For those of us past a certain age (ahem!) touching a part of our younger selves is always a treat. And that includes our regular life and extracurricular activities. Spending a little time at Bass Lake in Northern California will make you feel like a kid on summer vacation!

Located in the Phillip Burton Wilderness Area of the Point Reyes National Seashore, Bass Lake is a popular swimming hole.
nikko gandia/Google Maps
Getting there is part of the adventure. After arriving at the wilderness area, it is an approximately 2.8-mile hike before the lake first comes into view.
The trail is just one of over 100 miles of trails meandering through the over 33,000 acres of distinctive wilderness terrain here.
Khoa Nguyen/Google Maps
Whether you come to spend the day at the lake or are passing through on your way to other parts of the wilderness area, the lake colors are spectacular.

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From the main trail you will find a spur trail that leads down to the lakeshore.
Jamison Wieser/Flickr
The foliage and tree lines can be quite thick at different times of the year so be sure to watch your step. Also be careful not to rub up against any plant life that can cause skin irritation, like poison oak.
Refreshing and cool, Bass Lake is popular with swimmers and nature lovers who want to get away from it all.
Ron Quan/Google Maps
The lake meanders in and out of little coves and inlets, offering plenty of secluded spots to enjoy without a lot of people right around you.
Even when the fog so typical of this area of the state rolls in, the lake exudes a mystical beauty.
Steve Zirkelbach/Google Maps
Pack a lunch, your hat, and your sense of adventure. Your time at beautiful Bass Lake won’t soon be forgotten. And who knows, you may feel a few years younger when you leave!

In addition to hiking to Bass Lake and points further afield, visitors to the Point Reyes National Seashore and Phillip Burton Wilderness Area can enjoy stunning coastal grasslands, forested mountain ridges, beaches, tide pools, and sand dunes.

Have you been to Bass Lake? If so, we’d love to see your photos and hear about your experience there.

If you’re looking for other inviting waterways in Northern California, you might consider visiting the Yuba River.

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Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA