EID Recreation

10/14/2026

End of summer bummer! 😭 It's that time of year again - our boat launching facilities at Sly Park Recreation Area are now closed at 5 p.m., final tag at 5:30 p.m.

But we're always excited to see your friendly faces when Sly Park opens at 7:30 a.m. 🤩 ☕

Plan your visit at https://www.eid.org/slypark

10/06/2026

BE BEAR AWARE AT SLY PARK

Fall at Sly Park means one thing for our local bears: it's hyperphagia season.

Translation: Black bears are working around the clock to bulk up for winter — consuming up to 20,000+ calories a day as they search for acorns, berries, and bugs.

The problem? A bear's nose can detect food from over a mile away, and one unsecured cooler or trash bag can turn a wild bear into a "problem bear." In fact, roughly 90% of bear-related incidents start with unsecured food and/or garbage.

Here's how you can help, whether you're camping overnight or just here for the day:

✔️ Store food and scented items in your car or a bear-resistant container — never in your tent

✔️ Disguise the outline of coolers with a towel or blanket

✔️ Never leave coolers or trash unattended outside your vehicle

✔️ Toss all trash straight into the dumpster and ensure the lid is closed properly

When we store food properly, bears stay wild, stay wary of people, and stay alive. Protecting your snacks protects them too.

Do your part — Sly Park's bears are counting on you.

10/01/2026

In September, EID staff teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service - Eldorado National Forest to patrol the shorelines of Silver Lake and Caples Lake by boat, collecting buckets of cans, bottles, fishing line, and other debris left behind during this last summer.

This cleanup is a requirement of the federal license for EID's Project 184 hydroelectric system. The license comes with dozens of conditions covering recreation facilities, lake levels, stream flows, ecological restoration, resource monitoring, and wildlife protection, and meeting every regulatory requirement is what keeps the project running.

Project 184 stores the high-quality Sierra snowmelt that becomes drinking water for a large portion of El Dorado County, and the hydroelectric power it generates is sold to help offset costs that would otherwise fall on EID ratepayers. Regulatory compliance is how we responsibly maintain both of these critical services.

But keeping our parks, trails, and open spaces clean and safe isn't just a regulatory checkbox — it's a shared responsibility. Whether you're boating, fishing, hiking, or camping, packing out what you pack in helps protect these places for everyone who depends on them.

Thank you to our EID crew and U.S. Forest Service partners for a day well spent protecting the lakes and watershed we all rely on.

09/30/2026

Happy almost-October! ☀️

The weather's still gorgeous, but the days are getting shorter and we're waving a fond farewell to our favorite summer activities and our dedicated seasonal staff. Thank you for an amazing season!

Starting tomorrow, October 1st, we're easing into our off-season day use hours:
🚪 Gate House & boat launches open at 7:30am (instead of 6:30am)
⛵ The mooring facility is open for a few more days, and with one more holiday weekend ahead, the boat launches will stay open until dusk through Monday, October 12th.
🌅 After October 12th, launches close at 5pm, with the final tag applied no later than 5:30pm.

Come soak up these last golden days with us!

Plan your visit at https://www.eid.org/slypark

08/12/2026

📢Update: The system will go offline at 4 p.m., one hour earlier than previously anticipated.

🏕️Big news for Sly Park campers!

Starting Aug. 17, reservations at Sly Park Recreation Area/Jenkinson Lake move to a brand-new online system — and it's built to make your camping life easier.

Here's what's changing:
⛺ Change or cancel your reservation online, anytime — no need to contact EID recreation staff during business hours
⛺ Explore campsite areas with fuller details before you book
⛺ See campsite availability all in one place

But you’ll need to pardon our dust before the new reservation system comes online. We need to shut down the entire reservation system from 5 p.m. on Aug. 13 to 9 a.m. on Aug. 17 in order to transfer all existing reservations from the previous system to the new one.

📍 Check it out starting Aug. 17: https://www.eid.org/slyparkcamping

08/11/2026

To our knowledge, the road is now back open. Thanks to our local fire crews for the rapid response and resolution!

🔥🔥🔥Fire on MET 🔥🔥🔥

🚫🚫🚫Mormon Emigrant Trail is now closed at Sly Park Road.

🚒🚒🚒 Please do not attempt to access the area; there are a lot of responding resources moving quickly.

🚤🚤🚤 Boats on the water should use caution; helicopters are moving over the fire and may utilize the lake for water drops.

Send a message to learn more

08/04/2026

! Smoke Alert !

We are currently experiencing worsening air quality as a result of the Gann Fire in Calaveras County. If you are sensitive to air quality, we recommend staying home or limiting your exposure.

There are no Red Flag Warnings in our area at this time, so bbq's and campfires continue to be allowable, but please note this could change without notice. Always use extreme caution when having an open fire, make sure you have water on hand, and extinguish fully anytime you are not actively near the fire (including at night if camping).

07/16/2026

🧑‍🌾 Job Title: Parks and Recreation Manager
🏕️ Job Description: Manage park activities
🐶 Other duties as assigned: Help reunite lost pups with their humans.

Sometimes our team does more than maintain campgrounds and recreation areas.

When a park visitor found Oliver 🐶 wandering around the campground, they brought him to the office. Parks and Recreation Manager Bertram made sure Oliver had fresh water, a cool place to rest, and plenty of attention while park staff worked to locate his family.

Mission accomplished! Oliver was soon happily reunited with his very relieved humans. ❤️🐾

Just another day at the park!

07/04/2026

Happy 250th birthday to our United States!!

We at EID hope everyone enjoys a safe and fun 4th of July. Remember to wear a life jacket on the water, use extra caution while driving, and refrain from using any sort of firework or incendiary device.

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 🎂 America's 250th birthday is almost here!

‼️ ️With a three-day holiday weekend and anticipated heat in the valley, we expect to see day-use closures all weekend.

⏰ Please plan ahead - come early and carpool together for the best chance to get in. Once our parking lots fill up, we will not be allowing additional vehicles in, even if other members of your party arrived early.

🛥 If you are bringing a boat, review the latest launch restrictions at eid.org/boating and ensure you are compliant.

🛟 Only swim or wade to your skill level, wear a life vest, and kayak/SUP close to shore and out of the path of motorized boats.

❌ No fireworks, sparklers, rockets, or anything of the like are allowed. Use of any such will result in immediate ejection from the park.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!!