Tag Archives: el dorado

California Rivers, Campspots, Creeks

El Dorado Camping

Primitive Camping in El Dorado County

Camping Rivers

More & more people are venturing off the beaten path. Tourist flocks to Gold Country, and many do not even leave Highway 49. Get up the mountains, higher than the foothills.camp

Getting outta the developed campgrounds to discover the joys of dispersed back woods camping is a new adventure, not to be taken lightly.

With truck or SUV ownership come some great rewards! Order a good map & go find some dirt roads. Waterfalls, dense forests, secluded creekside camp sites & more await you. Obtaining a camp fire permit is mandatory for this style of camping.

campfire

fish

Campfires are often banned in California, due to extreme wildfire danger. Since the gold mining foothills are usually oak and dry grass, with large steep river canyons, extra caution should be given. Always know the fire conditions before you build a campfire. Caldor Camping

Discover the hidden back roads: like Caldor Road off of Grizzly Flat Rd. – above Placerville CA

Hey, now this is what we’re talking about. Plenty of great dispersed camping down by the Cosumnes River & Consumnes Mine Rd. There are hundreds of miles of small roads to discover back behind this historic mining area. Rivers, waterfalls & decent fishing too. Make sure you clean up some litter. This is the only price you pay for the beauty, serenity, peace & quiet & no neighbor campers next to you.

hiker

Out exploring these parts, you may run into a dead end road that peters out at some Private Property, which is usually signed & fenced. Make nice with the old crazy miner dude & turn your ass around politely, everything will be okay as soon as you are not within gun shot of him. Yes, there still are plenty of small time mining experts tucked away back here in the hills.

river camping
Premium and secluded river side camp sites in El Dorado National Forest

Plenty creeks and rivers run throughout this central Sierra region, so you can fish all day – until your hearts desire. River rafting and river kayaking opportunities are also great reasons to get wet.

canoe

Several mountain reservoirs around offer camping and boating too. Eldorado lakes are listed below.

  • Caples Lake @ Carson Pass
  • Ice House Reservoir
  • Jenkinson Lake – US Hwy 50
  • Kirkwood Lake
  • Lower Bear River Reservoir – South Shore Campground
  • Salt Springs Reservoir
  • Silver Lake @ Carson Pass
  • Union Valley Reservoir

mountains

nearby towns –

El Dorado Forest Maps –

Campsites, Sightseeing, Trailheads, Wilderness

Central Sierra Nevada Mountains

Small Camping Lake
Kirkwood Lake Campground

Central Sierra Nevada: Sequoia to Donner

Although Sequoia trees can be found in the southern Sierra, the National Park is located more in the mid-Sierra. From the Kern River to Kings River,  the southern stretch of Sierra Nevada is home to the southern most Sequoia groves, the longest river in California, and the granite dome wonderlands that overlook the Mojave Desert.

The Tehachapi range is on the tail end to the south w/ Hwy 58, while Kings Canyon Park borders more High Sierra Wilderness to the north end. If you are heading up from SoCal, this is the most accessible portion of the Sierra Nevada range.

While the Kern River Valley can get hot in the summer months, the rivers, streams & higher elevations surrounding it, make it a prime destination for folks seeking cooler mountain breezes, creeks and dark skies. Springtime is one of the best times of year to visit the Kern River. While summer is best for the high wilderness areas, since the snow usually doesn’t melt until May.

Mountain Home State Forest is a little known haven for campers & hikers seeking less-crowded Sequoia groves. With the Tule River, fishing ponds, waterfalls, swimming holes & meadows, this place provides a nice solitude to the busier parks to the north. Balch Park is a county park w/ large campground, that sits adjacent to Mountain Home Forest.

Both National Parks (Seqouia & Kings) are both busy in summer & tourists can be seen lining the main road, Highway 198. Crystal Cave & Boyden Cavern both offer daily tours during the warmer months. Sequoia National Park is open during winter months & is popular among winter sports enthusiasts. Kings Canyon National Park & Hwy 180 are also open during winter, with winter sports recreation.

Big Meadows Road (14S11) offers great camping options for those that wish to camp outside the National Park boundaries.

Sequoia groves

Sequoia forest & parks –

Sequoia National Forest
Mountain Home State Forest
Sequoia National Park
Kings Canyon National Park

Sequoia maps & trails –

Sequoia towns nearby –
Alta Sierra, Camp Nelson, Fairview, Kennedy Meadows, Kernville, Lake Isabella, Mineral King, Ponderosa, Springville, Three Rivers, Wofford Heights

Sierra Nevada

Central Sierra Nevada forest & parks –


Sierra National Forest

Yosemite National Park

Stanislaus National Forest

Eldorado National Forest

Tahoe National Forest

Sierra Nevada

Central Sierra Highways –

Central Sierra Nevada maps & trails –

Rancheria Falls
Rancheria Falls, Huntington Lake, CA

Central Sierra Nevada towns nearby –
Bass Lake, Fish Camp, Huntington Lake, Pine Flat Reservoir, Shaver Lake

stanislaus sonora pass

Gold Country California

is located in the western foothills of the Central Sierra Mountains

Historic Highway 49 is the Gold Country Hwy, which begins down near Yosemite and leads north, thru the foothills, up to Sierra Buttes & ends out near Loyalton, CAgold miner

Group Campgrounds, Lakes & Reservoirs

Group Campgrounds El Dorado

Group Campgrounds in El Dorado National Forest

camp

group campground elev sites veg toilet water notes
Bear River Campground @ Lower Bear Reservoir 6000′ 3 pines vault piped boating, fishing
Black Oak Campground @ Stumpy Meadows Lake 4400′ 4 oaks vault lake boating, fishing
Loon Lake Group Site 6500′ 3 pines vault lake equestrian
Middle Meadows Campground near Hell Hole Reservoir 4700′ 2 pines vault piped fishing
Red Fir Campground @ Loon Lake 6500′ 1 pines vault pipd handicap access
Wench Creek Group @ Union Valley Reservoir 4900′ 2 oaks flush piped fishing

hiker canoe    fish

see more about El Dorado National Forest, California

nearby towns –

El Dorado Forest Maps –

Campgrounds

El Dorado Campgrounds

El Dorado Camping

Kirkwood Lake
Kirkwood Lake, California

El Dorado National Forest
Carson Pass Hwy 88, Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4, Gold Rush Country
Sierra Nevada Mountains, Alpine Lakes

campground elev spots veg toilet water notes
Airport Flat Campground 5300′ 16 – vault no Ice House Reservoir
Azalea Cove Campground 4900′ 10 – vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Big Meadows Campground 5300′ 54 pines flush piped handicap access
Blue Lake Lower Camp 8100′ 16 – vault piped PG&E; fish, boat, camp
Blue Lake Dam Upper 8200′ 25 – vault piped PG&E; fish, boat, camp
Caples Lake Campground 7800′ 35 pines vault piped fishing lake
Capps Crossing Campground 5200′ 12 pines vault piped gold panning
China Flat Campground 4800′ 25 – vault piped Silver Fork Rd
Dru Barner Campground 3200′ 16 – flush piped equestrian trails
Gerle Creek Campground 5300′ 50 pines vault piped handicap access
Fashoda Campground 4900′ 30 – vault piped handicap access
Hell Hole Campground 5200′ 10 – vault piped walk-in
Upper Hell Hole Campground 4600′ 15 – vault lake Hell Hole Reservoir
Ice House Reservoir Camp 5500′ 83 – vault lake handicap access
Jones Fork Campground 4900′ 10 – vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Kirkwood Campground 7600′ 12 pines vault piped narrow road; fishing
Lone Rock Campground 4800′ 5 – vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Loon Lake Campground 6500′ 62 pines vault piped equestrian; group site too
Lovers Leap Campground 5800′ 21 pines vault piped rock climbing
Lumberyard Campground 6500′ 5 pines vault – RV access
Middle Creek Campground 8200′ 5 pines vault piped fishing creek
Middle Fork Cosumnes River 6780′ 5 – vault crk PG&E, swim, fish
Mokelumne River Camp 3200′ 8 – vault crk swim
Moore Creek Campground 3200′ 8 – vault crk swim
Northshore Campground 6378′ 15 – vault lake Loon Lake Campground
Northwind Campground 5500′ 9 – vault lake Ice House Reservoir
Pardoes Point Campground 5900′ 10 – pit no Bear River Reservoir Rd
Pipi Campground 3900′ 51 – pit no handicap access
Sand Flat Campground 3900′ 29 – pit no fishing
Silver Fork Campground 5500′ 35 – vault piped fishing
Silver Lake Campground 7200′ 62 pines vault piped boating lake
South Fork Campground 5200′ 17 – vault piped fishing
South Shore Campground 5900′ 22 – vault piped Bear River Reservoir
Strawberry Point Camp 5500′ 10 – vault lake Ice House Reservoir
Stumpy Meadows Campgr 4400′ 10 – vault lake handicap access
Sugar Pine Campground 6000′ 10 – vault no boating
Sunset Campground 4900′ 131 – vault piped boating
Wench Creek Campground 4900′ 100 – vault crk boating
Wentworth Springs Camp 6200′ 8 – vault crk 4WD recommended
West Point Campground 4875′ 8 – vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
White Azalea Campground 3500′ 6 – vault crk Mokelumne River
Wolf Creek Campground 8200′ 42 – vault piped boating, fishing
Woods Lake Campground 4900′ 25 – vault pump handicap access
Yellowjacket Campground 4900′ 40 – vault piped boating, fishing

see more about El Dorado National Forest

waterfalls

nearby towns –

El Dorado Forest Maps –

California Rivers, Campsites, Sightseeing, Trailheads, Wilderness

Gold Country California

Gold Country Sierra Nevada

historic murphys hotel

1849:
California Gold Rush began

These foothill regions below are the rivers & mountains of the infamous California Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s. Many mountain dirt roads will lead to your secluded, private camp site, near a creek or river. Or plan on camping in a developed Campground near a recreation lake lined with amenities, pine trees & oaks. River rafting & kayaking can be found throughout this area, as well as backpacking, mountain biking and hiking trails. Fishing is very popular as well.

Waterfalls, back roads, granite features, historic mining camps, big fishing rivers all abound. Wilderness backpacking in the High Sierra can be accessed by Hwy 108 (Sonora Pass) Hwy 4 (Ebbetts Pass) Hwy 88 (Carson Pass), Sierra US Route Hwy 50 & Interstate 80. Numerous small towns populate Historic Highway 49 for every tourists need – meals, laundry, grocery, coffee, lodging & shopping.

waterfalls Sierra Nevada

Gold Country California forest & parks –

Hwy 4 Ebbetts Pass & Hwy 108 Sonora Pass

Stanislaus National Forest
Columbia State Park

Arnold, Columbia, Dardanelle, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi-Wuk, Murphys, Pinecrest, Sonora, Strawberry, Twain Harte

Sierra Nevada

Hwy 4 Ebbetts Pass & Hwy 88 Carson Pass, US Hwy 50

El Dorado National Forest

Amador City, Bear Valley, Georgetown, Jackson, Kirkwood, Meyers, Placerville

Sierra Nevada

Interstate 80 Donner Pass

Tahoe National Forest

Alta, Colfax, Foresthill, Grass Valley, Norden, Sierraville, Soda Springs, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Truckee

Sierra Nevada

North Hwy 49 Yuba River

Malakoff Diggins State Park

Downieville, Nevada City

red brick alley