Sierra Base Camps

A Sierra Rec Magazine Travel Series

The best Sierra trips don’t start at the trailhead — they start with choosing the right base camp.

The Sierra Nevada is too vast, too seasonal, and too nuanced to experience in a single push. After more than a decade of exploring these mountains, we’ve learned that the most rewarding trips begin by slowing down, settling into one place, and letting the surrounding landscapes unfold day by day.

Sierra Base Camps is a long-form storytelling and destination guide series from Sierra Rec Magazine that highlights towns, lakes, and mountain communities that work as true home bases — places that offer access, flexibility, comfort, and connection without the pressure to conquer everything at once.

What Is a Sierra Base Camp?

A Sierra Base Camp is not a checklist destination or a one-night stopover. It’s a place you can return to after a long day on the trail, where mornings start slowly, plans stay flexible, and the mountains come to you.

A great base camp typically offers:

Central access to multiple trailheads, lakes, or scenic corridors
A mix of outdoor adventure and town amenities
Seasonal versatility beyond peak summer
A pace that supports families, repeat visitors, and longer stays

These are the places that turn a weekend trip into a story — and often into a tradition.

Why We Built the Sierra Base Camps Series

After years of watching travelers rush from highlight to highlight, we wanted to offer a different way to explore the Sierra.

Sierra Base Camps is designed for:

Travelers overwhelmed by crowds, reservations, and logistics
Families looking for flexible, kid-friendly mountain experiences
Outdoor enthusiasts who value repeat visits over one-time wins
Readers who want local perspective instead of generic travel advice

Each base camp is explored through personal experience, podcast conversations, and evergreen destination guides — built to be useful long after the season ends.

How to Use This Series

Every Sierra Base Camp includes:

A long-form destination guide grounded in lived experience
A companion podcast episode exploring how the place actually works
Practical insights on timing, seasons, and expectations
Connections to nearby adventures within an easy day’s reach

You can use this series to:

Choose a base for your next Sierra trip
Discover quieter alternatives to crowded destinations
Plan repeat visits that deepen your connection to a place

Featured Sierra Base Camps

Core Base Camps (2026–2027)

Bass Lake & Oakhurst — Bass Lake is one of Sierra Rec Magazine’s featured Sierra Base Camps — a place that works especially well for exploring the southern Sierra and Yosemite’s south entrance. If you’re planning a longer stay or looking for a flexible home base, start with our Bass Lake Base Camp Guide.
Lake Almanor — A Sierra Base Camp ideal for slower travel, lake days, and exploring the northern Sierra and Plumas County. If you’re planning a multi-day stay with a relaxed pace, start with our Lake Almanor destination guide.
June Lake Loop — Eastern Sierra base camp for experiencing the Eastern Sierra without Mammoth-level crowds, especially during shoulder seasons. For a quieter approach to alpine lakes and trail access, start with our June Lake Loop destination guide.
Kennedy Meadows (Sonora Pass) — A high-country Sierra Base Camp well suited for backpacking, fishing, and classic Highway 108 access. If your plans center on trail time and alpine terrain, start with our Kennedy Meadows destination guide.
Kirkwood — A year-round Sierra Base Camp with strong access to wilderness, scenic drives, and overlooked non-winter seasons. To explore beyond the ski area and into the surrounding Sierra, start with our Kirkwood destination guide.
Carson Valley / Carson City — A central Sierra Base Camp connecting Lake Tahoe, Hope Valley, and the eastern Sierra. If you’re looking for flexibility and variety without committing to a single resort area, start with our Carson Valley destination guide.

Expansion Base Camps

Quincy & the Feather River Region -A Sierra Base Camp rooted in small-town life with easy access to rivers, lakes, and northern Sierra trails. For a quieter base away from major corridors, start with our Quincy destination guide.
Markleeville & Hope Valley– A Sierra Base Camp well suited for alpine meadows, hot springs, and fall color trips. If your plans include scenic drives and short hikes, start with our Markleeville destination guide.
Bishop Creek (Non-Mammoth) – A Sierra Base Camp for high-alpine access without relying on Mammoth Lakes as a hub. For lakes, trailheads, and classic Eastern Sierra scenery, start with our Bishop Creek destination guide.
Bridgeport -A Sierra Base Camp that works well for fishing, photography, and exploring the quieter side of the Eastern Sierra. If you’re planning a base with wide-open landscapes and fewer crowds, start with our Bridgeport destination guide.
Sonora – A Sierra Base Camp blending Gold Rush history with access to the western slope of the Sierra and Highway 108. For a mix of culture and trail access, start with our Sonora destination guide.
Nevada City / Grass Valley – A foothill Sierra Base Camp combining rivers, trails, and a strong historic downtown scene. If you’re looking for culture-forward mountain travel, start with our Nevada City destination guide.
Kernville (Southern Sierra) – A southern Sierra Base Camp centered on river time, trail access, and Sequoia-adjacent exploration. If rafting, hiking, and warmer-weather Sierra trips are your focus, start with our Kernville destination guide.

New base camps are added as stories are lived and explored — not rushed into publication.