By Paul on Feb 06, 2022 (Edited Feb 13, 2022)

Parking is $5, with an $18 annual parking pass available.

This is a new trail connecting Henningsen-Lotus Park to the Marshall Gold DIscovery State Historic Park. The connector itself is about a mile long, but you continue on the Monroe Ridge Trail from there. You can take it to Sutter's Mill or the Marshall Monument or the river or the rest of the sights in the area, and make a loop coming up the other end of the Monroe Ridge Trail. Ridgetop views should be good.

Quite steep, but safe switchbacks all the way up the hill.

Trail dedication news: www.abc10.com/article/news...b2b-42c5-9d00-1734bf122f8e

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By Paul on Feb 03, 2022

Just a small dirt parking area along the road. Should be okay on a weekday but probably going to be full on a weekend. Connects to the Sweetwater Trail, it's about a mile and a half to the hidden bridge (which is above the water only in summer/fall/drought).

By Paul on Feb 03, 2022 (Edited Feb 13, 2022)

A short trail, pretty if you like oak trees. No way to avoid the expensive parking.

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By Paul on Jan 15, 2022

The trail starts along Missouri Flat Road, park in the wide shoulder just south of Walmart. You can also reach the trail from behind Walmart if you want. Heading to the train station makes for a nice 4.4 mile out and back.

You can make a sort of loop by taking the dirt trail one direction and the paved trail the other way. The dirt trail is a bit overgrown in spots though.

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By Paul on Jan 11, 2022 (Edited Jan 11, 2022)

No parking near the trailhead, park in Marshall Gold Discovery SHP for $10 and walk to the trailhead.

Multiple waterfalls. There's a rope section at the end.

By Paul on Jun 14, 2021 (Edited Jun 14, 2021)

Park in the gravel along Motherlode by the defunct Front Yard Nursery. The trail is along the railroad tracks. Heading east from here, the first half mile is boring gravel but then it gets interesting as you get into the hills and see cows, deer, turkeys etc. If you go eastward, it's about a mile to the train station.

Recommended route: 5.5 miles westward out and back to the spectacular railroad cut.
Long route: 10 miles westward out and back to the Shingle Springs train station with lots to see.
Short route: 3 miles westward out and back to Greenstone
Shortest route: 2 miles eastward out and back to El Dorado train station

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By Paul on May 16, 2021 (Edited May 16, 2021)

You can extend this as far as you want once it joins up with Darrington Trail, which goes many miles both east and west. The Acorn Creek section is just a mile or so newly developed connector.

By Paul on May 09, 2021 (Edited May 09, 2021)

Heading west from this parking lot, you can reach the scenic Weber Creek bridge in about 1.5 miles and continue on as far as you want (about 4.5 paved miles, then dirt). Heading east, you've got about a mile of trail before you come out on Main Street and have about a mile to go along the street before the trail resumes again along Hangtown Creek. The eastward route takes you past a bunch of trash-filled homeless camps along the creek, so westward is usually more enjoyable.

Although this is a paved bike trail, most of the part westward to the bridge has a dirt trail option too. Dirt options are rare eastward.

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By Paul on May 02, 2021

Park in the big dirt area before the gate, at the end of the public part of Amber Fields Drive. From here, take the trail north: you can keep left next to the horse pasture fence, or cross the tracks to the trail on the other side. Since there's separate trails on each sides of the tracks, you can make this into a loop of sorts. Nice views all the way to the Sacramento Valley within a couple miles. The early part has a good amount of shade, less later on. Rolling hills. One mysterious car wreck. Best viewed from March through May for flowers.

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By Paul on Apr 28, 2021 (Edited Jun 19, 2021)

Park in the big dirt area before the gate, at the end of the public part of Amber Fields Drive. From here, head south, crossing South Shingle. You'll find horses, cows, and great sweeping vistas of the foothills. Be prepared for lots of sun, not much shade, and sometimes some snakes on the trail. Rolling hills. Great flower displays in the spring. Continue as far as you like.

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By Paul on Oct 13, 2020

The trail is mostly over granite, but there's a lot of rock cairns to show the way.

Large free parking lot, which had only two cars in it at noon on a Tuesday.

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By Paul on Mar 18, 2020 (Edited Aug 29, 2022)

From the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, there are a couple of great options. First, there's the ~1 mile loop through the stream profile chamber where you can watch fish in the creek. Then there's the Lake of the Sky trail that takes you along the shore of Lake Tahoe to the Tallac and Pope estates, where you can tour historical bulidings in the summer or just walk outside them in the winter.

Here's a 5 mile loop route that covers everything of interest: https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/465099/3639179/

Parking lot is closed during snow season, but depending on conditions you may be able to park on the side of the highway and hike in.

Crowded in summer, not in winter. So flat that it's more of a walk than a hike, but lots to see.

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By Paul on Mar 18, 2020 (Edited Nov 19, 2022)

Very steep, in a not-very-dangerous but quite exhausting way. Best views are near the start. There's a puddle near the beginning that can be difficult to get around at rainy times. The left fork at the start will take you .7 miles down until you get to a private property warning, then a much harder .7 miles back up. The right fork is a shorter trail but also steep, probably .3 miles each way.

To find the parking, look for the second gate on your left if you're coming up the hill on 193 -- and just park on the road by the gate, there's room.

A history lesson: www.sierracascadelandtrust...cess-stories/wildman-hill/

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By Paul on Mar 08, 2020

The hidden bridge makes a good destination when the water is low.

$10 to park in the lot, or free dirt parking just before the bridge.