Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada in California, bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and on the south by Kings Canyon National Park.
A national forest, 15 mi north of Big Creek
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Big Creek, 15 miles south. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Fresno
Fresno is about 56 miles southwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–78°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Big Creek. Green months are the mild ones.
Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada in California, bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and on the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and beautiful lakes. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California. There are local ranger district offices in North Fork and Prather.
- Type
- National forest
- Wikipedia readers
- 9.5K a year
Where to stay near Sierra National Forest
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Mammoth Lakes (84) and Oakhurst (44).
Mammoth Lakes
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
6,867 people · 57% vacation homes
17 mi northeast of Sierra National Forest
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Sierra National Forest | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Lakes 57% vacation homes | 17 mi northeast | 25 min | 84 48 hotels · 2 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 16 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 10 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 6,867 | $867K | C |
| Oakhurst | 26 mi west | 40 min | 44 22 hotels · 8 inns & B&Bs · 10 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 6,091 | $393K | — |
| June Lake 70% vacation homes | 24 mi north | 35 min | 25 5 hotels · 1 motel · 9 lodges & cabins · 8 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 209 | — | — |
| Bass Lake 69% vacation homes | 23 mi west | 35 min | 15 3 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 8 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 499 | — | — |
| Shaver Lake 81% vacation homes | 23 mi south | 35 min | 14 6 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 371 | $612K | — |
| Big Creek 56% vacation homes | 15 mi south | 25 min | 5 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 69 | $362K | — |
| Fish Camp 100% vacation homes | 26 mi west | 40 min | 13 5 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds | — | — | — |
| Crowley Lake 33% vacation homes | 25 mi northeast | 40 min | 6 2 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 1,069 | $592K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Sierra National Forest
Other well-known places within 63 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw30 mi National ParkYosemite National Park4.3M visitors a year
Big draw30 mi MountainHalf Dome
Big draw63 mi National ParkSequoia National Park1.4M visitors a year
42 mi LakeMono Lake
118 mi Ski areaMammoth Mountain153 runs · 2,962 ft vertical
215 mi National MonumentDevils Postpile National Monument100K visitors a year
51 mi National ParkKings Canyon National Park780K visitors a year
50 mi LakeHetch HetchyPhoto credits
Yosemite National Park: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Half Dome: Jon Sullivan, Public domain · Sequoia National Park: Alberto Carrasco Casado, CC BY 2.0 · Mono Lake: File:Mono lake sat.jpg: created by NASA Rotation and crop: Hike395, Public domain · Mammoth Mountain: Hike395 (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0 · Devils Postpile National Monument: Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Kings Canyon National Park: NileGuide.com (Josh Steinitz), CC BY 2.0 · Hetch Hetchy: Vulpinus2, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Visiting Sierra National Forest
What town is Sierra National Forest near?
Big Creek, CA, about 15 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Sierra National Forest?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–78°.
How far is Sierra National Forest from Fresno?
About 56 miles southwest of Fresno, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Sierra National Forest?
Mammoth Yosemite (MMH), about 23 miles away. The nearest big hub is Fresno Yosemite (FAT), about 54 miles.
Where should I stay near Sierra National Forest?
Mammoth Lakes (17 mi, 84 places to stay), Oakhurst (26 mi, 44 places to stay) and June Lake (24 mi, 25 places to stay).
Tips from people in Big Creek
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Big Creek’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.