20 Attractions to Explore Near Mormon Emigrant Trail

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.

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.

Mokelumne Peak is a peak in the Mokelumne Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, Amador County. This Peak has the largest body of metamorphic rock in the region, called the Mokelumne Peak roof pendant, extending over an area of 15 square miles. The pendant has concentric zones of different metamorphic rock types around a central core of highly folded and contorted gneiss. The granite of the batholith surrounding the roof pendant is the granodiorite of Caples Lake.

Fourth of July Lake is an alpine lake in Custer County, Idaho, United States, located in the White Cloud Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The lake is accessed from Sawtooth National Forest trail 109. This lake is in top form and is one of the areas top producing winter-only lakes for trout fishing. It is a popular destination for fly anglers.

Round Top Lake sits below the Sisters, which tower over the lake at 9,000 feet in elevation. Stunning scenery, beautiful wildflowers and it is a good trekking destination.

A beautiful lake located in the heart of Alpine county and is famous for camping, fishing, swimming and so more. The close proximity of a dozen other lakes and an easy approach hike make Round Lake an attractive destination for a relaxed fishing day trip.

Pacific Crest Trail is America’s second longest trail, stretching from Mexico to Canada through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Adventurous hikers looking for a challenge will take the high route through the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges and witness some of America’s most scenic and varied terrain—from scorching desserts to snowy mountains—along the way. The route passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks.

Winnemucca Lake is a dry lake bed in northwest Nevada that features the oldest known petroglyphs in North America. This Lake is home to several petroglyphs long believed to be very old. In 2013, researchers dated the carvings to between 14,800 and 10,500 years ago.

Meiss Meadow is located on the north side of Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Recommended Activities: Cross-country skiing, dog sledding, and snow play. The Meiss Meadow Sno-Park is located in an area that offers year-round recreational opportunities. Outdoor activities including camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, wildflower viewing in the spring, and fall color viewing in the fall are abundant at Carson Pass.

The Carson Pass Sno-Park is located near Caples Lake on the south side of Highway 88. It is popular with hikers throughout most of the year, and the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, Tahoe-Yosemite Trail, and the Emigrant Summit Trail have access points at Carson Pass. Several high-elevation lakes can be accessed from Carson Pass.

Carson Pass is located on the south side of Highway 88 at Carson Pass 60 miles east of Jackson in Alpine County. The historic pass was a point on the Carson Trail during the California Gold Rush and was used for American Civil War shipping to California until the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the Carson Pass summit, which has California Historical Landmark #315 at CA 88 postmile 6.09 where Kit Carson carved his name into a tree.

Red Lake Peak is believed to be the vantage point from which John C. Fremont and Charles Preuss made the first recorded sighting of Lake Tahoe by Europeans. The peak lies just north of the pass and generally northwest of the small lake east of the pass for which the peak is named. Lake Tahoe is visible to the north from the peak.

Elephants Back is a peak in Alpine County and has an elevation of 9580 feet. Elephants Back is situated south of Frog Lake, and south of Carson Pass. it is one of the iconic location where you can have a good trek and also there are so many other adventure opportunities to explore.

Deadwood Peak lies in the center of Mokelumne Wilderness across Summit City Creek from Round Top. It is also situated on the shared border of Pierce County and Yakima County in Washington state. Deadwood Peak is set on the crest of the Cascade Range, immediately north of Yakima Peak and Chinook Pass, with the Pacific Crest Trail traversing its east slope.

Red Lake is a reservoir in Alpine County and has an elevation of 2,397 metres. It is situated northeast of Carson Pass, and east of Snowshoe Thompson Historical Monument. The vegetation surrounding Red Lake is characteristic of red-fir and lodgepole-fir forest. It is a classic alpine meadow stream complete with undercut banks and spooky wild trout. You'll need to approach with stealth and maintain a low profile to be successful here.