This weekend’s outing brought the CoolDMZs to Jenkinson Lake, in the Sly Park Recreation Area of El Dorado County. Longtime residents know Sly Park from the various youth camps located there, most notably the Sacramento Trad Jazz Camp and Sly Park Basketball School for grade-school hoopsters.
The lake is the center of the rec area, and it’s a beautiful spot for day camping or overnight stays. The hiking trails are wide and well groomed, the picnic spots near the lakefront are comfortable and handy, and the environment is picturesque as hell, if I may.
As you can see the lake view is beautiful
and the geese are a lot of fun
Parking for day use is $8, and overnight stays run you $20. It’s an hour from Sac and if you haven’t been yet it’s a four-star recommendation.
Sly Park Recreation Area
Pollock Pines, CA
Directions: I-50 East to Pollock Pines, Sly Park Rd. exit (Exit 60)
The Sac Rag 
Sly Park used to have some pretty cool silkscreen images you could get put on your favorite sweatshirt, tee, pillowcase, or whatever else.
There was the “SLY PARK” in the shape of a butterfly that everyone could get, a “Space Cadet” one for kids who took an astronomy class, and the trophy silkscreen image reporting, “I ate a worm.” For some reason, there was no worm-eating to be done when my 6th grade class went there in ’81, so we missed out on this coming-of-age activity.
DMZ: How was the cookout? Looks like you’re grilling up some ears of corn & some dogs.
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The cookout was excellent, yeah corn and Polish dogs. We found a little picnic spot that was kind of cut into the side of the hill.
We have to eat all-beef hotdogs these days because my 4 year old won’t eat Wilbur.
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