TravelerEl Dorado National Forest, off Cal Hwy 88
Decent site for first timers but better for dirt motor bike enthusiasts
We did two nights and left in the morning on the third day. The ranger drove by briefly both days but didn't stop to give us any feedback. We followed the coordinates using GPS out to this site just fine without losing signal. But once there, definitely no cell signal. We didn't see any posts labeled"8N54" or"8N55". We did see posts for Motorized Trailhead 13E33.
Overall this was a good little spot for first time dispersed campers like us. We did some light hiking and there was plenty opportunity for star gazing. Oddly enough there was rave music playing all night into the early morning hours. Unexpected, but distant enough that one of us was able to sleep through it ok, but not the best or most peaceful sleep. We're not really sure if it was coming from a nearby campsite or private property but, oh well. At times throughout the day time the rave music would come on briefly.
Also, this site is really well suited for folks who love dirt motor biking, driving ATVs and that sort of thing. We don't have anything like that but we chose this site because it was easy to get to and not too far from home and civilization. There were several folks riding around both days from about 9 am to 4 pm. We recommend using a copy of the MVUM Map for El Dorado NF Placerville area to see all of the trails and road types. During the peaceful quiet moments, we heard several woodpeckers, crickets, loud deer mooing. And there was even a small heard of cows that came into the campsite a little bit. For about 45 minutes we heard them clinking around with their cowbells on. But it was at night so it was pitch black and the bells were a bit distracting along with the music. One of them even decided to smudge our truck(see photo).
Also, be prepared to shake out your shoes and clothes often as this site featured dirt floor that was particularly dusty. Any time the riders would go by, a big cloud of dust would flow our way. Plenty of tree cover for shade. We didn't use the fire pit because of fire restrictions right now, but we got a fire permit anyway before heading out there. Instead we used a mini stove with butane canister. Definitely plan to pack everything out and clean up your trash. There were a few straggler pieces of debris clearly left behind by less mindful folks, but overall the site was clean in that sense. We were here in late July and it wasn't too hot or cold. We got a mix of warm and cool breezes that were really nice!
