Over The Hill Hikers - CA

08/31/2026

Lakes Basin Recreation Area is another one of our favorite hiking destinations in the "Lost Sierra" of northern California.

Lower Salmon Lake is one of MANY pristine, glacier-carved mountain lakes sitting at about 7,000 feet elevation in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area below the Sierra Buttes - near Graeagle, California.

The lake straddles the Tahoe and Plumas National Forest boundary in Sierra/Plumas County, California, near the Sierra Buttes.

It sits in a rugged granite basin surrounded by gigantic, weather-gnarled trees and fed by crystalline mountain springs.

you can get there via Gold Lakes Road and a rough, rocky dirt road or short connecting trails. Portions near the shore feature restricted access or private mining claims.

Fishing: Holds brook trout and rainbow trout, with the best action typically seen during early mornings or late evenings.

Paddling: Non-motorized watercraft like kayaks, canoes, and small boats are popular on the Salmon Lakes.

Staying Nearby: Lodging options nearby include the historic Salmon Lake Lodge, which offers cabins and tent cabins overlooking the water

08/31/2026

We took our first Grandson on his first hike back on June 20th, 2026! Lodi Lake Nature trail! We are sharing our love of the outdoors with the next generation.

We took our first Grandson on his first hike back on June 20th, 202...

08/31/2026

We took our first Grandson on his first hike back on June 20th, 2026! Lodi Lake Nature trail! We are sharing our love of the outdoors with the next generation.

08/31/2026

Squirrel Rock RV Campground is a private, gated RV site in Columbia, California. It offers an exclusive camping experience with just one location which can be booked as a single site or double site (with two electrical panels and water connects). No sewer on site but you can dump at 49er RV Resort (5 mins away) for $10 as of July 2026.

it is just a 0.6 mile / 15-minute walk to Columbia State Historic Park. Or a 5 minute walk to Columbia Airport or Mandys Breakfast House.

Mandy's is a popular, cozy diner that serves breakfast and lunch and offers a warm, mom-and-pop kitchen vibe and serves hearty comfort-food classics, generous portions, and friendly service that draw a steady crowd of both locals and travelers.

Columbia Airport (FAA ID: O22) is a county-owned public-use airport in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Famous for its unique dual runways and close proximity to Gold Rush history, it serves as a popular, scenic destination for general aviation pilots and campers.

08/31/2026

Squirrel Rock RV Campground is a private, gated RV site in Columbia, California. It offers an exclusive camping experience with just one lo ation which can be booked as a single site or double site (with two electrical panels and water connects). No sewer on site but you can dump at 49er RV Resort (5 mins away) for $10 as of July 2026.

it is just a 0.6 mile / 15-minute walk to Columbia State Historic Park. Or a 5 minute walk to Columbia Airport or Mandys Breakfast House.

Mandy's is a popular, cozy diner that serves breakfast and lunch and offers a warm, mom-and-pop kitchen vibe and serves hearty comfort-food classics, generous portions, and friendly service that draw a steady crowd of both locals and travelers.

Columbia Airport (FAA ID: O22) is a county-owned public-use airport in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Famous for its unique dual runways and close proximity to Gold Rush history, it serves as a popular, scenic destination for general aviation pilots and campers.

08/10/2026

Squirrel Rock Campground in Columbia California!

We spent August 7th through 9th at Squirrel Rock RV Campground. It is a private, gated RV site in Columbia, California. It offers an exclusive camping experience with just one lo ation which can be booked as a single site or double site (with two electrical panels and water connects). No sewer on site but you can dump at 49er RV Resort (5 mins away) for $10 as of July 2026.

it is just a 0.6 mile / 15-minute walk to Columbia State Historic Park. Or a 5 minute walk to Columbia Airport or Mandys Breakfast House.

25 minute drive to Ironstone Ampitheater (we saw John Waite, Little River Band and Air Supply Friday night), and 25 minutes from Black Oak Casino Resort where we enjoyed Mystify: a tribute to INXS at the Lounge (and our friends went home with 70 bucks of the casino's money)!

We had breakfast at Mandy's which is a popular, cozy diner that serves breakfast and lunch, and offers a warm mom-and-pop kitchen vibe that serves hearty comfort-food classics, generous portions, and provides friendly service that draws a steady crowd of both locals and travelers.

Its only a 5 minute walk to the Columbia Airport (FAA ID: O22) which is a county-owned public-use airport in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Famous for its unique dual runways and close proximity to Gold Rush history, it serves as a popular, scenic destination for general aviation pilots and campers. Lots of firefighting activity goin on this time of year!

Squirrel Rock RV Campground is a private, gated RV site in Columbia...

07/28/2026

Video clips from our hike!

07/26/2026

Take 15 minutes and join us on a 7.7 mile hike at 20 Lakes Basin in the Hoover Wilderness near Lee Vining, California!

The Twenty Lakes Basin Loop is a spectacular high-alpine trail loca...

07/24/2026

Check out the ENTIRE photo album (140 photos) of our 7+ mile hike through the 20 Lakes Basic located just outside of the east entrance to Yosemite National Park! We call this the "Sound of Music" hike!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=OverTheHillHikers&set=a.1629570612502137

07/21/2026

20 LAKES BASIN NEAR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK'S EAST GATE

Photo Set 2:
Steelhead Lake, Excelsior Lake, Shamrock Lake and Lake Helen.

The Entire Photo Album is here!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=OverTheHillHikers&set=a.1629570612502137

We did this hike as an out and back because the rocky canyon grom Lake Helen to Hummingbird Lake was going to be too much for us given our dog developed some lesions during the hike and we wanted to get her back more quickly! 😟

This was our 4th or 5th visit to this amazing place.. 20 Lakes Basin near Lee Vining, California! We have hiked the entire loop including Saddlebag Lake (14 miles after wandering).

This year we took the water taxi out to the end of Saddlebag Lake to give ourselves more time to wander beyond the Basin!

The taxi is $25 per person roundtrip. Departs as people arrive between 7am and noon, then has return trips every hour beginning at 1pm until 5pm, with a final pickup at 5.30pm. After that you are returning on the Saddlebag loop on foot.

A Bald Eagle soared over our boat on the way out. Welcome to 20 Lakes Basin!

We did 7.7 miles around the Basin on this gorgeous day!