Situated halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area and the scenic Lake Tahoe Basin, EL DORADO HILLS is one of Northern California's most prestigious residential addresses. Just a bit East on U.S. Highway 50 from the Sacramento Valley toward the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the golden foothills begin at the El Dorado County Line. The vista of the Sacramento Valley can be seen from the local ridgelines, and the views of Folsom Lake and the Sierra Nevada Mountains are spectacular from various locales.

From its beginnings, the area we now call EL DORADO HILLS organized itself into villages much like we do today. Back before the 1550's, native tribes of the Maidu and Miwok roamed the Sierra foothills living off of nuts, berries, and meat. Their most important food stable was the acorn, from which they made mush, bread and tortillas.

For the next 300 years, California was controlled by Spain and later Mexico. As the Spanish built over 20 missions along the west coast, the Indians way of life in the Sierras remained much the same. In 1821, Mexico became independent from Spain and the Spanish withdrew from California. The Mexican government gave away land as private ranches including surrounding areas such as Del Paso, San Juan de los Americanos, and Cosumnes. Highways like 'Grant Line' to the south still mark some of these grants.

The 'Gold Rush Period' began with the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, shortly after the end of the Mexican-American war in 1848. The EL DORADO HILLS area was known as 'Clarksville', a major stopping point for travelers and freight going to and from the gold fields. The 'Pony Express' of 1860 made passage along Green Valley Road. Property was held in large land grants, later broken into smaller ranches for grazing cattle, horses and sheep. The Gold Rush was over in just a few years, and many of these gold-seekers settled down to make a more domestic living.

In the late 1950's, Allan H. Lindsey bought several local ranches and drew up a master plan for the new community of EL DORADO HILLS. The first 'village' opened in 1962 featuring six models priced from $19,000 to $24,000, and landscaping designed by members of the Disneyland team. In 1997, Serrano was named 'Community of the Year' by the National Association of Home Builders. With over 25,000 residents today, EL DORADO HILLS is planned to reach 57,000 by 2014.

EL DORADO HILLS is often referred to as the gateway to El Dorado County. With elevations ranging from 200 feet to over 10,800 feet, there is tremendous diversity and much to discover in El Dorado County. Rich in history and with a wide variety of recreational choices, there is something for everyone. These choices may include gold panning at nearby Marshall Gold Discovery Site in Coloma, whitewater rafting on the American River, or camping and fishing. El Dorado County is the heart of the most diversified recreational area in California, with approximately one million acres of national forest land. Desolation Wilderness area is the most visited wilderness area in the state. The greater El Dorado County area provides ten major reservoirs and has 11,640 acres of lakes. There are an abundance of lakes, and over 575 miles of rivers and streams that provide habitat for over twenty known species of fish.

EL DORADO HILLS has many parks, playgrounds and sports fields. The El Dorado Hills Community Service District maintains these facilities and information can be obtained by calling the CSD at 916-933-6624. Recreational activities in the area include biking the many country roads, water sports at Folsom Lake and the Marina at Brown's Ravine as well as hiking trails around the lake. Folsom Lake has seventy-seven miles of shoreline and is one of the most heavily used recreational areas in the state. It is a part of the California State Park system (800)-777-0369 or www.parks.ca.gov and is a popular spot in the community.

The Sierra provides a choice of several ski areas; all within a one and a half hour drive from EL DORADO HILLS. These areas offer both Nordic and alpine skiing. Visitors may call Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority at (530) 544-5050 or visit their website at www.virtualtahoe.com/LTVA