Explore the breathtaking regions of the Sierra Nevada, from alpine lakes and charming towns to hidden trails and scenic byways. Discover top spots for outdoor adventures, family outings, and serene escapes. Sierra Nevada Travel and Adventure destinations. Explore these key and central destinations as your gateway to discovering more Sierra.
You’ve made the drive up Highway 50, the peaks are white, your rental is stocked with snacks, and now you’re standing in Heavenly Village trying to decide: ski? Snowshoe? Snowmobile? Just grab a gondola ticket and stare at the lake for an hour? If you’re searching for things to do in South Lake Tahoe in … Read more
How Much of This Lake Tahoe Murder Mystery Is Real? Sierra Rec Now · Seeing the Sierra · Hosted by Charlie Pankey Watch on YouTube · Listen on Spotify Lisa Parsons writes about places she knows—and adventures she has lived. But where does real experience end and a Lake Tahoe murder mystery begin? In this … Read more
Some of Lake Tahoe’s most beautiful shoreline lies along its East Shore, where granite boulders, clear water and forested trails draw people back season after season. Getting out to enjoy those places should feel like the beginning of an adventure. Too often, finding a place to park along a busy highway has been the first … Read more
TAHOE CITY, Calif. – Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) will temporarily close the Lake Forest Boat Ramp from November 1 through November 30, 2026, to complete permitted dredging operations. During the closure, winter boat ramp operations managed by the Tahoe Resource Conservation District will temporarily relocate to Obexer’s Marina in Homewood. Dredging is performed … Read more
Look over the side of a kayak near Tahoe’s rocky shoreline and the water can seem almost unreal. Granite boulders sit below the surface in sharp detail, and on calm mornings the lake can look more like glass than water. That clarity is one of Lake Tahoe’s defining features. It is also something scientists have … Read more
Tom and I pulled into The Brewing Lair around lunchtime on a Tuesday, fresh out of Truckee and at the beginning of a few days exploring Plumas County. I expected a quiet stop. Instead, families were heading into the woods to build forts, cyclists were finishing a ride, and about a dozen guests were enjoying … Read more
After years of exploring this quiet corner of Northern California, I gave myself four days to dig deeper. I came home realizing that the best way to experience Plumas County might be to leave enough room in the plan for the place—and the people you meet along the way—to change it. I thought I knew … Read more
From historic ghost walks and steam trains to a Halloween Nevada Day Parade, October is one of the most memorable times to explore Nevada’s capital. CARSON CITY, NEVADA — October 13, 2026 When I first arrived in Nevada in 2007, some of the earliest community events I remember were tied to Halloween. Coffin races, ghost … Read more
By Charlie Pankey Behind the construction dust of an old Northern Sierra hotel, one man’s vision is quietly creating something unexpected in Indian Valley. When Tom and I arrived at Crescent Mills Hotel & Store during our fall 2026 visit to Plumas County, the transformation wasn’t immediately obvious from the highway. You’d see an old … Read more
By Charlie Pankey At Bucks Lake Marina in Plumas County, a collection of historic logging cabins puts you close enough to the water to watch the lake wake up. And sometimes, that’s what makes a mountain stay memorable. I had driven this corner of Bucks Lake before, which is probably why I was confused when … Read more
Waterfalls brought me back to this corner of Northern California. A night in Dunsmuir, beside the young Upper Sacramento, gave me a reason to return. By Charlie Pankey | Sierra Rec Magazine I left Lassen Volcanic National Park with a long drive still ahead of me and a fairly simple idea for my final night … Read more
The out-and-back hike to Duck Pass and Duck Lake is a classic Sierra Nevada adventure, winding through towering pine forests, open mountain meadows, rugged alpine terrain and stunning alpine lakes. The proximity of this hike to Mammoth Lakes makes it especially appealing and convenient. The trailhead is located inside the Coldwater Campground, about a 15-20 … Read more
Prepare for Coyote Flat with practical Bronco advice that supports confident decisions across remote Eastern Sierra terrain from start to finish with care.
The Sierra Nevada offers some of the most breathtaking landscapes in North America, from the granite cliffs of Yosemite to the alpine meadows of the High Sierra. Whether you’re hiking through wildflower fields, camping beneath star-filled skies, or skiing down pristine slopes, the urge to capture these moments is natural. But carrying heavy camera equipment … Read more
This long-weekend route combines an early morning in Yosemite Valley, swimming at Tenaya Lake, hiking near Pinecrest, exploring the Red Hills and a scenic drive over Sonora Pass. Tuolumne County is one of those Sierra regions that can be difficult to explain in a single sentence. It acks as a base camp region in the … Read more
Why Planning Like a Local Changes Everything A few years ago I was invited to Mammoth Lakes for the opening weekend of trout season. The group was made up of friends from Los Angeles who had been making the trip together for years. Fishing was the reason everyone came to the Eastern Sierra, but it … Read more
Why do so many of us leave the mountains… only to spend the rest of our lives finding our way back? Raised in Portola in California’s Sierra Valley, Rocci Twitchell grew up fishing alpine lakes, riding horses through Mohawk Valley, exploring the Sierra Buttes, and spending weekends around Yuba Pass, Packer Lake, Gold Lake, and … Read more
Constellation Creek is the kind of place you slip away with your favorite person. Hang a hammock between the pines, slide a chair into the cool creek after a day on the trail, open a good book, and simply slow down for a while. But it’s also a perfect basecamp for one of our favorite … Read more
A weekend full of adventure possibilities in the Eastern Sierra Traveling into the Owens Valley from the north, I have often viewed Bishop and the Eastern Sierra through the lens of Highway 395 — a place of big views, high trailheads, fishing water, and familiar stops on the way to somewhere wild. But a recent … Read more
Planning to celebrate Independence Day at Lake Tahoe? From fireworks and beach access to new boating rules and alcohol restrictions, here’s everything you should know before heading to the lake this holiday weekend. Lake Tahoe Will Be Extremely Busy The Fourth of July is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year around Lake … Read more
There are mountain towns that feel busy. Then there are mountain towns that feel like summer. When I first spotted Shaver Lake on a map while exploring backroads through the Sierra Nevada, it reminded me of the communities I grew up around in Central Oregon. Places built around lake days, trail adventures, campfires, and evenings … Read more
Mountain music, pine forest camping, Gold Rush history, and one of California’s most enduring Sierra traditions. For years I’ve driven through Grass Valley on my way to Sierra adventures. Like many people, I usually thought about the historic downtown, the Gold Rush roots, maybe a stop along Highway 49, or cooling off in the Yuba … Read more
There’s something special about the old cabins hidden throughout the Sierra Nevada. The hand-hewn logs. The stories buried in the walls. The reminder that generations before us survived in places many of us now only visit for adventure. This summer, volunteers have a chance to help preserve one of the Sierra’s oldest surviving log structures. … Read more
Sonora Pass Is Open: What to Expect Driving the Sierra Right Now Every year in the Sierra, there’s a moment when everything starts to come back to life. The roads that have been buried all winter begin to open. Snowbanks line the edges of the pavement. Waterfalls start pouring off granite walls. The rivers rise, … Read more
There’s something about spring in the Sierra that pulls you outside—and sometimes, it pulls you straight into a crowd with a bowl of chili in hand and a cold drink to wash it down. That’s exactly what’s happening May 16–17 as the 44th Annual Chili on the Comstock returns to Virginia City. This isn’t just … Read more
There’s a moment every spring in the Sierra when winter loosens its grip—but refuses to go quietly. The snow softens, the sun sticks around a little longer, and the mountains trade powder days for something a little more… entertaining. That moment is here. On Saturday, May 2, the 34th Annual Cushing Crossing returns to Palisades … Read more
From the shores of Lake Tahoe to Sierra lakes across the region, the work of Clean Up The Lake continues to evolve—and this latest release feels like an important next step for all of us who spend time on the water. Over the years, we’ve followed and supported their efforts to protect Sierra waters through … Read more
Fishing Tradition, Sierra Adventure, and the Quiet Luxury of Staying Along the Carson River Along the West Fork Carson River, a historic Sierra fishing camp continues its legacy as a gateway to outdoor adventure. The River Always Brings You Back The water is cold enough to make your legs ache. Mid-thigh in the current, the … Read more
5th Annual Plein Air Festival – Quincy California Quincy, CA — March 12, 2026 — The 5th Annual Lost Sierra Plein Air Festival takes place May 9 through May 17, hosted by Bear Creek Frames in Quincy, California. The week-long event welcomes artists of all skill levels to paint outdoors while capturing the scenic beauty … Read more
The Sierra Nevada foothills hold a secret that Yosemite-bound travelers often miss entirely. While millions of visitors stream past on Highway 41 each year, Bass Lake and the neighboring town of Oakhurst offer something increasingly rare: genuine mountain community charm without the crowds, reservation systems, and parking nightmares that define California’s famous national park. The … Read more
The Western Divide Highway cuts through some of the most spectacular and least-crowded terrain in all of California. While tourists pack into Yosemite Valley and jostle for parking at Kings Canyon, this 50-mile stretch of pavement winds through ancient sequoia groves, climbs to over 7,000 feet, and delivers views that rival anything in the Sierra … Read more
Looking for the best Jeep trails near Lake Tahoe? Discover the 5 can’t-miss routes, who they’re best for, and simple prep steps to keep your day stress-free.
If you’ve ever spent a spring weekend wandering the wooden boardwalks of Virginia City, you know the town leans fully into its historic character — and St. Patrick’s Day might be its most spirited celebration of the year. On Saturday, March 14, the historic mining town will once again turn green for a full day … Read more
The Lost Sierra has long been one of California’s most quietly spectacular regions — vast forests, winding rivers, and small mountain towns that feel a world away from the crowds of Tahoe and Yosemite. In this episode of Sierra Rec Now, I sat down with Greg Williams, the visionary behind the Connected Communities initiative, to … Read more
Lake Almanor sits in a volcanic basin at 4,500 feet elevation in Northern California’s Plumas County, and most people have never heard of it. That’s precisely what makes it special. While Lake Tahoe draws millions of visitors annually, this 13-mile-long reservoir offers the same crystalline waters, mountain views, and outdoor adventures without the crowds, traffic, … Read more
TICKETS ON SALE FOR 51st FATHER’S DAY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL Four Days of Music, Jamming, and Family Fun GRASS VALLEY, Calif. – One of California’s longest-running and most beloved music gatherings is back. The California Bluegrass Association (CBA) has announced the lineup and ticket sales for the 51st Annual Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, taking place June … Read more
Experience the best motorcycle routes in the Sierra Nevada. From alpine passes to sweeping highways, these rides combine adventure with incredible scenery.
Naturalist John Muir once called the Sierra Nevada Mountains “The Range of Light,” deftly capturing their iconic beauty and stunning majesty. Yet to the ghosts of the Sierra, the region might very well be the range of shadows. Haunted History of the Sierra Nevada “Among the Sierra Nevada, California,” by Albert Bierstadt, 1868 – Public … Read more
By Charlie Pankey | Sierra Rec Magazine Lake Tahoe is often described as impossibly clear, impossibly blue, and impossibly pristine. But beneath the surface — far beyond what swimmers, paddlers, and boaters ever see — another story is unfolding. In the latest episode of the Sierra Rec Now Podcast, I sat down with Jenny Uvira, … Read more
I’ve never chased winter camping. I don’t sleep well cold. I never have. And no amount of romantic language about “embracing the elements” changes the reality of a long night when the temperature drops and sleep comes in short, restless stretches. But winter still holds something I keep returning to. Some of my earliest outdoor … Read more