Hey Guys, starting to think about this summers plans, hoping to get out and do a lot more camping this year. I am looking for good trails with back country camping availability, specifically in El Dorado and Placer County. A description of the trail and camping spot is appreciated. Stuff off the beaten path that gets minimal traffic is always a plus.

What are the rules with back country camping these days? Permit required? Burning rules?

One more question, I will be moving to Placerville in April, just outside of Coloma, also looking for good day trip trails in that area and outside of Georgetown.

Rig will be a stock JKUR for this summer (if I can hold out on mods a year ) as far as trail difficulty concerns.

Thanks all!

 

El Dorado shut down a lot of the easier jeep trails besides the Rubicon. Sierra national forest still has a few open. for a stock JKU there is the sour grass trail right outside of Arnold Ca. good fishing there it follows the river. Slick rock is a fun trail but im not sure if a JKUR has the belly clearance to do the whole trail. you could always camp at lake alpine camp ground and head into the trail, once you get to the water crossing/ ladder area you could turn around, at that point the trail has a difficult spot that needs bigger tires lockers and defiantly some armor. Slick rock trail ends at Utica Res. at that end of the trail there are some great camp spots too, especially right past the ladder section of the trail.

 

I tried to go to slick rock 2 weekends ago, but the road was still closed for the winter with a couple feet of snow, not sure how much has melted since.

 

Forest service "opens" the trail on the 16th of april. after that its open for the season. Snow should be moved by now. A guy on pirate4x4 that works for caltrans up there told me they were gonna plow the pass last week. The trail should be passable on the 16th there was not much snow up there this year.

 

Good to know. Do you know if they're opening gold lake highway then too?

 

I dont know specifically what they went in to plow, He said they were going to plow over the pass on hwy 4 to 89.

 

Cool, thanks guys. I had not heard of sour grass trail, looks really cool, will definitely have to give that a shot. Slick rock I know, wondering the same thing about tackling it while still stock. By that point of the trail I might have enough liquid courage in me to give it a go.

The Gold Lake area is my go to, so I will definetly be spending some time up there this summer. My parents stay at the RV park in Clio much of the summer so I'll have a home base to check into, and then do some back country camping as well. That is a great spot.

I had heard about all the closures in EDCO, didn't know quite the extent I guess... That sucks! Moving up there, I want some good stuff locally!

Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming if you got them.

 

You can get a stock 2dr through slick rock without too much of an issue. But a JKU is going to bang into things.

 

Ill be up there Memorial Day weekend in my other rig, 43" sx's and 1 tons get me though slick rock just fine. If you want another rig to help you through or a group to go in with your welcome to join us

 

Have family committments that weekend

But thanks for the offer, I would love to go with a group so I will be keeping my eyes open for hopefully some trips this summer.

Oh, also been looking at Eagle Lakes. I hiked up there years ago, cool spot, and looks like a fun trail.