Recreation at Sly Park Reservoir is managed by the El Dorado Irrigation District under an agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation's Central CA Area Office. The reservoir was created by Sly Park Dam across Sly Park Creek. The dam is a feature of the Central Valley Project, American River Division. Sly Park offers an abundance of public use facilities and is open seven days a week during the summer months from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Facilities include 159 public camp sites, 9 miles of equestrian trails with an equestrian staging area and campground, a museum, 8.5 miles of multiple use trails, 5 group use areas, two youth group areas, and two launch ramps. Good fishing for both cold and warm water species including rainbow trout, brown trout, black bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill.

Sly Park is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of El Dorado County at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The city of Placerville is 17 miles west of the park and Lake Tahoe is 55 miles to the east via highway 50.