Sierra National Forest
USA Holiday Destinations

The Sierra National Forest sits on the western side of the central Sierra Nevada and is well known for its breathtaking mountain scenery and abundance of natural resources. It is a popular destination for Californians searching for a peaceful and beautiful destination to unwind and relax. It is also popular with recreational fishermen, hunters, boating enthusiasts, backpackers, horse riders, kayakers and white water rafting sportspeople. The Sierra has 11 reservoirs, 528,000 acres of designated wilderness, over 60 campgrounds, two wild and scenic rivers and 1,100 miles of trails. All of this makes the Sierra National Forest an ideal destination for an RV rental holiday.

The Sierra National Forest covers over 1.3 million acres between approximately 900 and 14,000ft in elevation. This vast difference in elevation and climate conditions results in a diverse and beautiful landscape that features cascading, oak-covered hills leading to densely vegetated middle elevation slopes and eeriely beautiful alpine landscape of the High Sierra. The terrain supports abundant varieties of plants, fish and wildlife, and provides visitors with many choices in outdoor recreation making the Sierra National Forest an outdoor lover's paradise.

The majority of attractions in the forest are easily accessible to visitors in one of our RV rentals. The three major access routes are State Highway 41, State Highway 140 accessing the northern half of the Forest, and State Highway 168 accessing the southern half. It is nestled between Yosemite National Park to the north, Inyo National Forest to the north east and Kings Canyon National Park to the south east.

On the water

The numerous streams, lakes and reservoirs throughout the park are popular with holiday makers who partake in a range of recreational activities. Extreme sports people come to enjoy the variety of white water rapids. However there are also numerous gentle streams and waterways ideal for taking a leisurely cruise in a canoe or kayak. RV rental travelers who wish to remain dry can still enjoy a self catered picnic on the banks and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Forest.

The lakes and reservoirs are extremely popular destinations for water sports enthusiasts. Many people bring their boat for a weekend of water based recreation, and many of the lakes have launch ramps. The Sierra National Forest is a stunning destination with ample opportunities for water based recreation such as canoeing, water skiing, sailing, fishing, windsurfing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and house boating.

On dry land

Camping is one of the most popular activities with visitors to the forest. There are several campgrounds located in a variety of settings and elevations. Many campgrounds allow you the opportunity to pick your own spot in their dispersed camping area.

The ideal time of year to go camping in the forest is during the months from May to October before the winter storm activity builds up. Some campgrounds accept reservations while others operate on a first come first served basis. Generally most campgrounds restrict the length of your stay to 14 days however there are exceptions and it pays to make enquiries before you depart.

Many forest campgrounds will not accommodate oversized motorhomes or RV rentals. Our camper rental customers should note that there are no hook ups at forest campgrounds however there are a range of privately operated campgrounds which do.

As usual when camping in a forest area consideration must be given to the presence of bears and other forest creatures.

On the move

There are two scenic byways that visitors may follow.

The Sierra Heritage Scenic Byway is a 70 mile journey taking approximately 4 hours which starts in the San Joaquin Valley and follows highway 168 up the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range to Kaiser Pass Meadow at 9,000 ft elevation. The route passes through a number of quaint communities with both restaurants and shopping opportunities.

The Sierra Vista Scenic Byway is an approximately 5 hour drive which begins in North Fork and winds its way through the forest offering breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. This byway is generally open from June through October.

If you are visiting the park in one of our RV rentals you should be aware that certain portions of the route become a graded dirt road for approximately 10miles. These should be taken at very slow speeds.

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