OAKHURST — The Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad will soon welcome visitors for its 2025 season. This hotspot offers a variety of scenic train rides and family-friendly activities in the Sierra National Forest. Located just 10 minutes from Yosemite National Park’s southern entrance off Highway 41, this historic railroad takes passengers on an unforgettable journey through the region’s rich logging history. ...

CALIFORNIA — The Sierra National Forest (SNF) invites the public to provide input for the 2026 California Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program application cycle. Importantly, this initiative aims to gather ideas and feedback from community members, organizations, and stakeholders to guide the development of grant proposals for the 2025 submission cycle, covering projects planned for the 2026 ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST–The Bass Lake Ranger District (BLRD) Fire Crews are resuming prescribed fire operations near the Sugar Pine Railroad. Crews are planning to ignite approximately 10 acres along the 5S17 Road, adjacent to Highway 41, just north of the Westfall Forest Service Fire Station. Please see the associated map (below) for details. If weather permits, operations will begin on ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES—The Sierra National Forest (SNF) has begun winter and spring prescribed burning. To manage forest fuels and enhance safety, SNF expects burn projects to span nearly 4,000 acres across Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa Counties. This initiative planned through March 2025, aims to improve ecosystem health and protect nearby communities from wildfires. Update 12.3.2024 This week, the Bass Lake Ranger District ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–Who would have expected such an intense weather weekend in July? Several thunderstorms made their way through the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains early in the weekend. Sunday morning culminated in an intense thunderstorm moving through the foothills. It all began with warnings from The National Weather Service (NWS) that thunderstorms would move through the area over ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST–Sierra National Forest (SNF) officials are announcing that temporary fire restrictions have gone into effect on June 30, 2024. Due to drying vegetation and rising daytime temperatures, conditions now necessitate the implementation of fire restrictions. Fire restrictions prohibit campfires in non-developed areas, welding, operating an internal combustion engine except on a National Forest System road or trail, and ...

MADERA COUNTY— The Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) reports that shortly before 11:30am on June 19, 2024, their Communications Center received an emergency call reporting an unresponsive female in the water near Angel Falls. Search and Rescue teams, along with USFS, Madera County Fire & CALFire, Sierra Ambulance, and the CHP H-40 helicopter responded to the area. During the operation, ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST—Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trail to Nelder Grove (NG). Oakhurst resident and Nelder Grove expert Brenda Negley plans to lead six hikes into Nelder Grove during the month of June. These hikes, co-sponsored by the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway Association and the Friends of Nelder Grove  highlight the work that the U S Forest ...

BASS LAKE — Triathlon enjoys  a long history at Bass Lake. At the dawn of triathlon, the 1983 and 1984 USA Triathlon (USAT) and United States Triathlon Series (USTS)  National Championships took place here. The Bass Lake Yosemite Triathlon has firmly established itself as one of the “Go To” triathlons in California.  Great course, great time, great challenge  and, yes, ...

Bass Lake – The 10th Annual Yosemite Half Marathon, a race centered around breathtaking vistas on National Park and Forest Service lands, takes place May 10-11, 2024 on the Bass Lake Ranger District. Race Expo Leads Off on Friday, May 10 Runners and spectators will begin arriving Friday, May 10th, at Recreation Point Campground for the Race Expo. The race ...