Sports & Recreation
El Dorado Hills and the surrounding area are ideal for sports enthusiasts of all kinds - from soccer players to fishermen to snow skiers (Lake Tahoe's ski slopes are 75 minutes away). And the community offers a host of sports and recreational programs through the Community Services District and the local schools.
Community Services District in El Dorado Hills
Many sports and recreational activities in El Dorado Hills center around the El Dorado Hills Community Services District (CSD), which operates 134 acres of parks (some still to be built out) and 33 acres of open space. Perhaps most popular is the Community Park, less than five minutes from Serrano, which includes a swimming pool, gym, playground, and a soon-to-be-built skate park and teen center.
Swimming
In addition to swimming, swimming lessons and swim-team competitions, the Community Park pool is the site of various activities for youngsters including Teen Dive n' Dance (live DJ music and karaoke) and Dive-In Movies.
There are several multi-use sports fields in the local parks, with three located at the Community Park. Some of the parks, including the Community Park, also have basketball courts. Stephen Harris Park in St. Andrews Village, adjacent to El Dorado Hills Blvd., has both tennis and basketball courts.
CSD youth programs range from day camps and pre-schools to cooking classes and water polo. There are also a variety of adult programs, such as ballroom dancing and tennis lessons, as well as programs geared specifically to senior citizens, such as senior fitness and nutrition classes. Family-oriented special events are also offered throughout the year, including summer concerts in the park at the CSD. The CSD mails The Activity Guide to homes three times a year.
Sports Programs and Leagues in El Dorado Hills
Sports programs and leagues, particularly soccer, basketball, baseball and football, abound in and around El Dorado Hills. Here are a few options. (For more information, contact the CSD or your local school.
Soccer:
The El Dorado Hills Soccer Club, affiliated with the California Youth Soccer Association, is for youth ages 4 to 18. It serves all levels of players, including highly skilled youngsters who play on the Select Soccer Teams.Basketball:
The Folsom Sports Complex offers indoor and outdoor basketball, indoor and outdoor soccer, indoor volleyball, and indoor batting cages for sports enthusiasts of all ages. Basketball Town, located in the Sportsplex in nearby Rancho Cordova, offers open play, classes and clinics, and sign-ups for Northern California Basketball Association (NCBA) leagues. The NCBA operates divisions for all levels and ages of play throughout the Sacramento area, including competitive and AAU divisions.
Baseball:
The Foothill Girls Softball League baseball kids is a Nor-Cal affiliated group for girls ages 5-18 that is very popular in El Dorado Hills. The El Dorado Hills Little League, affiliated with the international Little League Baseball organization, offers eight divisions of play designed to introduce and teach skills to all levels of players.
Football:
The El Dorado Hills Jr. Trojans & Cheer has established teams for both players and cheerleaders ages 6 to 14.
Water Sports in El Dorado Hills
There are numerous spots for swimming, sailing, boating and fishing in and around El Dorado Hills. They include Brown's Ravine Marina (on Folsom Lake), just off of Green Valley Road (about 10 minutes from Serrano) and Lake Natoma in neighboring Folsom. Brown's Ravine offers storage, slips and boat launching facilities. The 18,000-acre Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is the most popular multi-use year-round offering in the California State Park System. In addition to water sports, it offers hiking, biking and picnicking.
Whitewater Rafting
The most popular whitewater rafting on the West Coast is practically in your own backyard on the American River in Coloma. A 20-minute drive east of El Dorado Hills takes you to whitewater country, where a variety of professional outfitters offer guided trips for both novices and experienced rafters.
A 90-minute drive east from El Dorado Hills takes you to Lake Tahoe, one of the most scenic spots in the country.
Snow Skiing
No, it doesn't snow in El Dorado Hills (although there have been an occasional snowflake or two - a real novelty). But nearby Lake Tahoe, in addition to being a popular destination for water recreation, offers one of the top alpine skiing spots in the country. Two of the resorts nearest to El Dorado Hills are Heavenly at Tahoe, the largest year-round resort, and Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, which offers value-oriented day-use packages. Lake Tahoe is also great for other winter sports, including cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, sledding and ice-skating.
For more information about sports and recreation in and around El Dorado Hills, please visit the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce Web site.