Bass Lake, California

June 7, 2013 by

Nestled in the Sierra National Forest less than an hour from my home town of Fresno, California is the perfect getaway: Bass Lake. Yesterday, I shared my hotel review of The Pines Resort, the perfect play for a short or long stay at Bass Lake. Today, I’m happy to share my “vlog” of my Bass Lake pilgrimage, complete with two lovely stops at Catholic churches along the way. Enjoy!

 

Destination Name:

Bass Lake

Location:

Bass Lake, California (Located in the Western Sierra Mountains, just 8 miles from Oakhurst, Elevation 3376 ft)

Closest Catholic Church:

Bass Lake, CA

Hiking at Bass Lake

A Bible passage to ponder while you’re here:

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them.
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice
before the LORD who comes,
who comes to govern the earth,
To govern the world with justice
and the peoples with faithfulness.
Psalm 96:10-13

Saintly companions for your journey:

  • St. Bernard of Menthon (923-1008) is the patron saint of mountaineers. This priest founded an order that served and protected travelers in the Alps. The “St. Bernard” dogs are named for this patron saint of travelers in the mountains.
  • St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) is the patron saint of the Diocese of Fresno.

What you’ll find here:

  • Bass Lake is a terrific place for water sports. If you own a boat or plan to rent one, check out Miller’s Landing. Popular water sports on Bass Lake include skiing, jet skiing, fishing, swimming, kayaking and rowing.
  • Amazing nature — be on the lookout for a broad variety of wildlife, including eagles!
  • Skiing – in the summer it’s water skiing, but in the winter there are great surrounding Ski Resorts and cross-country trails.
  • Bass Lake is less than twenty miles from Yosemite National Park, a destination in and of itself.

Be sure to check out:

The hiking trails! If you’re visiting in the Spring or Summer, there are several trails immediately surrounding Bass Lake for a variety of different levels of expertise. There is something about a quiet hike in nature that offers the ability to really sense the amazing beauty of God’s creation. Research your planned hike in advance, stick to the trails, and bring plenty of water. Cell phone coverage near Bass Lake can be sporadic, so be sure to inform someone of your day-trip plan and use common sense while respecting the natural beauty of this area.

Learn more at:

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About Lisa M. Hendey

As a Catholic who loves her faith and a frequent adventurer who’s always up for a new journey, Lisa is a wife and mom, a writer, a speaker and an impassioned traveler. Visit her at LisaHendey.com to keep up with her comings and goings.

  • TotusTuusFamily

    I am going to love watching these! Always had a love for travel videos. Thanks, Lisa for always finding ways to share the beauty of our Catholic faith.

    Technically, may I ask, what camera do you use that stabilizes so nicely for your moving shots?

    • lisahendey

      Thanks Allison! This was actually shot and edited entirely on my iPhone… I have some learning to do and there are a few things I’ll try differently next time, but this is a rookie effort. Thanks for watching!!

      • TotusTuusFamily

        Did you use a tripod are are you just THAT steady?! Impressive!!

        • lisahendey

          No, but if you watch carefully it’s not that steady. I decided to go for “realistic” rather than overly produced. That’s the only way I’ll be able to do these and actually get them done. I also don’t want to be carrying tons of gear. I need to work out a simple kit that I can take along. I do have a gorillapod that I may use next time, because it’s small. Have you seen those?

  • Nancy Shuman

    What a marvelous blog-find for an armchair adventurer like me! Signing up, putting it on my blogroll, trying not to crawl into the computer screen. Now off to check out your visit(s?) to Israel. Thanks so much for taking us along :).

    • lisahendey

      Thanks Nancy! I need to update the rest of the Israel posts… those were sort of a preliminary test when I was setting up the blog. I have only been there once, but it was an amazing journey!!

  • Kristen Johnson

    Thanks, Lisa! I really enjoyed this. And, I learned some new things about St. Dominic Savio (that that one window is an image of St. Nicholas and that the windows came from Madera); also, the caretaker there is a retired brother (I can’t remember which order) and he makes a real effort to greet all visitors and give them the nickel tour. :) I do love both churches (there’s also a lovely little Adoration chapel at Our Lady of the Sierras — to the left rear of the altar as you’re facing it), _if_ it’s open.