Advertisement
Park

Sierra National Forest

California, USA Tulare-Buena Vista Lakes watershed 36.801°, -118.697°
Today high
--
Tonight low
--
Campgrounds
60
Trails
60
Points of interest
24
Loading current conditions…
Next 24 hours
Loading next 24 hours…

Community Reviews

Loading reviews…

Been here? Share the conditions.

Reviews, ratings & photos are added in the free Snoflo iOS app — rate a spot, tag the conditions, and your visit is verified by location. Add or manage your reviews from the app.

Get the app
Sierra National Forest -- California park
Sierra National Forest California · Tulare-Buena Vista Lakes watershed
About this park

Sierra National Forest

Sierra National Forest in central California spans over 1.3 million acres of rugged Sierra Nevada landscape, known for its granite peaks, alpine lakes, waterfalls, and dark night skies. Popular attractions include Nelder Grove’s giant sequoias, Shaver and Huntington Lakes, and panoramic vistas from Kaiser and Dinkey Wildernesses. Top hikes include Willow Creek and Rancheria Falls Trails. Wildlife includes black bears, mule deer, and bald eagles. Open year-round, best visited May–October; most areas are free, but some require recreation passes. Ideal for hiking, camping, boating, stargazing, and fishing, it offers a less-crowded alternative to Yosemite next door.
StateCalifornia
WatershedTulare-Buena Vista Lakes
Latitude36.8009°
Longitude-118.6973°
In the park

Streamflow in Sierra National Forest

Live USGS discharge at streamgauges inside the park boundary.

GaugeFlow
Nf Willow C Nr Sugar Pine Ca · 4.54 ft gage 416 cfs
Big C Div Nr Fish Camp Ca · 0.05 ft gage 0 cfs
In the park

Snowpack in Sierra National Forest

Current snow depth at SNOTEL stations inside the park boundary.

Snow stationSnowpack
Blackcap Basin Goes ·
Upper Burnt Corral Meadow ·
Nohrsc Kaiser Point 176 in
Huntington Lake 1 in
Nohrsc Tamarack Summit 0 in
Nohrsc Graveyard Meadow 1 in
Nohrsc Green Mtn 10 in
Nohrsc Chilkoot Meadow 0 in
Nohrsc Poison Ridge 0 in
In the park

Trails in Sierra National Forest

Named trails whose route falls inside the park.

6s13c
1.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Bench Valley Trail
5.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Blackcap Trail
8.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Blackcap Trail
11.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Blue Canyon Trail
11.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Bullfrog Lake Trail
1.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Burnt Corral Trail
4.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Cedar Bluff Road
0.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Cedar Bluff Road
2.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Coyote Pass Trail
5.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Crabtree Road
4.5 mi · Hiking, Running
Crown Basin Trail
1.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Crown Valley Trail
8.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Dale Lake Trail
0.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Deer Cove Trail
9.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Dinkey Lakes Trail
10.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Dogtooth Trail
0.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Dusy-Ershim Ohv Route
0.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Dusy-Ershim Ohv Route
3.4 mi · Hiking, Running
East Lake Trail
1.5 mi · Hiking, Running
Forest Route 10s38
1.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Forest Route 10s70
4.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Forest Route 11s15
4.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Forest Route 11s17
1.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Frazier Trail
1.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Frazier Trail
0.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Frazier Trail
1.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Goat Mountain Electronics Site Road
0.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Goat Mountain Electronics Site Road
0.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Goat Mountain Lookout Road
3.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Goat Mountain Trail
3.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Halfmoon Cutoff
2.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Happy Gap Trail
4.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Hell For Sure Pass Trail
3.5 mi · Hiking, Running
Hell For Sure Trail
4.6 mi · Hiking, Running
Helms Meadow Trail
4.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Hobbler Lake Trail
1.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Hole Ranch Road
1.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Horseshoe Bend Trail
5.3 mi · Hiking, Running
John Muir Trail
45.7 mi · Hiking, Horseback, Running
Kings River Trail
5.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Lower Honeymoon Lake Trail
0.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Meadow Brook Trail
5.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Mosquito Pass Trail
2.6 mi · Hiking, Running
Nelson Lake Trail
3.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Oakhurst River Parkway
1.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Obelisk Trail
0.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Reddy's Hole Trail
6.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Reddys Hole Trail
6.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Road 8007
6.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Summit Lake Trail
2.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Tehipite Trail
19.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Thornberry Mountain Road
3.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Trimmer Springs Road
2.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Upper Geraldine Trail
0.5 mi · Hiking, Running
Whisky Snowmobile Trails Road
10.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Whisky Snowmobile Trails Road
12.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Willow Creek Trail
1.6 mi · Hiking, Running
Woodchuck Trail
1.7 mi · Hiking, Running
Yucca Point Heliport
0.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Detailed forecast

Plan your visit down to the hour

Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no.

Hourly detail

Next 5 days, hour by hour

Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.

Loading hourly forecast…
Deep dive

5-day forecast table

Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind.

TimeConditionTemp (°F)Snow (in)Rain (in)Humidity (%)Wind (mps)Wind dir
Loading detailed forecast…
Long-term outlook

15-day temperature & precipitation

Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.

Loading 15-day outlook…

Responsible recreation & Leave No Trace

Know before you go
Check the operator's site for hours, permit requirements, seasonal closures, and fire restrictions before heading out.
Stay on trail
Stick to marked paths to protect vegetation, prevent erosion, and avoid disturbing wildlife habitat.
Respect wildlife
Observe from a distance, never feed wildlife, and store food securely if camping is permitted on-site.
Pack it in, pack it out
Carry out all trash, food scraps, and gear. Many parks have limited or no trash service.
Leave what you find
Don't take rocks, plants, or artifacts. They make the park what it is for the next visitor.

Set push alerts in the Snoflo app

Save Sierra National Forest as a favorite, set a custom threshold (precipitation, freezing temperatures, fire-restriction days), and the iOS app will push the moment conditions cross.

FAQ

About Sierra National Forest

What can I do at Sierra National Forest?

Most Snoflo-tracked parks support hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing. Check the operator's site for activity-specific rules (camping, fishing, paddling, hunting).

How fresh is the weather data?

The hourly forecast updates throughout the day from NOAA / yr.no. Streamflow comes live from USGS streamgauges.

When is the best time to visit?

Use the 15-day temperature & precipitation outlook on this page to plan -- pick a window with comfortable temperatures and low precipitation.

How do I get to Sierra National Forest?

Tap Directions in the hero above to open driving directions in Google Maps, or Open in map to center the Snoflo interactive map on the park.

Can I get alerts when conditions change?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this park, set a threshold (temperature, precipitation), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

Land designation

Park & land designation reference

A quick legend for the federal and state land categories Snoflo tracks. Each designation comes with different rules around access, recreation, and resource extraction.

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing, often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes); may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use -- recreation, grazing, mining, conservation -- with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.