Eldorado National Forest, established on July 28, 1910 in the central Sierra Nevada of eastern California, was created from part of Tahoe National Forest and other lands. Centered in El Dorado County and extending into surrounding counties, it spans foothill country to the Sierra crest, with steep river canyons, plateaus, and a cool Mediterranean mountain climate. Its varied elevations support chaparral, oak woodland, montane forest, subalpine country, and extensive old-growth stands. Including Desolation Wilderness and most of the Mokelumne Wilderness, it is a major Sierra landscape for water production, fisheries, watershed protection, forestry, recreation, and broad public access.