some of the best in the world.
- Swim or snorkel in the lake
In winter
- Go skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing in nearby Dodge Ride Ski Area, or the Leland Meadows Snowplay Area.
- The lake freezes over during the winter and you can skate or walk across it. Be careful and bring some back up, as there has been at least 1 case of people breaking through the ice, falling in, and dying.
When you have the time
Walk down to the general store (which is always stocked with candy and cold drinks), and you can stop by the library on your way.
Buy
Shop Pinecrest General Store
Buy food, wine, other drinks, instant meals, camping equipment, toys, etc.
Eat
Eat Steam Donkey Cafe
Cafe across from the general store.
Eat Mia's
Brick oven pizza and specialties.
Eat Pinecrest Snack Bar
Little shack selling soft-serve ice cream and hamburgers.
Drink
In Pinecrest
Beverages can be purchased at The Serene Bean coffee shop, the Steam Donkey cafe, the general store, and the snack shack at the beach.
Drink The Serene Bean Coffee Shop
Small coffee shop.
In Strawberry
Strawberry general store.
Sleep
In Strawberry
Assorted rental cabins or the Strawberry Inn.
In Pinecrest
Campsites are also available in Pinecrest, and cabins will rarely go up up for rental in Pinecrest itself. Motel rooms are available; however, they get sold out months before. Reservations are necessary.
Go next
- In summer, continue on Highway 108 to Dardenelle, Kennedy Meadow, and Sonora Pass.
- Yosemite National Park is about an hour away.
- Visit the Columbia historic town. (It is a drive, but very worth it)
Nearby
Mi-Wuk Village
City / town · 7 listings · 14 mi away
Twain Harte
City / town · 1 listings · 17 mi away
Bear Valley
City / town · 10 listings · 19 mi away
Arnold
City / town · 4 listings · 20 mi away
Columbia
City / town · 25 mi away
Sonora
City / town · 9 listings · 26 mi away
Murphys
City / town · 14 listings · 26 mi away
Groveland
City / town · 6 listings · 28 mi away
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