Highway 50 was the first official U.S. highway in California and it separates the county as it winds its way from El Dorado Hills to the west and South Lake Tahoe to the East. Highway 49 is the oldest highway in the western United States and winds its way north and south through the county. At the crossroads of these two highways is Historic Placerville with settlers coming to the area in about 1848. Placerville is the county seat of government yet holds the historic charm of a bygone era.

From this central location, history, outdoor recreation of all kinds, shopping, wineries, agricultural landscapes, lodging facilities and dining establishments abound in all directions. There is something for everyone. We think we have compiled a bounty of interesting and factual information throughout the pages of this guide and we hope you do too.

The theme for this year’s guide is outdoor recreation so we have tried to include information helpful to the outdoor enthusiast. From golfing to fishing, skiing to rafting, hiking to camping we believe we have included information that will entice travelers to visit this beautiful county and give them helpful insights about what to do and see while they are here.

We invite you to visit El Dorado County and we hope you enjoy your stay. For more information visit our website at www.visit-eldorado.com or call us at 800.457.6279.

It’s always a great day in El Dorado County! Plan to visit soon.