Enjoy the Spring Weather at Sly Park

Home » Enjoy the Spring Weather at Sly Park
April 15, 2021
Edward Smith

Sly Park Recreation Area

Sly Park Recreation Area (SPRA) is centered around Jenkinson Lake and provides an array of fun activities for people of all interests. While personal watercraft are prohibited, there are plenty of opportunities to boat, waterski, fish, paddle, and swim on the lake.

Other activities in the SPRA are bicycling, hiking, horseback riding, and camping. There are also several day-use areas throughout the park for picnicking or barbecuing. The day-use areas are near the lake and all have access to drinking water, picnic tables, and restrooms.

Let’s look at some of the many things you can do at Sly Park.

Camp at Sly Park

SPRA offers a couple of different types of campsites: 

  • Family sites that accommodate twelve or fewer people (including kids/babies).
  • Individual sites which accommodate eight or fewer people (including kids/babies).

Both types include a fire ring, barbeque, and picnic table. Water faucets and vault toilets are located at several convenient locations throughout the campgrounds. Campsites can accommodate recreational vehicles up to 40 feet in length, as well as tents. Reservations can be scheduled up to 14 months in advance, year-round, on the website.  

Watch the YouTube video. Below is a video posted by an avid camper showcasing the Sly Park Recreational Area.

Day Use Areas

Throughout SPRA, there are several day-use picnic areas, each marked on the Park Map by a picnic table icon.  The main day-use area is within a half-mile from the gatehouse entrance, and there are others as you continue through the park.  All day-use areas are first-come, first-served, and hours are as follows:

  • October – April: 7:30 a.m. to dusk, daily
  • May – September:  6:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., daily

Boating on Jenkinson Lake

While the use of personal watercraft such as jet skis is not allowed, you can participate in the following water activities on Jenkinson Lake:

  • Wakeboarding
  • Water skiing
  • Kayaking
  • Canoeing
  • Cruising
  • Sailing
  • Fishing

There are two concrete ramps at which a boat may be launched, and they are noted on the Park Map. California boating laws are strictly enforced, with a maximum boat speed of 35 mph, and speed restricted to 5 mph under a number of conditions. 

Explore the Trails at Sly Park

The lake is surrounded by more than nine miles of trails that mostly follow the shoreline. Most of the trail system is in the easy range, with some short sections, especially along the south lakeshore, more difficult.  Some of the trails are multi-use, accommodating hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders. The trail map will guide you as to what activities are allowed as well as the skill level of each trail

Trails are open year-round but some portions may be covered in snow during the winter. Here are some other rules of the trails to keep in mind:

  • Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. They are not allowed in the lake or tributaries.
  • Be considerate of other trail users, especially in the multi-use sections.
  • Traffic flow goes in both directions on trails and roads within SPRA.
  • Keep to the right on the trials. Use caution and if biking, travel at safe speeds.
  • Be considerate of the private property owners and campers that reside along portions of the trail system.
  • Do not venture off the designated trails.

Pollock Pines Car Accident Lawyer

Hello and thanks for visiting our blog. I’m Ed Smith, a Pollock Pines car accident lawyer. The highways and roads around Northern California see more than their fair share of automobile accidents on a daily basis. For anyone who has been injured due to the negligent driving of another, a skilled injury lawyer can help. For free and friendly legal advice, call our law firm at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400.

We have been advocating on behalf of injured residents of El Dorado County for nearly 40 years. To see what some of our past clients say about our services, visit the links below:

Photo Attribution: MMcB

mm [cs 683]