Caballo derives its name from wild horses that roamed the area, descendants of the horses brought here in the 1540's by the Spanish. Caballo Lake can hold 331,500 acre feet of water and, when full, extends 18 miles north. Pressure from jet skiers and water skiers is minimal. Fishing is the order of the day. Largemouth bass, Walleye, Stripers and Northern Pike are pulled from the lake. The largest striper weighed 51 lbs., caught in 1996. Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill and Perch are also common to the lake. Across the lake are the Caballo Mountains. They are pushed up mountains; you can see the different layers, natural caves and natural tunnels if you can find the right entrance. The highest point is at Timber Mountain which is approximately 7,565 feet. They are a beautiful sight to see! Across the dam in the Caballos is the Old Placer District of Shanon. Gold is found in the active drainages and bank deposits along the arroyos. Several gold mines still operate in the area. There are rumors of bars of gold having been removed from the mountains. More information can be found in the book "One Hundred Tons of Gold."
