Willow Cove Trail

Willow Cove Trail is a short, easy path built around the Willow Cove Picnic Area on the north shore of Bass Lake, just outside Oakhurst. It won't take up your whole afternoon — most people finish in well under an hour — but it's a pleasant stretch of shoreline with a real Forest Service picnic site at the end, and it rarely sees a crowd.

Trail Basics

This is an out-and-back route of about 0.4 miles with roughly 26 feet of elevation gain — rated easy, and manageable for most fitness levels and families with kids. The path runs under a canopy of pine, oak, and cedar, crosses a creek that can run calf-deep depending on the season, and passes through an area known for wildflowers, butterflies, and birdlife in spring.

• Distance: about 0.4 miles round trip
• Elevation gain: roughly 26 feet
• Difficulty: easy
• Dogs welcome on leash

Getting There and When to Go

From Oakhurst, head north on Highway 41 to Road 222, then follow it roughly four miles around Bass Lake's north shore, past The Pines Resort, to the Willow Cove Picnic Site. The Forest Service-managed picnic area operates May through September; snow can make the surrounding area hard to reach outside that window. The trail runs alongside private property in places, so stay on the marked path.