South Fork, Madera County, California

North Fork (formerly Brown's and Northfork; Mono wa?ahhpY', "cedar grove") is an unincorporated community in Madera County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census it had a population of 3,250. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined North Fork as a census-designated place (CDP). North Fork is part of the Madera Metropolitan Statistical Area and is home to the tribal headquarters of the Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California. North Fork is situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills at an elevation of 2,638 feet. It is roughly 46 miles (74 km) miles north-northeast of Fresno, 41 miles (66 km) miles northeast of Madera, and 17 miles (27 km) miles southeast of Oakhurst by road. The CDP has a total area of 32.3 square miles (84 km2) square miles, with Willow Creek, North Fork, and South Fork serving as its primary bodies of water. North Fork also holds the distinction of being the community closest to the geographic center of California. North Fork is within the ancestral home of the Mono Native Americans. The community developed into a significant hub for the timber industry, which was the mainstay of the local economy until the late 20th century. Attractions in North Fork include the Sierra Mono Museum and the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. The Buckhorn Saloon, a mainstay since the 1800s, continues to function as a restaurant and tavern. North Fork is also the site of the annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, a tribute to the region's logging history.

Willow Creek in Madera County, California, is one of the largest rivers in Madera County, and is the primary inflow for Bass Lake. Willow Creek features a series of cascades called Angel Falls.Willow Creek begins its journey off the slopes of Iron Mountain, at an elevation close to 9000 feet.

The Mission Fire was a wildfire located two miles east of North Fork in the Sierra National Forest in California in the United States. The fire was reported on September 3, 2017. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire burned 1,035 acres (4 km2) and destroyed 4 buildings. The fire was 100% contained on September 13, 2017. The fire threatened homes in the neighborhoods of Cascadel Woods and Benedict Meadow, the community of North Folk, the Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, and the Sierra National Forest. It was one of three fires burning in the vicinity of the Sierra National Forest and Yosemite National Park.

The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California is a federally recognized tribe of Mono Native Americans. North Fork Rancheria is the name of the tribe's reservation, which is located in Madera County, California. Nium is their self-designation.

Bass Lake, situated in Madera County, California, within the Sierra National Forest and approximately 14 mi (23 km) south of Yosemite National Park, is a popular recreational area. The lake, formed by the Crane Valley Dam on Willow Creek, a tributary to the San Joaquin River, spans about four miles (6.4 km) in length and one-half mile (0.80 km) in width. Constructed in 1910 (1910) by Pacific Gas and Electric, the 145 ft (44 m) concrete gravity dam generates hydro-electric power through controlled releases. The lake supports a diverse ecosystem, including species such as black bears, mule deer, bald eagles, and Great blue herons, along with a variety of fish species. Historically, the Mono Native Americans inhabited Bass Lake until the California Gold Rush. It later became significant to the logging industry. The town of Wishon, established on the lake's southern shore, served as a central point for the Sugar Pine Lumber Company. On the lake's south shore, the U.S. Forest Service has developed campgrounds and picnic areas, while the north shore features private cabins and homes. The unincorporated community of Bass Lake, California, maintains a year-round population of 575 residents.Bass Lake serves as a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for fishing, swimming, water skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Additionally, it serves as a launch point for excursions into Yosemite National Park and hosts an annual Independence Day fireworks display. Over the years, Bass Lake has been a backdrop for various Hollywood films, including Carnival Boat (1931), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), and The Great Outdoors (1987). In the past, Bass Lake was an annual gathering place for the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, a tradition that dwindled by the late 1980s. It has experienced environmental challenges such as beetle infestations, droughts, and wildfires, which have substantially affected its local pine forests.

Whisky Falls (formerly, Whiskey Falls) is an unincorporated area of Madera County, California. It is located 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Shuteye Peak, at an elevation of 5,912 feet (1802 m).In the early 1900s, author Stewart Edward White built a cabin on Peckinpah Mountain near the old mill near Whiskey Falls, and wrote about the experience in The Cabin. In 2019, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott took a tour of an illegal marijuana farm in Whiskey Falls, in the Sierra National Forest.

Wishon is a former settlement in Madera County, California. It has been inundated by Bass Lake. Established in 1923, Wishon served as the mountain terminus for the Minarets and Western Railroad during the 1920s, an official common carrier owned by the Sugar Pine Lumber Company. This 53-mile railroad extended from the western end of the Bass Lake Dam to Pinedale. Primarily, the railroad was used to transport logs to a large mill in Pinedale. A privately-owned standard gauge railroad also carried logs from Central Camp, across Bass Lake Dam, to Wishon, which served as a switching yard. Wishon offered brief passenger railroad service to Pinedale in the 1930s.Wishon was named after A. Emory Wishon, an influential figure in the early development of hydroelectric energy using Bass Lake water. He later became the executive vice president of Pacific Gas & Electric Company after it purchased the Bass Lake operation. Despite the Sugar Pine Lumber Company's dissolution after eight years, the Wishon post office endured until 1986. It was located in what is today known as Miller’s Landing, a store established by John McDougald in 1928, Wishon’s first postmaster.

KLLE (107.9 FM) is located in the North Fork, California, area and broadcasts in the Fresno area known as "Zona Mx". It is owned by Latino Media Network; under a local marketing agreement, it was programmed by former owner TelevisaUnivision's Uforia Audio Network until 2024, and broadcasts a regional Mexican format. Prior to its current format, it broadcast a Spanish adult contemporary format and before that, a format known as "Raggaeton", an Hispanic form of reggae, along with a mix of hip hop under the same call sign of KLLE. On September 28, 2014, the former station branding "La Kalle" was changed to "Latino Mix". On May 2, 2016, KLLE changed its format to regional Mexican, branded as "Zona MX 107.9".

Kerckhoff Dam is a concrete arch dam on the San Joaquin River in Fresno County, California, about 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Big Creek. The 114 ft (35 m) tall dam is a run-of-the-river facility impounding 4,252 acre⋅ft (5,245,000 m3) of water and is the primary feature of Pacific Gas and Electric's Kerckhoff hydroelectric project. The dam and its 160-acre (65 ha) reservoir provide water for the Kerckhoff Powerhouses No. 1 and No. 2. Powerhouse No. 1 has three Francis turbines producing a maximum of 38 megawatts (MW) and Powerhouse No. 2 has a single Francis turbine rated at 155 MW for a total project capacity of 193 MW. An annual 579.1 million KWh of electricity are generated here.Completed in 1920, the dam and Powerhouse No. 1 were the first to utilize the San Joaquin River for hydroelectricity. The second powerhouse was added in 1983.The dam, named for William George Kerckhoff, was part of the "Big Creek Hydroelectric Project", the largest construction project in the world in 1910.

Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge, originally known as Freeman's Bass Lake Lodge, is a historic establishment situated on the northern shore of Bass Lake. Constructed by Buddy Freeman in 1941, the lodge, which initially consisted of a bar, restaurant, and rental cabins, was sold several times before its incorporation into The Pines Resort in 1975. Under the management of various owners, notably Maurice and Marie Ducey, the lodge saw the addition of a general store and campgrounds and an expansion of its unique collection of artifacts. The lodge gained national attention when it featured in the 1987 film The Great Outdoors. However, a devastating kitchen fire in 1988 resulted in its destruction. Despite this setback, the Pines Resort moved quickly to rebuild, and in 1991 a new lodge, designed by local architect Michael Karby, opened a mile east of the original location.

Located on Bass Lake within the Sierra National Forest, The Pines Resort is the only lakeside resort in the Yosemite area. This resort is on the North Shore of Bass Lake, 17 miles (27 km) miles from the Southern entrance of Yosemite National Park and an hour's drive north from Fresno. Accommodations range from fully equipped cabins to hotel suites. The Pines Resort operates a full-service marina that offers boat rentals and hosts two restaurants on-site. Additionally, the resort sits within the Pines Village, a community hub that includes a grocery market, a bar, and an array of other shops. Founded in 1901 by actors William Day and William Haskell, The Pines Resort was designed as an artists' retreat, and opened the same year as Bass Lake dam's construction. Despite undergoing extensive reconstruction after a severe fire in 1962, the resort sustained its popularity, offering respite from San Joaquin Valley heat and serving as a key stopover for Yosemite-bound tourists.

The Forks Resort is a family-owned vacation facility nestled on Bass Lake within the Sierra National Forest, 14 miles from Yosemite National Park's southern entrance and 8 miles from the Golden Chain Highway's southern end. Operating under a U.S. Forest Service special use permit, it has been managed by the same family for four generations. The resort's signature Forks Burger was highlighted by food critic Helen Rosner in The New Yorker as one of the best things she's eaten in the past decade.The resort operates seasonally, from early spring through early fall.