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Stanislaus River California

stanislaus
Stanislaus River, Sonora Pass

Stanislaus River

Central Sierra Nevada Mountains
Sonora Pass CA 108 / Ebbetts Pass CA 4
Stanislaus National Forest

The Sierra Nevada mountain route that usually closes first and opens last, due to snow and rock slides . Sonora Pass snow is epic, but often unaccessible most of the year. Snow melt can be slow and this route may not open by until mid-summer. (Quite typical on this highway). Check Cal Trans Hwy Reports. Summer and early Autumn is the time to visit this region, so plan accordingly.

Stanislaus National Forest

This Big Sierra River is so far reaching that it covers areas from two different Wilderness Areas and two Sierra highway systems: Sonora Pass 108 & Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4.

The North Fork of Stanislaus River starts up at Highland Creek (below Highland Lakes) and parallels the Ebbetts Pass pavement westward down the mountain. Numerous lakes and parks along this steep northern fork, all lined with impressive granite rock. Spicer Reservoir, Elephant Rock, Summit Lake, Calaveras Big Trees State Park and Stanislaus National Forest.

Middle Fork of Stanislaus River, overview

  • Clark Fork flowing from the Dardanelles in Carson Peak Wilderness, become the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. Numerous Campgrounds, RV camps, horse camps along Clark Fork Road. California Highway 108 may still have  a real old fashioned pay phone at this intersection. Go look.
  • Kennedy Creek comes in from the south side of the highway and creates Kennedy Meadows, a horse packing ranch; Not to be confused with the Kern Kennedy Meadows, way down south.
  • Eagle Creek and Kennedy, plus the Clark Fork are the main headwaters to Stanislaus River making up the Middle fork of this river. Traveling southwest thru the forest, with numerous Reservoirs and plenty of campgrounds.

Middle Fork comes together near the Fence Creek Campground @ Hwy 108. Flowing downhill to join Donnell Lake, then 10 miles of ‘really rugged wild river’ down to Beardsley Lake, then to Sand Bar Flat Campground further below, and on towards the county line @ Calaveras.

South Fork Stanislaus, the shortest of the forks, flows down from Pinecrest Lake, Dodge Ridge Ski Resort and the Emigrant Wilderness Area. Then hits Lyons Reservoir (4228′ elev) near the community of Long Barn, CA Italian Bar brings it right down to Historical Gold Camp, Columbia.

Eventually the massive Stanislaus River ends up in the San Joaquin (Central) Valley, like most of the Western Sierra rivers do, growing the food crops for all. California is a huge agriculture state.

volcanomdws
Volcanic Dardanelles

Backpacking Big Wilderness 

With Wilderness making up the majority of the landscape around these river canyons , there is ample opportunity for day hiking, creek fishing and backpacking adventures. May as well plan for a full week off of work, if you wanna explore in some depth. Many trailheads have small parking lots located on dirt roads, which are usually passenger car accessible.

Carson Iceberg Wilderness
Emigrant Wilderness

pctPCT = The Pacific Crest hiking trail cuts right across the tallest Sierra Nevada mountain pass – Sonora Pass 108 @ 9625′ elev.

Black Bears are common in this region and several areas have bear boxes for proper food storage. If not available, you’ll need a bear canister or learn to properly hang your food in a tree.

Winter closures due to deep snow is common more than half the year up here. Check Cal Trans for highway conditions and w/ local rangers to find out what back roads are open, and which ones are too muddy. 4WD may be needed to reach certain destinations, if snow & mud are still present. Winter SNOW CAN LAST UP HERE: on the peaks all summer long; And snow can start falling as early as October, so know the forecast before you set out on a major backcountry trip.

Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays in the backcountry. Stop by a ranger station to get the latest details before your big trek into the woods. USFS web sites are not always so up-to-date. A phone call or personal visit may be needed to get accurate info.

hikerHiking Trailheads:

PCT Sonora Pass
Seven Pines
Kennedy Meadows
Columns of the Giants
Clarks Fork
Iceberg Meadow
Donnell Vista Point
Wheats Meadow
County Line
Bummers Flat
Sand Bar Flat

Stanislaus Ranger Stations ranger

Stanislaus Forest Headquarters
19777 Greenley Road
Gold Country @ Hwy 49
Sonora, CA 95370
209-532-3671ranger

Summit Ranger District
#1 Pinecrest Lake Road
Highway 108 (Sonora Pass)
Pinecrest, CA 95364
209-965-3434

Calaveras Ranger District
5519 Highway 4 (Ebbetts Pass)
Hathaway Pines, CA 95233
209-795-1381

USFS @ Highway 4
Mi-Wuk Village, CA
[CLOSED to PUBLIC]

SonoraHwy
Massive Granite, California Hwy 108 – West Sonora Pass

River Rafting on the Stanislaus River

Sierra
Stanislaus Map

Outdoor Recreation:

  • Backpacking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Hunting
  • Kayaking
  • Mountaineering
  • Off-Roading
  • River Rafting
  • Rock Climbing
  • Snow Skiing
  • Stargazingsnow
  • Wilderness
  • Wildflowers

Forest & Parks along this River:

icebergmdw
Horse Camping @ Iceberg Meadow, Clark’s Fork

Sierra Mountain Lodging

lodge

Sonora, CA
Twain Harte
Pinecrest
Dardanelle
Lake Alpine
Arnold, CA
Murphys, CA

Motel Rooms
Motel Rooms @ Dardanelle, CA

Best CampsBest Camps are always on the Back Roads

USFS

NFS Campgrounds along this River 

North fork of Stanislaus

Highland Lakes Campground
Sour Grass Campground
Spicer Reservoir Campground

Middle Fork of Stanislaus

campBoulder Flat Campground
Brighten Flat Campground
Dardanelle Campground
Pigeon Flat Campground
Eureka Valley Campground
Baker Campground
Deadman Campground
Clark Fork Horse Camp
Clark Fork Campground
Fence Creek Campground
Sand Flat Campground
Cascade Creek Campground
Sand Bar Flat Campground

South Fork of Stanislaus

Fraser Flat Campground
Pinecrest Lake Campground

Highland Lake
Highland Lakes

Dispersed Camping Mid-Sierra

The Wilderness boundaries on each side of the pavement (CA 108) along with giant granite walls, steep cliffs, boulders, wild raging rivers and dense forests make dirt road accessibility somewhat limited along the Sonora Pass Highway. Ebbetts (CA 4) has more dirt road accessibility, especially beyond Beardsley Lake.

County Line Road #6N06 will take you past a developed NFS Camp called Fence Creek  Campground. The dirt road climbs into the forest meadows, with 2 trailheads to be found within a few miles.  Horse Corral at Wheats Meadow. Numerous primitive campsites for backpackers, car campers, horse campers. Lush meadows, hidden forests, boulder outcroppings, dead end roads.

Back behind Pinecrest Lake & Dodge Ridge Ski are several dirt road loops w/ primitive camping at
Bell Meadow 
Crabtree

campfireCampfire permits are Required for camping outside of developed NFS campgrounds. Obtain a free campfire permit before you build a fire. Have a bucket and shovel at camp, always; attend the fire at all times.

Levitt Lake @ 9556′ elev, on the eastern slope of Sonora Pass has rocky road to wonderful scenery. Mid summer snow melt, so bring the good jacket – even in summer. High elevation camping, hiking, kayaking; rock scrambling at tree line. This alpine lake best reached with high clearance vehicle.

camptruck

Union, Utica, and Spicer Reservoirs have a few dirt roads to explore off Spicer Rd #7N01, with abundant trails for hiking and mountain biking.  Tons of firewood, free for the cutting. Bring your saw!

Kayaking and canoeing are popular at both Union and Utica. Dirt road access. No motors on lake. FREE LAKE CAMP: Shoreline camping is possible, but summer crowds  – can get downright insane. Nothing like a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere. Big families camping out all week long w/ all their toys, tents, multiple vehicles. Try to visit in the off-season for the best experience at these 2 lovely lakes. Spicer has developed campgrounds w/ fees, but has real boat ramps and can also  accommodate RV campers.

Jeep Roads Sierra

OHV Trails Stanislaus 

4x44×4 camps and dirt bike trails can be found at Niagra Creek, on the south side of Highway 108, before Clarks Fork.

Union Reservoir has a popular 4WD trail that connects up to Lake Alpine @ Ebbetts Pass.

BACK ROADS TIP
Regular dirt roads can become “4WD needed” with any decent amount of snow or heavy rains, especially on the steeper sections. Remember: No guard rails on the dirt roads. If you plan to camp ‘way back in there, in  the boonies’ – make sure you know the weather forecast and have a vehicle that can get out; no matter how sloppy the road gets. Thunderstorms are possible. Snow is 75% of the year.

BridgeSonora

Towns along Stanislaus River:

RV

StanislausTopoAtlas
Stanislaus Topo Atlas

Maps on Stanislaus:

Stanislaus National Forest Map USDA
Stanislaus Topo Atlas USDA
Carson Iceberg Wilderness Map USDA
Carson Emigrant NatGeo Map
Emigrant Wilderness Maps

Restrooms
Restrooms w/ Showers @ Dardanelle, CA

Links about Stanislaus River:

USFS – North Fork Stanislaus RiverUS Army Corp of Engineers: Stanislaus River Parks
Stanislaus River Salmon Festival
Lower Stanislaus River Fly Fishing

Stanislaus River Rafting
Stanislaus River – Class 3 Rapids @ Camp 9
DFG – Stanislaus River Report

Sonora Back Roads
Sonora Back Roads


river

Tule River California

minifallstule

Tule River

Southern Sierra Nevada Foothills
Great Western Divide

dunk

One of the smallest rivers in the Sierra Nevada, the Tule River has three forks and is located within Tulare County. Tule drains the Golden Trout Wilderness on the Great Western Divide, part of the Sierra Nevada range. California Highway 190 connects the upper elevations of the Giant Sequoia to the farm town of Porterville. Tule River parallels this main Sierra highway as it flows west into the Central Valley.

Inside Mountain Home State Forest – Hidden Falls & Moses Gulch Campgrounds, both have small waterfalls & swimming holes. Dirt roads access these back woods camp spots, but they are both popular among the locals in summer months. Off season is best for minimal crowds. Mosquitoes can be fierce; bring the repellent or a screen room.

h20cooltule

Clear, cold, snowmelt water, flowing west – out of the Golden Trout Wilderness. Deep within the Western Sierra Nevada, lined with granite cliffs and neighboring the oldest Sequoia groves, the north fork of the Tule River descends down the forested canyons to meet the oak-land foothills at Springville, CA.

hidden falls
hidden falls

Tule River Camping

Campgrounds along Tule River:camp

 (South Fork)

  • Coy Flat Campground
  • Onion Meadow @ Western Divide
    Forest Road #21N93 – Giant Sequoia NM
  • Tule River Tribal Lands (private)
  • Tule Recreation Area @ Success Lake

(Middle Fork)

SEQUOIA_map
SEQUOIA NF MAP

(North Fork)

mtnhomesign

Forests, Lakes & Parks along Tule River:

tuleriverintown
Tule River in town: Springville, California

Towns & communities along this River:

Camp Nelson, CA
Pierpoint Springs, CA
Springville, CA
Tule River Tribe (South Fork)
Porterville, CA

springville gazebo
Springville, CA

Maps along the Tule River:

Golden Trout Maps
Sequoia National Forest Map
Sequoia Forest Atlas

TH_GoldenTroutSQ
Golden Trout Trail Map

hiker

Golden Trout Wilderness

backpacking, hiking, horse packing, fishing in the Great Western Divide

Mountaineering routes and hiking in Tule River Canyons

tuleshade

parks, snow

Mountain Home Sequoia

Mountain Home State Forest
Mountain Home Sequoias

mtnhome

North of the Giant Sequoia, above the Western Divide Highway (CA 190) sits a little known Sequoia Park called Mountain Home. This lush forested area separates the Sequoia National Park (to the north) from the Giant Sequoia National Monument  (to the south).

Mountain Home is just up the mountain from the river town of Springville, CA

Western Sierra Nevada

In part of the vast Sequoia National Forest, lies a hidden gem of State Forest land worth visiting. Waterfalls, the Tule River, fishing ponds, campgrounds and easy access to Golden Trout Wilderness trails.

MHDSF

The official name of this forest: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest is quite a mouth full, so most just call it “Mountain Home”. In short MHDSF is managed by Cal-Fire and the California State Park system.

the Largest old growth Sequoias in the state!

Numerous awesome Campgrounds can be found near the Sequoia groves, the Tule River, hiking trailheads, fishing, waterfalls. Balch Park is the County Park, listed below.

    • Sequoia Backpacking
    • Sequoia Backroads
    • Sequoia Campgrounds
    • Sequoia Groves
    • Hiking
    • Tule River
    • Waterfalls
    • Wilderness

Balch Park Sequoia
located within the Mountain Home State Forest is a popular destination for the locals and families. Balch Park Campground is paved and RV accessible. 71 campsites, on first come basis.

fishin
Small pond fishing near Balch Park

Meadows, mountain peaks, streams, waterfalls, huge granite rocks & cliffs are all over. Plus some secluded groves of Giant Sequoia trees. Mosquitos can be annoying in these parts, so bring the chemical warfare and the screen room tent.snow

Roads Open: May – October
Forest mountain roads close annually, due to winter snow

meadows

SEQUOIA_map
SEQUOIA NF MAP

Area activities include:

Backpacking
Back Road Exploration
Campground Camping
Fishing
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Meadows
Mountain Biking
Picnic
Sequoia Groves
Swimming Holes
Tule River (North Fork)
Golden Trout Wilderness

USDA Forest Service Map is highly advised for this area. There are many dirt roads & numerous trails. Minimal cell phone signal inside these dense forests and large granite river canyons. GPS even has trouble getting connected, due to the immense canopy of trees.

Mountain Home Backpacking

hikerShake Camp – Best hiking trail access to Golden Trout Wilderness

In the backcountry, tent camping is allowed any place on soil 100 feet from trail or water. No camping on meadows. Ground fires are very allowed with fire permit. Use existing camp site when available. Check with the correct ranger district for all back country camping rules. Wilderness permits are needed for backpackers and horse packers staying overnight in the wilderness area.

Local Ranger Stations:

TH_GoldenTroutSQ
Golden Trout Trail Maps

Sequoia USFS Headquarters
Porterville, CA
559-784-1500

Tule River Ranger District
Springville, CA
559-539-2607

Mountain Home Backroads

Dirt back roads are so narrow they cannot accommodate the large motorhome or RV traveler.  Trucks pulling horse trailers are common, with very few options for a pull-out to pass.

This forested area is filled with old logging roads that lead to lush Sequoia groves & meadows.  The whole network of forest roads back here either –  loop back to each other, or deal end, often at a trailhead parking area. No roads connect through to any other portion of the Sierra range. Golden Trout Wilderness is a road-less area of the Southern Sierra Nevada.

Signs Not Reflective

The old skool, painted, wooden road signs do not READ well at night, so avoid arriving in the dark.

When it’s dark outside, it is best to STOP: Shut off the vehicle, get out and take a stretch break,  find the north star; Get your bearing straight, look at the real map with a flashlight – before driving miles to an unknown destination, just to turn around.

Be very aware of the Forest Service signage, use your trip meter for clocking mileage. Have a good map on hand. See MAP ABOVE.  It is very easy to get lost in this forest and you may end up driving for hours, maybe in circles. I swear this intersection looks familiar.

Road Signs

Mountain Home Campgrounds 

camp

Balch and Frazier are the two larger, developed campgrounds; all others are smaller camps w/ primitive facilities.

NOTE: all the Campgrounds in this forest now charge an overnight fee for camping. (Decades ago they were free, but not anymore.)

Balch Park Campground
Frazier Mill Campground
Hedrick Pond Camp
Hidden Falls Campground
Moses Gulch Campground
Shake Camp

campground elev. spots toilet water nearby comments
Moses Gulch 5500′ 10 pit river Tule River no trailers
Hidden Falls 6150′ 8 pit river Tule River no trailers
Shake Camp 6490′ 11 pit piped Golden Trout
Wilderness		 backpack & horse trailhead
Hedrick Pond 6200′ 14 vault piped fishing pond RV ok; no hookups
Frazier Mill 6150′ 46 pit piped Sequoia Grove RV ok; no hookups
Balch Park 6000′ 71 flush piped fishing pond Tulare County Park

Frasier Mill Campground is spelled w/ a Z (like Frazier)on many printed maps and inside some camping books, but the proper spelling (on a sign at the campground) is actually Frasier w/ an S. This camp is located at the site of an old lumber mill.

Decent signage leads to smaller, secluded campgrounds and hiking trail heads. Dirt road driving will be required. See BACKROADS (above heading) for tips on back road driving and night time arrivals.

Plenty of trails for horses back in these parts, most of them lead to Golden Trout Wilderness. Watch out for oncoming vehicles with horse trailers!

No primitive camping outside of developed campgrounds. Due to fire dangers around these majestic Sequoia trees. You must camp within the designated campground, or HOOF IT into the the wilderness for backpacking.

Mountain Home Hiking

Numerous trails around each campground area will lead to the waters edge @ Tule River; into the Golden Trout Wilderness (for longer day hikes), along creeks w/ wildflowers, near lush meadows  or through Giant Sequoia Groves.

Deer Ridge & Bogus Meadow Hike

coldriver
Cold Swimming Hole

mtnhomesign

Nearby towns:

Camp Nelson, CA
Ponderosa, CA
Porterville, CA
Springville, CA