Summit Ranger Station — Local services in Sonora

I have gone here for years it’s a family tradition of ours to go every year and swim enjoy the lake and the amazing snack bar. Something I would definitely recommend doing is hiking around the lake it may be a workout but it’s quite a fun trail. There is also so many good cliff jumping spots for all of the kids to enjoy and they’re safe! Another thing that makes me love Pinecrest even more than I already do is all the fun stories that are made up there and how all the kids yell ELMER at night when I was younger I did get scared by that story but now it’s a good one to tell my younger siblings. There is also an amazing general store right down the road along with a souvenir shop which are both very convenient. All in all this is my favorite place to go in the summer and even...

You'll need to visit to pick up your free wilderness permit if staying overnight in the backcountry. Even if you're not it's well worth a quick visit to see the bulletin board of current conditions around the forest, browse a variety of excellent maps and books by trustworthy authors. Online information will never be as reliable as facts from the source, and this is the...

Friendly rangers but they always seem to try to discourage backpackers. "Have you heard about the trail conditions?" I get that rangers want to make sure people are prepared before going into the Backcountry, but warning about trees blocking the trail isn't really that helpful. Once you get talking to them, they warm up. Rangers should encourage safe trips, not...