Sly Park Recreation Area

Amazing campground! This was honestly the most beautiful campground I have ever been to! Close to Apple hill and wineries for day trips. Trevor at the front gate was very nice and helpful with all my questions with this being my first time here. I have found my new favorite place to camp and will hopefully be coming back soon!

The campground rules need to be easier to find on the website. Beautiful place… Park rangers drive by about every hour. No noise is allowed from 10 pm to 7 am, unless you have a crying baby or loud RV/​generator. (This includes a quiet beep on your phone from the game, Heads Up. They said that it «music.») No playing music from your car regardless of the genre or music level. We called in advance to determine there was a location to park extra cars. When we got there, the ranger at the check in point told me we couldn’t have the extra cars inside period. During the rest of the conversation she turned her back and ignored me.
Great place to go if you plan on being silent and in bed by 10.

Camping was awesome pine cone site #16. We went during the week so I don’t know if it’s crowded on weekends. The camp sites are really clean, the rangers were nice and helpful, loved the hiking trails. Sly park has some of the best views. I would recommend this campsite to anyone.
I gave a four star because there are no showers, the water is a bit muddy for swimming, and they are kinda pricey.
Another thing I have to mention is some campers with dogs don’t have them on a leash, there are signs all over that dogs must be on a leash at all times… don’t people read? Anyways… I’ll be back

Ein traumhafter See mitten im Nirgendwo!
Alles was wir wollten war Ruhe, Ungestörtheit und die Möglichkeit sich zu entspannen. Mehr durch Zufall landeten wir im verschlafenen Örtchen Pollock Pines, das zum Großteil aus Ferienhäusern und Waldhütten besteht. Mit dem Plan Tagesausflüge nach Lake Tahoe und Sacramento zu machen, dachten wir, dass dieser Ort perfekt mittendrin liegt. Was wir nicht wussten: Es gibt hier ebenfalls einen See! Zwar nur ein Bruchteil so groß wie Lake Tahoe, doch Jenkinson Lake macht dennoch recht viel her.
Steht man am See, so blickt man auf eine traumhafte Kulisse aus Wäldern, Strand & stahlblauem Wasser! Der Parkplatz liegt oben an der Straße, und entweder man läuft den Rest des Weges quer durch den Wald, oder man zahlt den Eintritt und fährt runter, direkt an den Anlegeplatz der vielen Boote, die man hier findet. Es befindet sich auch ein Campingplatz direkt neben dem See. Dennoch, viele Leute trifft man hier nicht an, wenn man nicht möchte. Es gibt immer wieder lange Uferabschnitte, die völlig menschenleer sind. Also, Buch & Wasserflaschen schnappen, auf zum See und Entspannen!
Kurz gesagt:
* Traumhaft schöner See
* Wälder außenrum, man sollte also keine Angst vor Tieren haben
* Teils menschenleer, perfekt um sich mit einem Buch hinzulegen und zu entspannen!
* Mitten im Nirgendwo! Scheinbar niemand kennt dieses Gebiet, daher «frei von Touristen»

Decided to spend Fathers Day at this Lake… It was wonderful. Not to crowded, very clean, and very friendly people. The view from our picnic table was beautiful. So many trees and plants. The water was so blue… I didnt want to leave. Amazing in more ways then one. Our family loved this place… We will be back.

By far one of the best camp grounds. Clean, millions of trees for shade. I really like the fact that there’s a Safeway to get more groceries or things that you may need. There’s even a flea market on Saturdays. The staff is very nice and attentive. We love sly park.

We stayed at Campsite — Sierra Area — Site 68.
This visit was during Easter of 2015
Not the cheapest campsite by any means, but you should be able to figure that out before you hit the okay button to charge your debit card for the campsite. They seem to be doing park upgrades, so very glad to see that they are putting the money back into the park and not just into someones pocket.
Everything was clean, the crowd seemed to be a mix between families, couples, and some college kids just having fun.
The view of the lake is heavily dependent on your campsite choice. We had a stellar view from our site and there should be a stellar view from site 67 as well, but beware, if someone parks a large camper at site 68 this could totally ruin your view. This could be one area of improvement for the park. Not allowing large campers in areas that block views for multiple other campers.
One other downside of being right next to the lake is that you do get a fair amount of people hiking around the lake that come somewhat close to your campsite. If the water level was higher this might even cause the hikers to be even closer to your campsite.
Did not use the lake at all as we only had a car.
Pretty good spot to visit local wineries in the area, but expect a 25 — 45 minute drive to the closet one.

Worst campground I have seen. It was on a steep slope with no place to pitch a tent. The price was also higher than other campgrounds in the area. The lake was nice though. I just don’t think I would camp here again.

What a convenient place to go camping from Sacramento. The campsites that we saw were all clean and equipped with a BBQ, fire ring, & picnic table.
A lot of the sites dont have large, flat tent pads. Ours had 2 pads, but 1 could fit a 4 person, the other only a 2 person. The picnic table wasn’t level either. Parking wasn’t always ideal even though there was room. It was blocked by a rock preventing us getting closer and level to make it easier to load & unload.
The pricing of $ 40-​$ 50 a night for tent camping seems pretty steep. There should be showers on site for that price.
They do sell firewood for $ 5 a bundle. It was good wood. Would recommend buying it there if you need to buy some.
If you want to hike, there is a trail that goes around the whole lake. It’s about 9 miles.
There is a convenience store just outside the park. If you forgot anything, you’ll probably find it there… BUT make sure you count your change.
Dogs aren’t allowed in the water. They charge for pets as well as extra cars. Checkout is at noon, but you may be able to stay until 4pm if no one has reserved that site for $ 10.
There is also a Safeway about 10 min away.
We definitely plan on going back.

Very clean campground, the lake is clean with plenty of water, lots of staff driving around stocking toilet paper and seat covers in the bathrooms which have no odor and kept clean. There is also a camp host that sells firewood and checks portapottys as well.
They also enforce quiet time after 10:00, and have a lot of rules. This is a domesticated type campground, not your wilderness type. If you want to stay up partying all night, this is not the place for you.
Dogs are welcome but for a fee, and not allowed at the beach or in the lake. The rangers can get a little aggressive with their rules, so be aware before you go.
They allow 2 vehicles but charge for the second one. Bring money because it add up even after you paid for your reservations. But it is clean, quiet and safe.
I didn’t experience annoying critters, we could leave the food out without any problems. There are hiking, and mountain bike trails. There is a 7 mile trail that leads to a waterfall. (It isn’t running now during the drought).

Staff sucks! This lake has to many rules and there way to anal. They have hidden fees for everything and the park patrol is very intrusive. I was charged extra for dogs and vehicles which i feel should have been included in there already to high site fees. No dogs in the water sux. This is the first and last time i will go there.

What’s better than a wild romp in the woods? A threesome!
Yes, Sly Park has a big package — woods, trails, and a lake!
WOODS
Tall pine trees create a canopy over the twiggy green forest floor. It’s serene and quiet, where you don’t hear too many animals. Looking off into the distance, you’d think you were in a scene from Twilight, minus the bad acting. The campgrounds are spaced far enough where you won’t run into the neighbors or really hear their convos unless they are super loud.
TRAILS
There are several trails along the lake and various beaten off-​trail paths throughout the campgrounds. I didn’t venture on those, but it’s great to have options. From what I saw, the trails weren’t anything intense. I heard there was a waterfall nearby, but it was dry when I was there :(
LAKE JENKINSON
Lake Jenky? No! Lake Awesome! Super blue and clean, especially if you go to the boating dock area. The camping side of the lake is busier, but still pretty clean. No trash laying around, no brown floaters swimming next to you, no river monsters. maybe some kiddie pee, but that’ll help warm you up. The water is such a nice temperature (mid-​August) that I even went for a midnight swim. The rangers won’t allow it if you’re rowdy and loud so shhh…
BATHROOMS
I was enamored by the porta-​potties. The outhouses looked inviting from the outside. Inside, exceptionally clean! NO SMELL AT ALL and fully stocked with T.P. whoo! The toilet hole is like a black hole cave. You would need a glowstick drop to see how deep it goes. But I’d prefer to drop something else.
From my experience, it was pretty safe. Didn’t encounter any bears, except for the grizzly snoring next to me. Just an excellent spot for that quality group bonding time! There’s something for everyone. Dog and kid-​friendly too, although dogs aren’t allowed in the lake.

Stayed in 37 and 38 pinecone. Not very flat, but it’s nice to be on the end away from most others and close to lake; you just have to worry about sliding to the botton of the tent.

Our vacation home is off of Sly Park Road, so of course we’re partial to Sly Park Recreation area, but we enjoy its other name, Jenkinson Lake.
We have a season pass and enjoy hiking around the lake, kayaking and swimming, swimming, swimming!
Our personal favorite area is at the second boat dock, Stonebreaker.
The location is never very crowded and, aside from windy days, the water is usually calm because it’s a no-​wake zone for boats. The boat dock there is susceptible to visitors assuming it’s a platform to jump from. EID workers will quickly descend upon the area to tell jumpers otherwise and to stay off the dock.
Across from this area is a bald eagle nest, a mated pair and their offspring.
Each summer I find snakes swimming in the water (no, they’re not water moccasins as I’ve heard some campers shriek and yes snakes do actually swim in water!) as well as the occasional frogs and tadpoles.
We also enjoy swimming at the Peninsula. We take our paddle boat out past the buoy and wait for ski boats to zoom by so we can ride the hefty, undulating waves.
At the back of the lake (last campground) is a nice hike to a hidden gem of a waterfall. Actually it’s a spillway that feeds into the lake, but that doesn’t stop adventurers from hiking and taking a dip (or rock jump) into the chilly water.
Please be sure to mind your trash and from time to time, make an effort to pick up others’ accidental refuse. Keep Jenkinson Lake clean!
Sly Park can be quite busy on the Fourth of July weekend. We’ve found ourselves unable to get in because the day use if full. So make sure if you head there on that particular holiday weekend, to get there early!

The shores of the lake are very clean. I was fishing today and I noticed that there was no trash! It was a very pleasant sight and the fresh air from the pine trees makes you feel relaxed. Also bring a fishing pole. There are tons of trout in the lake because they plant them every no and then. When they do plant them, you will easily reach your limit!

Let me start off my review by saying the great points of Sly Park Recreation Area. First, it’s beautiful, the water is warm, and the staff although not overly friendly, weren’t unfriendly. We headed up here from the Sacramento area to escape the triple digit temperatures and let the kids and dogs relax and swim. I had actually researched Jenkinson Lake and it said their were dog friendly, plus a lot of the day use area’s had a tree line down to the water which was what we were looking for, shade. Perfect!
Fee is reasonable I suppose, $ 11 per car. What I was not expecting was a dog fee just to enter the park. They charge $ 5 per dog for day use. We weren’t camping there, just up for the day so I was a little surprised when they told us we needed to pay an extra $ 10 for our two dogs. But nevertheless, we drove all that way, we were going in and going to have a good time. That was until we got all unpacked and started down the trail to find a remote spot and saw the signs that dogs weren’t allowed in the water. That was a bummer. Keeping two water dogs out of the water on a 100 degree day was not my idea of fun. Had I known this from the get go I would have chosen a different place to go, especially before I paid a fee to get the dogs in. Bummer!
If you don’t have dogs this place is probably great! But in the future I’ll have to head up to a different lake that lets our fur family take a dip.

A little expensive but the lake is great. We had to park outside the first night because we got there to join our group who arrived before us and they closed the gate.
The next day we went to pay for the next two nights but tried charging us for 3. After explaining that we parked outside they took one night off. Then they said that there is a 2 vehicle limit for the sight we were at so we had to buy a whole nother site to park one extra vehicle however the vehicle totally fit at the site we were at. They were able to refund the second site but only for the last night.
The camp site we had was a standard site with no view of the lake and the whole weekend we were there, there were big trucks driving back and forth.
The bathrooms smelled surprisingly good for an outhouse style bathroom.
Everyone that worked there was extremely nice except for one lady. You’ll know her when you meet her. Shes the one with worst attitude.
The lake is really really nice. The water was very clean. The fish weren’t too big that we caught but we did catch and release two bass and one trout while we were there by the Jenkinson area.
Overall I would say this lake is terrific if they didn’t try and charge you up the ying yang and there were’nt any noisy trucks driving by when the point of camping is to get away from stuff like that. Oh and if you want to camp by the lake its extra. Would I go back? Nope. Theres a lot of better places in Northern California to camp but this was one of the only few spots open early season.

Definitely a great get away when your looking to hike and get some fresh air. The waterfall was nice to see and worth the hike once completed. The price to get into the Rec area is a little pricey, but I would imagine those fees help keep the park maintained. The lake and river offers great views while walking the trails that travel along side. I definitely see myself coming here again one day. Maybe next time complete a whole round trip around the lake.

Took a weekend camping/​mountain bike trip here and loved it! There is a trail that circles the whole lake, (about 8 miles long, easy singletrack with about three or four short and steep up hills that you need to walk up.) We went the second week in Oct., so the campgrounds were mostly empty very quiet. $ 15.00 fee each day for a second vehichle, and the 12:00 checkout time suck, but over all, a nice place to camp. Picnic table, fire pit, and a barbeque are at each campsite. Water spouts are in between each campsite, and there are no electrical hook-​ups.

After reading previous reviews I was prepared for the worst. Maybe that’s why I was pleasantly surprised.
The thing with this place is it all depends on your camp site. On the drive in we passed spots that looked like a refugee camp, with sites right next to each other. (These are the ones that are RV and trailer accessible.) But we drove on a little farther and came to ours (tent-​camping only), which was plenty far enough away from our neighbors, had a great view, and even had our own running water. The picnic table area seemed to be recently re-​done with a new small rail fence.
As for noise, after 10pm the only sounds we could hear were the people in the site next door talking quietly and coyotes exchanging insults with dogs, but after midnight it was quiet (other than the occasional crying of a baby or two). During the day there are the usual jerkoffs on the lake justifying their boat stereo purchase, but even that wasn’t too bad.
The area itself is beautiful, and the convenience alone is reason enough to bump it up a star. We would do it again.

I used to go to Folsom Lake and no more. This water is clean! You are in the middle of a mountain and it’s clean air and feels amazing to swim there. Perfect for the family.
They have places to BBQ and picnic areas everywhere under the sun. Families boat, swim, eat, hike, and relax. I noticed they have an educational hiking trail too.
It’s one of the best lakes I’ve been to. Only one or two lakes I’ve visited have been better than this. In the summer time the water is perfect. I’m going to be taking a group of people out to Sly to do Shamanic Journeys because they have the perfect setting and location for it.
Last year I brought my friends and family with me. I huge group of people came out and this was by far their favorite lake. Not to mention the drive up is pretty spectacular! The snow covered mountains of Lake Tahoe.
The other thing is that they are near Red Hawk Casino, so on the way up or down you can stop off eat, gamble and the kids can play in the arcade area with daycare. This is a location you just can’t beat.