Pioneer sits at a comfortable 3000 foot elevation not far below the entry to the Eldorado National Forest. It is the last community to provide most of the services travelers and outdoor enthusiasts look for before climbing higher into the heart of the Sierra Nevada.
In addition to family- fare restaurants in Pioneer, classic roadhouses along Highway 88 offer both great dining and drinking and are perfect stops for relaxing after an outing in the high- country.
The Salt Springs Road veers south, east off Highway 88 near the Buckhorn Lodge.
Pioneer was a stage stop along the route that became Highway 88. This Scenic Byway from Jackson to Carson Pass and Hope Valley along the East Slope is considered one of the most scenic drives across the Sierra Nevada.
In addition to family-fare restaurants in Pioneer, classic roadhouses along Highway 88 offer both great dining and drinking and are perfect stops for relaxing after an outing in the high-country.
The high-country above Pioneer can be reached quickly via Highway 88. Lower Bear Reservoir, Silver Lake, and Caples Lake are each easily accessed off the highway. Carson Pass is famous for its hiking trails and hundreds of miles of OHV routes lie short distances off the highway. Nearby Gold Note and Elkins OHV management areas are dedicated to motorized recreation vehicles.
The Salt Springs Road veers south, east off Highway 88 near the Buckhorn Lodge. The road is paved but narrow and windy as it goes by the Tiger Creek Reservoir and the PG&E campground and then on up the North Fork of the Mokelunme River to the Salt Springs Reservoir dam. Above there, the river flows though the Mokelumne Wilderness. Forest Service Campgrounds and Picnic Sites are located along the road as it crosses to the south side of the river. The Ellis Road farther up Highway 88 offers an alternative way to reach the North Fork just below the Forest Service Campgrounds.
Between Salt Springs and Tiger Creek Reservoirs is a challenging Class IV and V whitewater run that is seasonally dependent on release from the upper reservoir. The Mokelumne River offers good fishing for Rainbow and Brown Trout; there is lots of water and even more fish. But access shortly below the Forest Service campgrounds is limited as it enters the canyon and doesn’t dump out again until Tiger Creek Reservoir.
| Population: | 5,496 | Links: | Chamber of Commerce: www.amadorcountychamber.com |
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From Jackson, drive northeast on Highway 88 for about 15 miles.