A mainstay among limited Sierra City accommodations, Herrington’s Sierra Pines Resort offers a cozy mountain retreat set within this northern Sierra enclave, near the Pacific Crest Trail/Highway 49 junction. The resort resides directly below Sierra Buttes, the tallest peak in the region, in the North Fork of the Yuba River Canyon. The seasonal resort is open from May to October, catering to anglers, families, and outdoorsy folks looking for reasonably priced lodging within a short drive of the Lakes Basin area. Herrington’s property offers unfettered access to nature, including a scenic stretch and direct access to the North Fork of the Yuba River, where good trout fishing abounds.

In addition to lodging, the resort runs a high-end dining room and bar that is open for breakfast and dinner. Indeed, you can even catch your own rainbow trout in the onsite trout pond to have it prepared by a chef for dinner. If fishing doesn’t tickle your fancy, there are plenty of hiking trails nearby, from the PCT to countless hiking options within Lakes Basin.