Greetings from Highway 20

Sunday was one of those beautiful days when you just know you have to be outside. So my husband and I dropped our son off with my parents, filled up the gas tank, stocked the car with water and sunflower seeds and just started driving east on Interstate 80. With the radio on and the windows rolled down we slowly felt ourselves start to relax. We passed small communities and big towns and before we knew it we were past Blue Canyon, taking the Highway 20 exit.

We made a made a right at the first sign we saw… for Lake Spaulding Campground and Day Use Area. The area is owned and maintained by PG&E. There is a loop of 20 nice-sized campsites. There are water spigots but the facilities are limited to pit toilets. Further past the campground there is a large parking lot with 6 walk-in campsites to the right and 8 overflow campsites.
And just beyond the parking lot is some of the most beautiful blue-green water, rivaling that of Lake Tahoe! There is a boat ramp and motorized boats and water craft are allowed. So whether you’re looking for a new place to camp or a day at the lake, Lake Spaulding is definitely a place to check out!

Back on the road and just a ways up we came across Fuller Lake. What a beautiful lake! There are restrooms but no running water and there aren’t any stores nearby so be sure to bring your own food and water. This is the spot if you are in the mood for fishing or a quiet picnic. The lake just got stocked last week so the fishing should be good right now!

Next stop was a turnoff for Skillman Flat Horse Camp… If you have horses, love to camp and ride on the trails than this is a little piece of heaven! There are 12 sites, each with at least one corral, water trough and hitching post. There is also a large group area that can accommodate about 30 people as well as trucks, trailers and about 24 horses. Water spigots scattered around the sites and pit toilets but no showers or hookups. The Pioneer Trail is right next to the campground and is easily accessible. It is pretty dusty so be prepared to get dirty but this is a must stay if you want to bring your horse camping!

Next stop was White Cloud Campground, on the suggestion of the camp host at Skillman.
The first thing I noticed was how clean it was! I mean it literally looked like someone swept all the brush and rocks out from around the picnic table area. The tables looked newer and it was super quiet. There are pit toilets, water spigots located in various places but no showers or hookups, so it’s probably not the place to stay for a week unless you have a solar shower! Most of the sites have plenty of shade and are not super close together. I will definitely be coming back and you should look into it too!

It was time to head back into Sacramento but we were really hungry!!! So we stopped in Grass Valley, CA at the Big A Root Beer Drive-In! This place is AMAZING! It is an old school drive-in offering in your car ordering and real ice cream milk shakes. The number of food options is incredible, from sandwiches to burgers to chicken sandwiches to hot dogs to salads to desserts. We decided to share a Sonora Bacon Cheeseburger, an order of garlic pesto fries and a chocolate shake. Let me tell you, I would come back just for those fries!!!

Be sure to check out the map to see EXACTLY where these pins are on Highway 20 so you can plan your own trip! Also remember that myCampmate has a FREE, trip planning iPhone app that allows you to drop pins and look at the map in real time while you’re out there exploring. So get out there to visit some of these places and find your own new places along the way!! And if you do know of places that you love or find them along the way make sure to pin them on the map and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  about them!!!