Silver Lake (Amador County, California)

Silver Lake is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.[1]

Silver Lake
Location of Silver Lake in California, USA.
Location of Silver Lake in California, USA.
Silver Lake
Location of Silver Lake in California, USA.
Location of Silver Lake in California, USA.
Silver Lake
LocationNorthern California
Coordinates38.6587447°N 120.1186238°W / 38.6587447; -120.1186238[1]
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsSilver Fork American River South Fork American River Watershed
Primary outflowsSilver Fork American River
Basin countriesUnited States
Managing agencyEl Dorado Irrigation District
Surface area525 acres (212 ha)
Surface elevation7,200 feet (2,200 m)
IslandsTreasure Island

It is located within Amador County. It is about 20 mi (32 km) south of South Lake Tahoe and about 8 miles (13 km) west of Carson Pass.[2] The lake surface is 525 acres (212 ha) at full capacity and is at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 m).[3] It is surrounded by Eldorado National Forest and is part of the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) and their Hydroelectric Project 184 system.[4] Snow and ice are common in this area during winter seasons.

It used to be reachable between 1848 and 1863 by taking Old Emigrant Road, now you can access it off of California Highway 88 or known locally as the "Carson Pass Highway".[5]

In the center of the lake is Treasure Island which is only accessible by boat or swimming.

Silver Lake West Recreation Area/Campground

Silver lake is home to Silver Lake West Campground[6]

This is a first-come-first-served campground with 42 campsites. The campground is open from May until October, weather permitting. All campsites contain one to two vehicle parking, fire rings with grill, bear-resistant food storage lockers, and picnic tables. Some can accommodate small RVs and motor homes.[7] There is no cell coverage at this campground.

Swimming, fishing and recreational boating are available at the lake. There is a small fee to launch boats at the improved ramp.[8] Some watercraft are usually available for rent at the Kit Carson Lodge located at the North end of the lake.[9] The lodge also offers many other individual or group activities such as gold rush tours and horseback riding.

Silver Lake Hikes

There are many trials located near and around Silver Lake, such as

  • Shealor Lake trailhead
  • Granite Lake trail
  • LakeMargaret trailhead
  • Thunder Mountain trailhead
  • Meiss Lake trailhead
  • Frog Lake trailhead

Wildlife & Fishing

Silver Lake is open year-round for fishing with a 5 trout daily take limit and a 10 in possession bag limit[10] It has been periodically stocked with fish by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) since 1930. Currently there are Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss),

Local animals including deer, bears, birds, squirrels and other rodents, insects, and mountain lions are found along the hiking trails, rim of the lake, and in the various camp grounds.

See also

References
  1. "Silver Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved Jan 16, 2021.
  2. "Search Results - California Department of Fish and Wildlife". www.dfg.ca.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  3. "Fish Planting Schedule". nrm.dfg.ca.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  4. "Silver Lake | El Dorado Irrigation District". www.eid.org. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  5. "Silver Lake, Amador County, California". www.amadorgold.net. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  6. "Silver Lake West Campground". Outdoor Project. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  7. "Silver Lake West Campground | El Dorado Irrigation District". www.eid.org. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  8. "Silver Lake Fees | El Dorado Irrigation District". www.eid.org. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  9. "Kit Carson Lodge - Rustic Silver Lake Cabins & Restaurant". www.kitcarsonlodge.com. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  10. "BIOS Viewer by CDFW". map.dfg.ca.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
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