Eldorado National Forest - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

This is a very scenic journey in the heart of El Dorado County, in Eastern California, USA. The road was originally named Iron Mountain Road.Nestled in the heart of Eldorado National Forest, the scenic drive is a delight to drive, with every kind of twist and turn and offers great views. The road is not too busy. It was originally named Iron Mountain Road but was renamed in the 1980s.

Silver Lake is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.The lake surface is 525 acres at full capacity and is at an elevation of 7,200 feet . It is surrounded by Eldorado National Forest and is part of the El Dorado Irrigation District and their Hydroelectric Project 184 system. Snow and ice are common in this area during winter seasons.

Thunder Mountain is the highest point in Amador County, California. It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains just above the Kirkwood ski area.The mountain has two peaks, the 9,414-foot main peak and a 9,412-foot sub-peak west of the main peak. Due to the high elevation, most precipitation that falls on Thunder Mountain consists of snow.

Bear River Reservoir, has a normal water surface of 149 acres and has a maximum capacity of 6,818 acre-feet. it is popular for boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, and even water skiing. Nearby trails lead hikers to the upper Bear River Reservoir and beyond into Long Valley.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort is a year-round resort in Kirkwood, California south of Lake Tahoe that focuses on skiing and snowboarding in winter and hiking and mountain-biking in summer. The mountain is unique in that it has 2 mi ridgeline at the top. This makes Kirkwood popular for cliff drops and cornices. Kirkwood received 804 in of snow during the 2005-2006 ski season.

Caples Lake is located 59 miles east of Jackson at an elevation of 7,800 feet. The 600 acre lake has 6 miles of shoreline. The lake has been used by many different groups of people including Native Americans, 49ers, and resort owners so it is known by a few different names. It offers a variety of different recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, and skiing within close proximity.