Mormon Emigrant Trail - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The Eldorado National Forest is nestled in the dramatic central Sierra Nevada of California and bordering Nevada.The forest is bordered on the north by the Tahoe National Forest, on the east by the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, on the southeast by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and to the south by the Stanislaus National Forest. The forest is also home to 297 lakes and reservoirs, which total 11,994 surface acres. This Forest provides diverse recreational opportunities to the public.

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.

Lower Bear River Reservoir in Pioneer, California is created by its own dam, the Lower Bear River Reservoir Dam, and is owned by PG&E. 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. The lake is easy to access for day outings or overnight stays. At 5,800 feet, the reservoir is free of snow before any of the other major lakes higher on Carson Pass.

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.

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.