Hotels in Placerville, California

A little about Placerville...

Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. El Dorado County is at the heart of California's Gold Rush country, often called the "Mother Lode." Folsom Lake and rolling foothills are on our western border with Sacramento County. Lake Tahœ and 10,000 foot mountain peaks are on the eastern border that we share with the State of Nevada. Within these borders are great rivers, lakes, gold mines, historic towns, incredible views and everything that nature has to offer.
El Dorado County is just 30 miles east of Sacramento, California's State Capitol and only 40 miles west of Carson City, Nevada's State Capitol. San Francisco lies 125 miles to the west and Reno is a mere 50 miles to the northeast of the "Golden County." With its historical landmarks, downtown ambiance with a plethora of shopping and dining experiences, various hotel/motel and bed/breakfast accommodations, local wineries and farms, and an abundance of local recreational activities.

Fans of the Great Outdoors, there is perhaps no better place than El Dorado County. The County holds a myriad of recreational options, including mountain biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, rafting, hunting, and fishing.

El Dorado County is home to thousands of acres of pristine woodlands with 'The Eldoardo National Forest' and 'Tahœ National Forest' making up more than 50% of the County. This nature begs to be explored by hikers, backpackers, and campers. A popular area is the Desolation Wilderness Area; those who have found this gem, say that it rivals Yosemite National Park, only without the people and commercialism. For more information about Eldorado National Forest, contact www.r5.fs.fed.us/eldorado

The North Fork of the American River serves as the northern boundary of El Dorado County, and offers advanced kayakers a supreme challenge. The South Fork of the American River offers excellent rafting from Chili Bar down to Salmon Falls bridge near Folsom Lake, a run of approximately 20 miles. This stretch is classified as a Class 3 river. On a scale of difficulty, Class 1 is your bathtub and Class 6 is suicide. There are several Class 6 rapids on both forks, and the majority of the north fork run is a Class 4 or 5.

Mountain biking has exploded in popularity and El Dorado County has responded. The most popular trail is between Folsom Lake and Salmon Falls bridge. There is an 8.5 mile trail in Sly park in Pollock Pines, which runs along Jenkinson Lake. And farther up the mountain is Huckleberry Hill. One of the most beautiful trails, for mountain biking is the Olmstead Loop in Cool. This trail is a 10 mile circle that offers challenging cliffs and exhilarating downhill vistas.