Treasure in Gold Country

Eden Vale Inn Not interested in snow? You, your significant other and the four-legged tagalong who can’t be left behind will find walkable serenity coupled with luxurious accommodations at dog-friendly Eden Vale Inn near Placerville in El Dorado County. Read more.

You Call This Camping? We Say Four Paws Up

Go in style. Camping doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping on the ground or getting up close and personal with dirt. These privately operated spots have tons of amenities for you and your four-legged kids. • San Francisco/Petaluma North KOA: Bring your RV or rent a dog-friendly cabin and find out why this campground, with 312 sites on 70 acres, is rated one of the best in the West. Canine-centric amenities include a dog park and agility course, while for humans, there’s a swimming pool and full schedule of activities. Read more.

El Dorado County’s adventure loop

Lola and Leroy on an adventure in Gold Country. Photo by M. Miller.

Lola and Leroy on an adventure in Gold Country. Photo: M. Miller Next time you can wrangle a weekend away in Gold Country, head east on Highway 50, exit at El Dorado Hills Boulevard and drive through 10 miles of suburbia to the intersection with Green Valley Road. Put your vehicle in explorer gear and keep going: the name changes to Salmon Falls Road and the asphalt narrows into a two-lane track traversing the rugged terrain northeast of Folsom Lake. Read more.

Down By the Riverside

Not all hikes lead to a specific destination, but those that do are rewarding—especially when the weather is warm, the destination wet and the scenery in between bright green and streaked with patches of purple lupine and smears of yellow goldfields. Read more.