The Amador County Fair is an annual event held each summer in the Gold Rush Country of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain foothills.
Amador County Fairgrounds
209-245-6921
Annual Event; July
PLYMOUTH CA
amadorcountyfair.com
The Amador County Fair is an annual event held each summer in the Gold Rush Country of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain foothills.
209-245-6921
Annual Event; July
PLYMOUTH CA
3rd Saturday in March
#MID- MURPHYS IRISH DAY
One of the premier annual events, where thousands of people gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys Camp to honor its Celtic heritage – and to celebrate as only the Irish can.
Parade, live music, jugglers, antique cars, horses, bagpipes, with village shops and restaurants all open. The picturesque Main Street is filled with booths offering handcrafted items, original art, photographs, tasty food, wine, and beverages.
Sponsored by the
Murphys Business Association
Annual event: March
One day event
#gocalaveras
#visitgoldcountry
Sacramento Gold Rush Days in Old Town is now
“Waterfront Days Old Sacramento”
3-day event takes place on Front Street, The Embarcadero, and the 1849 Scene all along the wonderful Sacramento River. The heritage celebration features a wide variety of crowd-favorite entertainment, all free to experience and enjoy.
Annual event: May
The Oakland Black Cowboy Association is best known for the Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, the only celebration of its kind in the U.S.A. This parade is held in memory of the black cowboys that helped to settle the American West.
Annual event; October
One day event
Auburn is home to the Gold Country Fair every September. 4-day event w/ parade, pony rides, carnival rides & games, entertainment.
1273 High Street
Auburn, CA 95604
Annual event; September
530-823-4533
From 5-9pm the whole community is invited to share in the holiday fun. Crafters and artists will have their wares on sale for that special one-of-a-kind Christmas gift. Great food and entertainment, pictures with Santa. Shops and restaurants open. Holiday Open House in all the old town village shops!
Annual event; December – multiple days
(2 different Saturday nights)
Old Town Auburn
Auburn, CA
530-888-1585
(Alpine Co)
7250′ elev.
on Highway 88 near Carson Pass, California
El Dorado National Forest
near Kirkwood Ski Resort & the Bear River
Large, granite, alpine lake in the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains. Abundant trout fishing, swimming, camping, boating, hiking, floating, kayaking, picnic sites, and high altitude backpacking trailheads. Shoreline fishing is just as good as by boat. Fishing boats can be rented at Kit Carson Lodge.
The high altitude location makes this a winter wonderland half the year w/ snow ski resorts nearby! It is an awesome summertime family vacation destination as well. Fishing is excellent through Autumn months. Campgrounds close up shop in October, generally when the snow starts. High Sierra – Deep snow pack means they will not reopen until May (at the earliest).
Carson is major Sierra Pass highway, but it closes for big snows, so always check CalTrans before you make the drive up the mountain. Carson Pass is California State Route 88, which connects the Gold Country (on the western slopes) to the South Lake Tahoe region (on the eastern border), near Nevada.
Check Current Highway Conditions for HWY 88
roads.dot.ca.gov
Cal Trans 800-427-7623
These areas listed below are operated by El Dorado Irrigation District and they do charge a day-use fee for many of the amenities provided. Boat Launch fee? Yep. Parking fee? Maybe. Picnic stop! How much? Eat fast!
Historic Memories: Camp Minkalo, Camp Silverado & Kays Silver Lake Resort are all closed now.
Many small businesses come and go in the rural mountains of California. Throughout the decades, some do survive, but many change hands, change names, or have a difficult time ‘making it all work’ in the off-season. Always call ahead (real phone w/ real person) before you make a big drive to a remote location.
National Forest Campgrounds in this lake vicinity:
East Silver Lake Campground – 62 sites
West Silver Lake Campground – 42 sites
Kirkwood Lake Campground – 12 sites
• Elevation: 7200′
• Number of Sites: 62
• Vehicle Accessibility: RV 30′
• Campsite Reservations: Yes
• Camp Fee: Yes
• Toilet: Vault
• Length of Stay: 14 Days
• Season: June – October
• Trailheads: Hidden Lake, Sandy Cove
El Dorado National Forest
Amador Ranger District
26820 Silver Drive
Pioneer, CA 95666
209-295-4251
Older lodges, resorts, camps and cabins at Silver Lake were mainly built in the 1920s, while the oldest resort dates back to the mid 1800s. Wow, how cool is that! Much history in this mountain region w/ Kit Carson Emigrant Trail, all stories totally worth exploring.
Kit Carson Lodge
Rustic Silver Lake Cabins & Restaurant
kitcarsonlodge.com
209-258-8500
Historic Plasse’s Resort
One of the Oldest Camps in the USA
plassesresort.com
209-258-8814
49er RV Ranch
Columbia State Historic Park
Columbia CA
209 532-4978
Angels Camp RV & Camping Resort
3069 Highway 49 South
Angels Camp, CA 95222
209-736-0404
888-398-0404
American River Resort
6019 New River Rd
Coloma, CA 95613
530 622-6700
Coloma Resort & RV Park
American River
6921 Mt. Murphy Road
Coloma, CA
800 238-2298
530 621-2267
Colusa Sacramento River SRA
Farming Town w/ Fishing
N of Sacramento, CA
Far Horizons 49er Village RV Resort
Plymouth, CA
800-339-6981
Glory Hole Campground
Glory Hole Recreation Area
Gold Country
New Melones Lake, CA
Golden Pines RV Resort & Campground
Camp Connell, CA
209 795-2820
Harmony Ridge Resort
10492 Harmony Ridge Rd
Nevada City, CA
800 273-0556
530 265-9313
High Sierra RV Park & Campground
40389 Hwy 41
Oakhurst CA
559 683-7662
Columbia State Historic Park
11255 Jackson Street
Columbia CA
209-588-9128
Lake Francis Resort
Northern Gold Country
Dobbins, CA
888 993-7344
530 692-1700
Rollins Lake / Rollins Reservoir –
Long Ravine Resort
Rollins Lake Campground
530 346-6166
Orchard Springs Campground
530 346-0073
Peninsula Camping & Boating Resort
530 477-9413
Lake Tulloch RV Campground & Marina
Lake Tulloch
Jamestown, CA
800 894-2267
Plasse’s RV Resort
30001 Plasse Rd.
Sutter Creek, CA 95685
209 258-8814
Scotts Flat Lake Camping
530 265-530
Tuttletown Campground
Tuttletown Recreation Area
Gold Country
New Melones Lake, CA
Willow Creek RV Campground
North Gold Country
17548 Hwy 49
Camptonville, CA 95922
530 288-0646
Yosemite Pines RV Resort & Campground
20450 Old Highway 120
Groveland, CA 95321
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
nearby towns –
El Dorado Forest Maps –
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.
Gold Country California forest & parks –
Stanislaus National Forest
Columbia State Park
Arnold, Columbia, Dardanelle, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi-Wuk, Murphys, Pinecrest, Sonora, Strawberry, Twain Harte
Amador City, Bear Valley, Georgetown, Jackson, Kirkwood, Meyers, Placerville
Alta, Colfax, Foresthill, Grass Valley, Norden, Sierraville, Soda Springs, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Truckee
Malakoff Diggins State Park
This annual, festive holiday tradition takes place 2 Wednesday evenings and 3 Sunday afternoons in the month of December. Features holiday activities for all ages: carriage rides, live entertainment, savory yuletide treats and libations, and Father Christmas!
It’s a magical setting of hilly streets outlined with twinkling white lights and authentic gas lamps, wandering minstrels and carolers dressed in Victorian attire, and a myriad of visitors sharing holiday cheer and good tidings.
Annual event: December
Nevada City, CA
530-265-2692
nevadacitychamber.com/nevada-city-events/victorian-christmas/