The guide focuses on each of the three highway corridors that visitors use to access the Stanislaus: State highway 4 in the north, highway 108 over Sonora Pass, and hwy 120 leading to Yosemite National Park. A detailed series of maps and charts include information on campground amenities and locations, hiking trailhead locations with levels of difficulty, and day use areas. Each corridor section features more detailed information on sites that are popular with forest visitors. The Guide also includes up-to-date information on volunteer programs, wilderness and campfire permits, Leave No Trace principles, and more. Click this link to download the online version of the Stanislaus National Forest Visitor Guide.

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Looking for printed maps to inform your next journey to the National Forests? Many traditional retail sources for these maps have been shuttered due to the pandemic. To keep these resources available to the public, 3FIA has now made printed maps for the Stanislaus, Sierra, and Sequoia National Forests available for sale online from our Shop Page. Choose from US Forests Service maps, the popular Tom Harrison Maps, and select maps from the National Geographic Trails Illustrated series. All prices include shipping.

Getting into the outdoors safely takes some planning. Printed maps now available for sale online include USFS Forest maps and atlases, as well as maps specific to the Dinkey Lakes, Carson-Iceberg, Mokelumne, Ansel Adams, and Golden Trout Wilderness Areas. Printed maps are still the best source for information while visiting the back country. Hikers, fisherman, backpackers, and all visitors to the forest can utilize these maps to enhance their experience of these public lands. Visit our Shop Page to view and order maps.

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There are many reasons people are drawn to Sierra forests. Campers, hikers, anglers, and hunters all come to experience and share these public lands. For over 15 years 3FIA’s Forest Visitor Guides have provided key information for visitors to the Stanislaus, Sierra, and Sequoia National Forests, including updated road maps with detailed recreation, campground, and trailhead locations.

These widely distributed free guides also provide accurate information on fire prevention and how to experience the outdoors responsibly, encouraging “Leave No Trace” forest stewardship practices. Over 40,000 travel guides were distributed to visitors in 2016.

Visitor guides are updated annually to stay as current as possible regarding campground availability, road closures, and other information that might effect forest visitors. Three Forests Interpretive Association believes that an informed public can better aid in the conservation mission of the Forest Service and contribute to the preservation of these precious national resources for future generations. Visitor Guides are also available to download in pdf format at www.3forests.us. Look for updates in June of each year.

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Visitors and residents of the area near the fire had questions; What led to the fire? What areas were closed to the public? Who was handling the recovery effort and what did it entail? Was there salvageable timber? How can communities protect themselves? Managing and distributing good information to the public was critical in the aftermath of the fire.

Telling the Story

To address this issue, the Forest Service and 3FIA created three Rim Fire Recovery Update print and online publications for forest visitors and local residents to provide information regarding the fire and its recovery. Articles included detailed maps with information on closed areas, changes to affected hunting areas, recovery partnership efforts, and volunteer opportunities. The publication also included a timeline that provided key dates for the recovery process and for public input regarding the Environmental Impact Statement, as well as information on the natural processes at work in the forest during and after a fire.

Many wondered if and how the Rim Fire affected their favorite recreation areas. Several popular campgrounds and day-use areas were closed last year due to fire damage and lack of water resources. Getting this information out to those who needed it saved hours of frustration and helped travelers and hunters to plan accordingly.

Local residents obtained information on how communities near the forest perimeter could stay safe and be better prepared for future fire events by creating more fire-resilient landscapes and fire-adapted properties and neighborhoods. Online versions of these articles are posted on our website at www.3forests.us/rimfire.

Visitors to the Stanislaus, Sierra, and Sequoia National Forests are all seeing the effects of drought and climate change in California. Dead trees are clearly visible on nearly all evergreen forests of the Sierra Nevada. Weakened trees fall victim to burrowing bark beetles and create fuel for new wildfire. Fire is a natural part of the forests, but megafires of this magnitude are a new phenomena.

Providing the public with accurate information on fire prevention and how to experience the outdoors responsibly are an important part of our mission at Three Forests Interpretive Association.

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