We love it out here, and are repeat camping visitors. They have some nice tent sites along the day use area and some quiet and large sites at the top of the hill. They do have some plug in sites, but we just dry camp it with a generator and water jugs. There's a nice boat ramp and the place always feels safe enough to leave our kayaks on the beach between days. Fishing is too notch and the lake itself is beautiful. read more

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My first time camping here and our experience was fabulous! Our site was gorgeous offering lovely lake views. The grounds are kept quite clean. The day use area was right near our site which we used each day to paddle board and enjoy other water activities. The waterfall hike was so pretty- we all took the cold plunge! read more

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We came here last month in July and it is now our new favorite spot! We stayed in 180 Kamloop--a few minutes away from the lake, but we preferred it that way. I loved the location, the beautiful scenic views and how close everything was (to fill up our water and restrooms). The park rangers do a great job in cleaning the place clean, much appreciated! We only stayed one night, so the next day, we explored the place a little more. We drove down to the day park and enjoyed the lake. Already planning our next camping trip! read more

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Sly Park Recreation Area is now our family favorite camping place! We came earlier in the year for a day just to join our friends & we had such an amazing time that we had to come back and actually camp this time. My husband caught fish from the lake! Our campsite was clean and well kept. It's a great place to go with kids for a camping trip. We will definetly be back. read more

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This was everyone first time coming here on June 27 me and my brother and my parents we went here to celebrate my dad's birthday and the first day was good. Second it's fun it's was a water day and we all got sun burn but unfortunately at night time me and my brother we have notice that no one is following the quiet hour rule so from 10:30pm-3am we would hear fire works going off , people are yelling ,screaming, we heard some gun shots as well. Last night people are so loud at 10:30pm the ranger have to come and all last night we heard fireworks . If you go to hilltop camp ground round 10:00pm you'll will hear everything and it was hard to sleep when hearing fireworks, gunshots , people screaming and yelling . People would shine there lights at your camp site when you are sleeping But overall we had a blast and this was by far the best birthday celebration that my dad had read more

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First time ever staying here and it we had a great time. It was early October and We did come when it was raining... more like storming. But it cleared up and the place is so nice. There weren't a lot of crowds.. I'm assuming bc of the weather so it was pretty quiet. The camp host in the area was really friendly and checked the areas often. The pit toilets weren't as bad as some of the comments say they were.. again.. probably bc we came while there weren't too many people. The only downside I would say is that they don't have showers. But it wouldn't deter me from staying here again. The views of the lake were so beautiful. The campsites itself were decent. A little smaller than we'd like. And it doesn't look like it but there weren't tiny slopes so when you sent up your tent while sleeping we did shift. We just had to rearrange our sleeping arrangement and it was ok. Overall really nice place and clean. Will definitely add this to our campsite rotation! read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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We arrived early on a Monday morning and headed to a Day Use area to launch our kayak on Jenkinson Lake. We were able to get parking just a few yards away from the lake, so not far to walk the kayak. We like to paddle the portion of the lake that narrows and is a "no wake" zone. Makes for a peaceful paddle. Not many folks out on the lake at 9 am, but by the time we finished our paddle at 11:00, quite a few people had arrived and the parking area was full. So the message is: Arrive Early! Beautiful place to paddle, hike, or just hang out. $10.00 car entry fee (we're over 62, so we received the senior rate) and $3.00 kayak fee. read more

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Really great place to enjoy the outdoors. I love coming here with my family just to get out and get some fresh air, kayaking is the best out here. Highly recommend. read more

This is one of my all time local places to hang out and chill or get active anytime of the year. Just recently I spent the day there. I went kayaking, walking about the trails, and even taking in the little man made waterfall and creek along the South Shore trail. During the summer weekends, the day use fills up quick. But it seems to dwindle down after 4pm. Day use is $15 per car. If it is worth your while, you can purchase an annual day use pass for $170. They are open year round, weather permitting, even during the winter. Anyway, on my last visit I finally walked to the the South Shore Trail from the Hazel Day area to the mini waterfall. The trail is a mild slight incline and the round trip is about three (3) miles. I hiked this late afternoon so there was not a lot of people at the waterfall or creek. The water was cool and the rocks slippery. So watch your step. I ventured into the stream and crossed the rocks to get closer to the waterfall. I was barefoot and all the while hoping I do not sprain my ankles or flop and break any bones. The water hit a few inches above my ankle. The rocks were smooth and rounded but rough on my old foot arch. But the kiddos were bouncing off the rocks like frogs. Oh to be young. Also there is a boardwalk that is near the Hazel Day use. It connects to the shoreline that is less than a half mile away. The boardwalk is over a marsh area that is off limits to walk on. You do not want to anyway, it is "marshy". Perfect for ducks, not so much for people. Along the boardwalk are info boards with neat info about the local wildlife. That includes bats. The lake is home to several species. There are bat boxes hung up in the trees in the marsh. I did not see any, as I probably would not during the day since they are nocturnal. read more

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Going to Sly Park brings back lots of memories from childhood hood. My first time here was way back in 6th grade for a school field trip. We came here to meet up with a friend who was camping for a day trip here. There are lots of hiking trails. We went on a small trail since we were just here for a day trip. We hiked along Jenkinson Lake which is beautiful. It was pretty easy going for the kids also who were leading the adults. We had to make sure the younger kids were not up front so the older kids helped managed them. If you are a flushing toilet person you may not want to camp here but if you are okay without flushing toilets and just want to enjoy nature it's not too far camping place to go to from Sacramento. The Fleming Meadow Loop is on the other side of Jenkinson Lake and if you have AWD 4x4 it's a good place to take the kids to play snow. It was nice and quiet compared to the prior week when we went towards Donner Summit Sno Park which was way too pack for my liking. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Look at all this snow. - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

Went here on 4th of July. I recommend you not go on a Holiday weekend. The day use was already full by 10am. We did manage to find a park on the side of the road. It cost $5 to park. The place is amazingly beautiful. We brought Kayaks and went across the entire lake. At the other end of the lake you can park your Kayaks or paddle boards and hike up to this amazing waterfall. If you're ever in the area and like to be on the lake or do a little hiking go check it out. I would definitely recommend it. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - The Kayaks and paddle boards. - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

This is a great place that we were told about and so glad that we found this gem because that's what it is! Truly a fantastic place to go and enjoy a great summer day or even spring or fall hike! This place is amazing and should be considered for your next vacation, day trip or or a weekend camping trip! Absolutely a great place to visit and enjoy! Only thing I would wish is that they had more parking. Some parking is difficult to find and when you do you are parked in some weird odd ways. Also they're park rangers but don't really enforce the parking so some people take up two spaces the way they park and lessen the amount of parking. But everything else is great! read more

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Wonderful area! Great place to spend a weekend getaway. Beware, dogs aren't allowed in the lake & there is an entrance fee for cars.

Sly Park is one of my favorite places to go hiking. The hike all the way around the lake is about 8 miles. There is plenty of parking within the recreation area, as well as along the road. There is a small day use fee of $5 to park along the road. The trail has multiple access points. I usually start from either the recreation area parking lot, or one of the paths near the dam. This is a very well-populated trail. Even on slow days, you can expect to see at least a few other hikers during your trek. On busy days, it can get pretty crowded. My favorite time of year to hike here is very early spring, before it gets too crowded with campers and beach goers. The trail is particularly striking when covered with a small layer of frost. Flora and fauna that I've frequently spotted here include families of geese, all kinds of mushrooms, lady bug migrations, and, of course, the man-made "waterfall." This past January, I hiked out to the waterfall while there was still a bit of snow on the ground, and even found some snow plant. It was a really beautiful day. The hike is moderately challenging, and can easily take up to 5 hours. If you hike slow or take lots of breaks, then it would take even longer than that. Overall a beautiful hike that's worth checking out at least once. read more

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ngl bruh i hiked here for my first ever hike. shi was like over 8 miles and it was hella dreadful man. but the scenery was very beautiful though. me and some of the boys came to see the waterfall, but once we got there, the waterfall thing was shut off or sum man. so we were like damn should we turn around or keep goin forward. we decided to keep going forward and it was like 6 more miles of pain endurance suffering and malice. but we eventually got around the whole lake after like 8+ hours bruh. even had the dogs slide thru on the hike too. they fosho slept good after they got home. but yeah lots of uphills and downhills, and rocks/branches so u might twist ur ankle so u gotta watch out for allat but its def intense if u hike the whole thing. def a challenge but it was a good experience ngl. ima start doing ts once a year. theres also a bunch of resting stations with bathrooms throughout the hike too which is very nice too. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

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We hiked this peaceful and scenic trail 3 miles into the man made waterfall. The trail has mild inclines and plenty of spots to sneak down to the lake. There is even a few benches to relax on along the way. Other hikers were intermittent and dogs are allowed on leash. If you choose to hike all the way around the lake I believe it is 8.5 miles. The waterfall was pretty powerful as it appeared to be feeding melting snow/runoff water into the lake. Pro tip most people cross the bridge and turn right to view the waterfall but you can actually access the waterfall before crossing the bridge and look down from the falls. The silence is quite peaceful and the hike is a great workout. I highly recommend visiting this location. read more

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Beautiful, the only thing I don't like is pit toilets only. Also when we purchased season passes they block everything thing off past boat ramp and won't allow any parking in campground areas. Even in extra parking areas. Had a ranger tell me she was sick of us pass holders parking wherever we wanted. Slightly offended especially since quick stop by the waters edge. Also no access for doggies in the lake, period. read more

BY FAR - one of my favorite places to hike and be around nature. There are different intensity levels for hiking and the scenery is so serene. I know there are plentiful hiking options near Sacramento but for some odd reason, my mind and body wants to go to Sly Park. I love that there is shade, a waterfall, a lake, camping, and adventure! I've come when there has been snow and times where it is hot out. All have been a pleasant visit. A great place for a family trip, me time, or even a date. read more

Went here recently to check out the lake. It is stunningly beautiful. No issue with parking since we went on a Monday, but I can see how it fills up quick on weekends/holidays. Lots of really great camping spots and parking guaranteed when camping. I give it 4 stars because on a busy day, it would be really difficult to come here, no extra parking or a good way to park outside park then walk in. They also don't allow Uber drop offs or boat drop offs read more

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Depending on your time of the year to arrive; Dress WARM . It's June and it got to °40.. , get enough firewood and campside snacks. Absolutely beautiful location. Water may be low, but still beautiful.. Up in the Pollock Pines-Sly Park areas and Totally worth the drive and relaxation spot! Day and night trips Available. Devon and Joy are remarkable at cleaning and maintaining the grounds. read more

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Really enjoy the group areas. We have a couple favorites. Staff has always been friendly. The entire area is well kept and clean. Reservations fill up quickly for the high demand summer months. The lake is well stocked for fishing. Boating is cool but be careful of right sways as you approach the island near the marina. Can't wait to get back soo. read more

Solid park in the area! I'd never been, so I had been wanting to try it out for a while after reading all the reviews online. Although it was nice to try something new, I'd definitely say driving 2 hours to see it wasn't worth it. The water levels are super low and the lake beaches are a bit dirty - there is a significant amount of litter that was noted as we walked around the perimeter of the lake (roughly an 8 mile trek). Most of the trails are in the shade which is nice, and there are plenty of trails for all skill levels. The waterfall is unfortunately dried up for the most part. Camping areas are nice and appear to be popular. There are plenty of restrooms and water fountains in the camp grounds as well. After a good rain season, I'm sure this spot is a lot better than it is now. I've been to many spots in the foothills and this one was fun, but definitely not worth a long drive. I would say drive a few extra miles and check out some smaller lakes near Tahoe. read more

Overpriced camping rules. Pit toilets all smell like cigarette smoke. Trails just ok. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Private lake entrance. - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

I've been coming here as long as I can remember. This lake is a magical place for family fun and water recreation! I have so many memories of so many great times. I love hiking to the water falls, and catching a glimpse of a bald eagle or osprey usually. I've never fished here but have seen alot of people catch big fish and their limit. It gets packed on the weekends FYI. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Going boating - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

My favorite place to visit especially during the fall when orange and pink leaves are peaking. I also enjoy the waterfall views. If you go during the summer, make sure to check out the emerald green clear water. The best views of the lake in my opinion are near the boat section there tends to be less people there. When the Sun beams towards the water it's so clear. It's best to visit during the week. They charge for each dog. Dogs must be on leash and can't go in water. We have gotten the annual pass and I do recommend it. I go often. It's so beautiful in all seasons. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Hike at Sly Park. - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

Beautiful lake... Only got to snap a few shots coming in. Sorry fellow yelpers I gotta be in the Now! Phone down, here to enjoy~ read more

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Finally made the adventure to this magical destination! As my mom referred to earlier today-like what heaven would be like. Truly beautiful and magical with the endless majestic trees, beautiful lake and ample parking near the picnic table area. Beautiful endless butterflies and swarms of friendly ladybugs flying all around us as well! I've never seen such a sight before of the massive amounts of ladybugs in the air free flying! Next time we are surely going to bring BBQ and spend the full day. Today we packed a picnic with sandwiches, fruits and snacks not knowing we can BBQ there. There are plenty of shaded areas and also water access as well to to fill dog water bowls and any need for water. This park thought of everything to make the experience welcome and accommodating. We went on a hike after lunch and couldn't get enough of the beauty that surrounded us. The trail we took was easy enough for my 86 year old mom who is healthy and fit. My sister, husband and brother in law also loved this park and agreed we are surely going to return here many times during the year. We noticed swimmers in the lake, fishing, boating, paddle boarding and many other Funtastic activities. We hiked just up to the camping area where we found picnic tables and sat down to rest for a while and refresh with drinks and snacks while enjoying the view. We didn't find the waterfall this time however next time we surely are going to ask how to go there. Parking fee was $15 and there were cars parked all along one side of the road only. Hubby noticed the parking spots marked on the opposite side of the street so we made a uturn and parked on the other side of the direction. read more

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$15 parking for the day pass. I would like to come back here for camping one day with the family. Came here for my birthday hike. (November) Lots of mushrooms along the path; while we wanted to do the whole loop and find the waterfall we got a late start on the hike. We entered the trail through the East side. The water was very dried up so it was interesting and sad to see. The waterfall listed is clearly a manmade one but it was a cool spot. Moderately trafficked with some parts of the trail not as well managed. Great day and warm. read more

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Love the closeness to the lake. It's so serene and quiet place. I guess I don't care for the bathroom facilities much. But great place to camp. read more

Sly park is a beautiful place to go for a picnic, a hike or for camping. Camping is often full on weekends So get a reservation online. And for day use, be sure to get there early! read more

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Unfriendly, poor customer service. If you have a campsite, do not expect to arrive early and purchase a day-use to enjoy the lake prior to your reservation. They will rudely prohibit you from doing so. It's a shame. The lake is decent enough, but it's not worth going back. read more

Poor customer service / management. TL;DR I was due to camp here September 9th through 11th '22, but a 41,000 acre wildfire about 15 miles from camp was burning the day we were supposed to travel and the US air quality index was over 400 at Pollock Pines, which according to the government website is hazardous to people of all ages and health, and the area should be avoided. I called the campgrounds 3 times on the day I was due to travel to check with them first hand. I got three VM transfers, no one picked up. So we decided to act on the government advice and not go. As soon as I put the phone down after the third call, I decided to email them to ask if I could get a refund. I got a response 3 days later telling me they were open for business so no refund! I don't know my rights in this situation. If they're open for business I guess I'm not entitled to a refund. On the other hand they didn't answer my calls (giving the impression they may have evacuated or done the responsible thing and closed) and they didn't respond at all for 3 days (a day after my reservation was complete). Irrespective, from a customer service point of view it's simply shockingly bad. Aside from me not recovering my hard earned cash, I think it's neglectful to remain open and expose guests and staff to the hazardous conditions. If you've ever been that close to a wildfire, you'll know it's BAD!! And not something you want to be camping in!! All that said, after reading the other 1 star reviews here, I'm actually glad I didn't go! read more

Family needed a break so decided take em on a camping trip. We decided on Sly Park because of its proximity to society, yet offers that recluse camping aura one seeks. All camping reservations must be done in advance and online. Booking is just as easy as if you were booking a hotel room. Select your days, select available campsites for those days. The website has photos of each campsite with a description (if its sloped, shady, etc.) The campground map lets you decide how close/far you'll be from the bathrooms and water spigots. Each campsite offers a grill and a fire pit (ask during fire season if available.) Checking in at the main entrance is as easy as scanning the barcode that was emailed to you and following the curvy road down to your campsite. Park, unload, explore, jump in the water, eat! In any order you'd like! Ps. Sly Park Lake beaches aren't known for their sandy smooth floors. Wear water shoes and don't expect to be able to see your toes. read more

The group of us went to check out this recreation area one day. We all really needed to go for a quick hike. $13 to get in was a little deep considering you're out here in the middle of nature with not much around. My buddies have had a pass going back a few years. Definitely worth it. That got me interested in what the park area had to offer. How are the campgrounds, how are the hiking trails? I decided to make this an exploration so that I could fill in all my yelp followers and how this place really is. This is what I found out.....this place is just okay. Great for fishing (stocked) and good for low key "car" for or "rv" camping. A good family spot but not for me. I think I could make it work in a jam. It's not all bad. In fact I think if I was introducing some new people to camping I would send them here. Fact is we all go camping for different reasons. This spot fills a need, so much so that it is always full when it's open. As for a quick hike, better to visit and hike around then to camp. Even better, use with a boat and hike around in some more rare areas and really get away. read more

We had our first visit there recently and the staff was incredible. it is a well kept and well run park. Highly recommend! read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

So beautiful when not a ton of people are around. We kinda had the whole beach to ourselves. It was so nice. The water was nice and comfortable. We lost track of time and played for 5 hours. When we left the kid was so tuckered out she fell asleep in the car. Nice place to go during the weekdays. read more

Sly Park Recreation Area - Sierra day use. - Hiking Near Me - Pollock Pines, California

A local with a pass that can never get the weekend summer days unless we go when they open! Why do we buy a pass if we can't get in. Locals should be allowed to get it. The other thing is the Porta potty's are absolutely ridiculous. Never cleaned actual crap on the seat. The amount of money paid for people to get into this recreation area. Some of it should be used to keep facilities cleaned. And you think people are not pissing and crapping in the lake so they don't have to deal with this. read more

We went to Sly Park with a group of friends. After paying 30 for day use for two cars, we were turned around later up the road because day use parking was full. No refund. Hoping to help other cars entering the park from the same fate, I told the young ranger they needed to inform people before they paid.. She smiled and said have a nice day. Waste of money and bad management. read more

I've been enjoying Sly Park lake with my family and friends since 2010. Beautiful lake and fun hiking trails, love this area!

If you're going to just hang out at a lake to swim this isn't the place to go. Great for boating and hiking! Plus the man operating the boat rentals today was horribly rude!!! So much so we didn't rent a boat just because we didn't want to be in his presents the length of time it would take to finish the process. I don't say these things lightly as I am not usually one to take things personally! But this guy was unbelievably disrespectful! Clearly he DOES NOT LIKE HIS JOB read more