Since the Gold Rush ,Georgetown has been a destination place as well as the jump-off point to the Sierra Crest high-country east of town. The Rubicon River has carved a major canyon from well above Loon Lake and the heart of the Crystal Range to where it joins the Middle Fork of the American River east of town.
When you turn off Highway 193 onto Main Street, the first thing you notice is the wide roadway where people park in the middle and walk to the historic hotel or any of several restaurants, antique stores, or modern shops.
Wentworth Springs Road is the traditional Rubicon Jeep Trail but the 4- wheeling doesn’t begin until the road reaches the old Wentworth Springs town site north of Loon Lake.
The Rubicon was just too impressive to be named as a fork of the American River. So it received its own name.
Gold mining came early to the Georgetown area since the town sits on the first major divide above Coloma where gold was first discovered in California. Prospecting is still active in the canyons above the town.
Logging also came early and is still active – especially on the checkerboard private industry lands east of Georgetown. Major water developments built French Meadows and Hell Hole Reservoirs as well as Loon and Stumpy Meadows Lakes. Today these draw recreationists into headwaters that begin their journeys to the Central Valley of California above Georgetown.
When you turn off Highway 193 onto Main Street, the first thing you notice is the wide roadway where people park in the middle and walk to the historic hotel or any of several restaurants, antique stores, or modern shops. Georgetown is big enough to provide a varied selection of goods meeting travelers’ needs, but small enough to invite you to walk around downtown. Carry your camera.
Main Street continues east into the forests where it becomes the Wentworth Springs Road. This Forest Highway was recently upgraded and rebuilt on the upper end and now makes not only a pleasant forest drive but also the quickest way to get from Auburn to Loon Lake and the northwestern corner of the Desolation Wilderness. The road is already a popular ride for motorcycling and biking.
The road goes by the entrance drive to the totally funky Uncle Tom’s Cabin that is a bar any Gold Rush miner would feel at home in. The outside of the isolated building looks pretty standard – the inside is anything but. Stop for a drink even if it’s a sarsaparilla or its contemporary equivalent. The bar is old and looks it. But it’s the thousand of visitors over the year that have left the real value in the tavern. Bring your camera with a flash attached.
Wentworth Springs Road is the traditional Rubicon Jeep Trail but the 4-wheeling doesn’t begin until the road reaches the old Wentworth Springs town site north of Loon Lake. A connector 4WD route connects from the Lake to the historic route that is legendary among extremist jeepers. The historic “road” continues east until it climbs over the Sierra Crest and drops down to Lake Tahoe near Tahoma. In several places along the route, you can walk faster than the 4-wheelers can drive it. The annual Jeepers’ Jamboree is an ultimate driving experience for passionate 4-wheelers.
The Middle American provides some of the best whitewater action of any river in California. However, the easier access is from the north and the Foresthill Divide. The Rubicon offers a challenging whitewater run but as the river is dewatered by Hell Hole Reservoir, timing the flow is critical. Some years there is no overflow from the dam to provide adequate water.
The upper (eastern) end, that provides some of the most remote sections of the Auburn State Recreation Area in the Middle Fork of the American River, lies north of Georgetown. OHV routes behind Volcanoville provide access into the canyon that can’t be readily reached from any direction. Otter Creek can be reached by old trails that probably date back to mining access. You work for it, but you’ll generally have the trails to yourself.
On the other side, south, of Georgetown is the Rock Creek OHV Area that is one, if not THE, best in our area. The huge area has well over 115 miles of trails, most of which are available for motorcycles or ATVs – but not 4WDs. Several trails are popular with mountain bikers and still others for equestrian riders. See the map in the Detailed Map section.
Equestrian riders also enjoy the Dru Bonner Equestrian Campground that attracts enthusiastic trail riders. Trails connect into the Rock Creek area as well as the Bottle Hill area with its connection to the Wendell T. Robbie Trail above Canyon Creek and then into the Cherokee Camp area within the Auburn State Recreation Area. Loon Lake also has an equestrian campground with popular rides leading into the Desolation Wilderness and the Van Vleck Ranch areas.
Loon Lake is one of the prettiest reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada. It is at its best early in the summer season before drawdown. Campgrounds are designed for RVs, Equestrian riders, 4WD groups, and all the rest of us. Trails radiate several directions from the lake.
Hell Hole Reservoir has to be a close in the rankings of great back-country reservoirs. Power boating is fair but fishing by boat is better. This remote lake is not a location to logically consider as a day trip. The Hell Hole hiking trail along the south side of the lake is one of the best in the Georgetown area. The Hunter Trail that begins near the dam, drops for 10 miles along the remote canyon of the Rubicon River. Fly fishing can be good – especially if you are willing to hike for it. The lack of summer water flow is the only limitation from making this one of the best hikes anywhere.
Stumpy Meadows Lake is the perfect location for a day trip or overnight camping in any of the three campgrounds. Fishing is best in the spring and fall, but boating, swimming, and camping make summers the most popular
| Population: | 2,709 | Links: | Chamber of Commerce: www.eldoradocounty.org Community: www.co.el-dorado.ca.us Visitor Center: www.visit-eldorado.com |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Services:
Automotive
Lodging
|
|||
From Auburn drive south on Highway 49 to the flashing stoplight in Cool. Turn left (east) on Highway 193. Follow it for about 12 miles.
From Placerville drive north on Highway 49 to the northern outskirts of town and the intersection with Highway 193. Follow this route for an additional 11miles or a total of 16 miles from the center of Auburn.