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Who’s ready for a winter getaway? Mountain air, lake view, and sometimes…snow! Coming from SoCal, there’s just something special about being in a pine forest in the mountains. Fresh air, the scent of pine, being closer to nature. It’s fabulous!
Bass Lake, in central California, provides the perfect backdrop for quality time away from the daily grind (and that lake view that I mentioned). Get ready to explore Bass Lake in winter!
The Pines Resort hosted our stay at Bass Lake and also provided one Family Meal from Ducey’s on the Lake. All opinions are my own.
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- Where is Bass Lake, California?
- What is there to do in Bass Lake in the winter?
- VIDEO: Bass Lake in Winter
- Does it snow in Bass Lake?
- Are chains required in Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake Lodging
- The Pines Resort at Bass Lake
- What to Do at Bass Lake in Winter
- Where to Eat in Bass Lake & Around
- The Pines Village
- How far is Pines Resort from Yosemite?
- Until Next Time!
Where is Bass Lake, California?
Bass Lake is located in central California and is part of the Sierra National Forest recreation area. It sits at an elevation of 3,415 feet.
From LAX, the drive to Bass Lake is approximately 4 hours, 15 minutes.
From SFO (San Francisco), you will arrive at Bass Lake in around 3 hours, 18 minutes.
How far is Bass Lake from Oakhurst?
Oakhurst is a town west of Bass Lake that sits on CA-41, which leads north into Yosemite and south into Fresno. Driving from Bass Lake to Oakhurst takes about 10 minutes.
How far is Bass Lake from Yosemite?
Bass Lake is about 25 minutes from the south gate of Yosemite National Park. From there, you will continue driving north to reach Yosemite Valley.
What is there to do in Bass Lake in the winter?
Your visit to Bass Lake in winter can be as relaxing or as active as you like. From playing in the snow, to hiking, to savoring the colorful sunsets, there is something for everyone at Bass Lake.
Winter time highs are usually in the 50s(F), so enjoying nature and staying cozy inside can both be in your plans. I’ll give you some detailed ideas a little further down the page.
VIDEO: Bass Lake in Winter
Does it snow in Bass Lake?
Low temps can dip into the 20s(F), and if there’s precipitation, that can mean snow! Is usually snows 3-4 times each winter at Bass Lake.
Are chains required in Bass Lake?
There are times when chains will be required in Bass Lake. When you travel to Bass Lake in the winter, always carry chains for your vehicle.
Check the road conditions before you head into the Bass Lake area.
Bass Lake Lodging
Various types of lodging are available at Bass Lake…from vacation rentals, to RV parks, to campgrounds (in warmer seasons). For our family, it’s important to have easy access to the things we want to see and do, as well as clean, functional accommodations at a great price.
Think that’s too much to ask for? Think again!
In the heart of Bass Lake is The Pines Village, and there’s a resort right in the middle of it all: The Pines Resort on Bass Lake.
The Pines Resort at Bass Lake
This lakefront resort is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors, the cozy indoors, and is a great starting point for places further afoot.
Besides the accommodations, which I’ll tell you about next, this Bass Lake resort offers a fitness room, pool & hot tub (for warmer months), laundry facilities, a picnic area, and a playground.
In addition to the surroundings and other features, The Pines Resort at Bass Lake is quite affordable, especially in the winter off-season. It definitely fits into our semi-budget travel plans.
The Pines Resort offers three types of accommodations. If you’re looking for standalone cabins at Bass Lake, The Pines Resort has four to choose from. If Bass Lake hotels are what you’re looking for, The Pines Resort has 20 upscale suites on offer.
The most plentiful and unique accommodations at The Pines Resort at Bass Lake, however, are their two-story chalets, which is what we experienced.
Bass Lake Chalets
I love all things French, and so I love the word “chalet.”
Our “Lakeview 2 Queen Bed Chalet” was perfect for our family of four. We loved the rustic cozy cabin feel. In our particular unit, on the main floor is a full kitchen (sans automatic dishwasher) and a spacious living area, including wood-burning fireplace. A deck overlooks Bass Lake and provides a picnic table and small charcoal grill.
Downstairs is the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom had an oversized non-jetted soaking tub and one feature that is super important to me…water pressure from the showerhead was fantastic, so it passed my SBT Shower Test!
There is a wall-mounted heating/AC unit both upstairs and downstairs. They are each controlled by a remote, and we had zero problems setting them both to our preferred temperatures without having to fiddle with them constantly.
Wanting to utilize the fully-equipped kitchens (and save some money), we brought our own breakfast and lunch foods, as well as a bounty of snacks.
Once you’re settled in your chalet (or other accommodation), your visit to The Pines Resort at Bass Lake can be as relaxing or as active as you like.
What to Do at Bass Lake in Winter
Bass Lake is nestled in the Sierra National Forest, and therefore, there are beautiful, huge, green tress all around. There is plenty of space to breathe in that fresh mountain air!
Beyond marveling at the natural scenery, there are many things to do in Bass Lake in the winter months. Share on X1) Play in the Snow
If you plan your trip according to the weather, you might just get to see Bass Lake transformed into a winter wonderland. So, if there is snow during your visit, get out and play right away! You never know how long it will stick!
There are some fun sledding and snow tubing hills near The Pines Village.
Just like driving in the snow requires a bit of preparation, so does playing in the snow. Waterproof gear is the most important. Beyond that, the temperature determines how many layers you will need.
Here’s a list of things to pack (links to specific products here), if you’re planning on playing in the snow:
- long underwear
- snow hat
- scarf or neck gaiter
- snow bib or snow pants
- waterproof coat
- snow boots
- snow gloves
- sleds and/or snow tubes
- sunscreen
2) Explore the Lakefront
When in Bass Lake, you must explore the lakefront. Access to the lake is so easy from The Pines Resort. During the winter, the water level is lower, so the “beach” is bigger.
When it snows, this creates large areas for crunching through the snow at minimal incline. After the snow melts, there’s a ton of shoreline to check out that, in the summer, is normally under water.
Crunching through the snow down to the lakeshore was definitely part of our plan. It was so beautiful down there, and there were even a few chairs where you could sit for a while and take in all the scenery around you.
3) Hiking Trails
When the snow is melted, there are dozens of hiking trails throughout the Sierra National Forest.
Nearest to Bass Lake are:
- Way of the Mono Interpretative Trail
- Willow Creek Trail
- Goat Mountain Trail
- Spring Cove Trail
Some of these trails may be closed, due to snow or other reasons the Forest Service deems necessary. No matter the season, check first with the Forest Service to find out if a trail is open and safe for hiking, before you set out.
4) Family Time Indoors
After playing in the snow or exploring the lakefront, or when you’re just ready for some down time, head indoors.
Pack some board games, and get ready to play. Yes, I’m serious! Family time doesn’t have to mean electronics time.
We played endless (well, sometimes it seemed endless) games of Catan on the coffee table in our chalet, with a view of the lake just out the sliding door window.
Having some indoor family time also allows for one of our favorite getaway elements: vacation snacks! I maybe went a little overboard this time with 3 kinds of hot chocolate, 2 kinds of popcorn, and 3 types of chips!
5) Relax & Wind Down with the Sunset
Bass Lake again provides a perfect backdrop for winding down at the end of each afternoon.
In the winter, the sun will go down probably before your normal dinner time. But, hold off on dinner for just a little. Bass Lake has a special surprise: sunset.
Bundle up and walk down to the lake, or pull up a chair to the window (like I did!), and get ready for the beauty to take over. Our first night gave us this amazing sunset overlooking Bass Lake…right from our room!
After taking that relaxing moment each day watching the sunset, then your thoughts can turn to dinner.
Where to Eat in Bass Lake & Around
There are some great dining options right on property at The Pines Resort, as well as in nearby Oakhurst.
Ducey’s on the Lake
The main restaurant at The Pines Resort, Ducey’s on the Lake, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One of their most unique offerings is the dinner time Family Meal.
There are three standard Family Meal themes to choose from:
- Western BBQ
- American Buffet
- Teriyaki
As a family, we decided to try the Teriyaki Family Meal, and we were quite happy with our choice!
For just $49, you will receive the following:
- dinner salad w/ miso vinaigrette
- chicken egg rolls w/ orange ginger dipping sauce
- teriyaki chicken breast
- teriyaki tri-tip
- white rice
- chef’s choice seasonal vegetables
- assorted rolls w/ garlic butter
Look at all that food! With as much snacking as we did, this one Family Meal stretched out into two dinners for our family!
Smokehouse 41
Smokehouse 41 is located in Oakhurst, about 8.5 miles away from The Pines Resort. The drive is worth it. Besides tri-tip and a sampling of most of their sides (because, why not?!?), we made a last minute decision to try their “Dirty Frites” with brisket.
“Dirty Frites” are basically their version of poutine. And, this was the best poutine we’ve found outside of Montreal. It was that good!
Regarding the sides, we tried (& liked) the following:
- BBQ beans w/ smoked meat
- jalapeno mac & cheese
- cole slaw (vinegar-based)
- twice-baked potato casserole
- creamy broccoli salad
Reimer’s Candies & Ice Cream
For a sweet treat, try Reimer’s in Oakhurst, which isn’t far from Yosemite Forks that takes you back to Bass Lake.
From different types of chocolates, to homemade peanut brittle, to ice cream flavors made with local ingredients, there’s something to tempt everyone at Reimer’s!
The Pines Village
The Pines Village is where the lobby and registration desk are located for The Pines Resort. Besides that, there are a few other items of interest in the “village.”
The Pines Village Bakery & Pizzeria is available if you’re looking to take the super easy route for dinner. Order some pizza, and take it back to your room for a no-fuss dinner plan.
If you’d rather utilize the kitchen in your chalet a little more, The Pines Market has a good selection of grocery items that you can wash, chop, cook, bake, or microwave, all while in your cozy cabin accommodations.
Besides groceries, The Pines Market also sells Bass Lake souvenirs and a variety of snow gear and clothing. As we didn’t quite have enough room to bring our snow sleds to Bass Lake, Pines Market saved the day.
Meet our new inflatable snow tube! (The kind, hard-working maintenance staff at The Pines Resort inflated it for us in their shop!)
The Bass Lake post office is also located in the Pines Village area, as well as the cutest little one-pump gas station. And, amazingly enough, the gas prices were comparable to those on the main freeways! It was super handy to fill-up the gas tank right there.
How far is Pines Resort from Yosemite?
It’s no secret that Bass Lake and The Pines Resort are pretty close to Yosemite National Park. According to The Pines Resort, they’re at a distance of 17 miles to the south gate of Yosemite National Park.
The Pines Resort on Bass Lake is definitely a great starting point for a day trip into Yosemite National Park. Share on XEspecially in the winter, however, some of the roads leading into Yosemite can be closed for various reasons. Check the road conditions before you set out from Bass Lake to Yosemite.
Until Next Time!
Who knew that we would get another lakeview getaway so soon after Whidbey Island (and San Juan Island)?
With the timely snowfall at Bass Lake, a quick trip to breathe in the great outdoors happened at just the right time! Living in SoCal, we don’t see a lot of the white stuff! We accomplished both active pursuits and relaxation on our getaway, which was a great mix for us.
Make sure to check out the latest offers at The Pines Resort, before you head to Bass Lake!
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