Hiking

You'll find lovely hiking areas all around Lake Alpine Lodge.   The wildflowers in the spring and summer, and the spectacular fall colors make hiking anytime a photographer's dream.

According to "The Sierra Club Guide to the Natural Areas of California," at Grover Hot Springs State Park you can hike trails into theToiyabe National Forest or take the One Mile Self-guiding Nature Trail.   One popular hike there rises 2,000 feet in less than 4 miles.  The terrain is gently sloping and about half this park is mountain meadow, surrounded by forest, with 10,000ft. mountains rising on three sides.  Water flows from springs at 148 degrees and is regulated to 102 degrees so you can soak in a natural hot spring.  Normal Summer temperatures range from 50 degreesF at night to 80 degreesF by day.  If you're quiet, maybe you'll see a Bobcat, or Long-tailed Weasel.

Lake Alpine is one of the lakes in Stanislaus National Forest, so hiking there is really close by!  There are over 1 million acres of land here, more than 800,000 of which are forested.  There are 750 miles of trails, with 7 Nature Trails as well as Guided Tours.  Elevations in the park range from 1100 feet to over 11,000 feet, with the slopes draining into 810 miles of streams.   Check out the wild flowers on the mountain meadows:  Monkeyflower, Shooting Star, Penstemin, Camas, Mountain Sorrel, Alpine Lupine, Alpine Columbine and Colville's Phlox, and many more.   There are Checklists available for Birds, Mammels, Reptiles and Amphibians. 

Trails leaving the north side of Lake Alpine lead to the Mokelumne Wilderness, the home of Mokelumne Peak, which, at 9,332 feet dominates the park's 50,000 acres.   The wilderness is cut by the Mokelumne River, flowing south-west.   Trail use is moderate and permits are required for all-day hikes.

You'll see a really fine grove of Giant Sequoias while hiking through Calaveras Big Trees State Park, a 6000 acre park that packs a big memory punch.

Biking