Top Trails: Sacramento: Exploring Valley, Foothills, and Mountains in the Sacramento Region

by Steven L. Evans

Overview

Whatever you’re looking for today, there’s a trail for you near Sacramento.

Near California’s capital city, numerous trails access the Central Valley’s wildlife-filled wetlands and traverse riverside forests and grasslands. In the Coast Range and Sierra foothills, trails lead to scenic waterfalls, wildflower-studded meadows, and high mountain lakes. Longtime Sacramento resident and intrepid hiker Steven L. Evans has selected the 43 must-do hikes, the majority of which are within two hours of the city. Whether you’re looking for a scenic stroll, a full-day adventure, or even a spectacular alpine peak-bagging trip, you’ll find it here. Trails range from 1 to 10 miles and from sea level to 9,000 feet, and each trip includes elevation profiles, detailed maps, driving directions, and trail milestones.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780899973814
Publisher:	Wilderness Press
Publication date:	11/26/2007
Series:	Top Trails
Pages:	382
Sales rank:	623,321
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Steven L. Evans was born and raised in the Mojave Desert near the typically dry Mojave River. When he moved up to Northern California in the 1970s for college, he discovered that most rivers actually had water and fish in them. He began exploring the wild places of the Sierra Nevada, and when he discovered that many of them were threatened by logging and other development, he became a full-time environmental activist as well as a hike leader for the Sierra Club. Steve has been hiking and backpacking Northern California trails and running its rivers for more than 30 years. As a resident of the Sacramento region for the last 20 years, he is familiar with the many trails in the valley, foothills, and mountains beloved by Sacramentans. It took Steve three years to hike the more than 235 miles of trails in Top Trails Sacramento, while continuing to work full time for Friends of the River (California’s statewide river conservation organization). It’s no coincidence that many of the trails lead to or follow some of the most scenic rivers and streams in the region. Top Trails Sacramento is Steve’s first book for Wilderness Press.

Read an Excerpt

Trail 1: The Great Valley
Bobelaine Sanctuary Trails: Feather River

Trail Use: Hike
Length: 5.3 miles, 2-3 hours
Vertical Feet: Minimal
Difficulty: 3
Trail Type: Loops (many options)
Surface Type: Dirt
Features: Child friendly, river, meadow, lake, wetlands, birds, wildlife
Facilities: Porta-potty

The Bobelaine Audubon Sanctuary on the Feather River provides a unique opportunity to explore the Central Valley’s jungle-like riparian habitat. Maintained by the Sacramento Audubon Society, the 430–acre sanctuary has an extensive loop-trail system kept cleared by mowers so bird-watchers and hikers can make their way through the usually impenetrable forest to observe and appreciate the rich variety of wildlife that depends on this riverside habitat.

Best Time

Because the sanctuary is within the Feather River levee system, it may be flooded in the winter and spring. Summer days can be quite hot. Dawn, early morning hours, and dusk are the best times to observe birds and other wildlife.

Finding the Trail

From Sacramento, drive 8.3 miles north on Interstate 5 to the Hwy 70/99 exit. Drive north on highways 70/99 for 12.8 miles to the Hwy 99 interchange. Drive north 4.0 miles on Hwy 99, cross the Feather River, and continue north approximately 2.6 miles to Laurel Ave. Turn right onto Laurel Ave. and drive east about 0.8 mile to where it dead-ends at the Bobelaine Sanctuary parking lot.

Logistics

Be sure to bring binoculars and a bird book. Log onto the Bobelaine Sanctuary website at www. sacramentoaudubon.org/boblaine.htm for the latest visitor information. Also, consider sending a donation to the Sacramento Audubon Society for the management and protection of this important but privately maintained wildlife and habitat sanctuary.

Trail Description

From the Sanctuary parking lot, walk up the levee and proceed north. [1] On the river side of the levee, you will see Lake Crandall, an oxbow lake that was formerly the Feather River channel, until the river meandered eastward and left the lake unconnected with the river except during floods. River meander is an important ecological mechanism for the renewal of riparian habitat.

Approximately 89 percent of the Great Valley’s former riparian habitat has been lost to agricultural clearing, river channelization, and development. The remaining habitat provides homes to a wide variety of rare and endangered species, including the yellow-billed cuckoo, the valley elderberry long- horn beetle, and the bank swallow.

Follow the top of the levee northward until a road drops down off the levee on the right. [2] Drop down off the levee to the Center Trailhead, marked by a gate. Walk around the gate and proceed east through the riparian forest, past the unsigned junction with the Oak Trail on the right. At the beginning of a large fuel break in front of you, the Center Trail veers left (northward). Largely a mowed access road through riparian jungle, the trail makes its way past large cottonwood and sycamore trees, box elders, native grapevines, and blackberry brambles.

The Center Trail reaches the junction with the Otter Trail, which is heralded by a sign. [3] Turn left and continue heading north on the much more trail-like Otter Trail, which follows a natural bench that is higher up from the river and supports less flood-resistant trees such as valley oaks, with a sprinkling of cottonwoods and sycamores. Occasionally, the trail breaks out into open areas ringed by cottonwood snags, possibly indicative of past fires. The habitat “edge” effect created by the transition from forest to open areas is one of the reasons that riparian habitat is so rich and supports so many species.

The Otter Trail ends at the unsigned junction with the North Trail, which connects from the right. Continue straight on the North Trail. [4] As the trail approaches the northern boundary of the sanctuary, the forest begins to thin out into patchy grassland.

At the northern boundary of the Sanctuary, the North Trail bends right and connects with the Grasslands Trail. [5] Go right on the Grasslands Trail and proceed southward through open meadows broken by occasional groves of cottonwoods and box elders. The Feather River soon comes into view on the left.

The Grasslands Trail dead-ends at the North Trail. [6] Veer left at the sign and proceed a short distance to a clearing and the junction with the Center Trail. Turn left and walk a short way east to the river overlook on the bank of the Feather River. This is a good spot to stop for lunch and watch the river flow by. After enjoying the view, return to the North and Center trails junction and turn left. [7] The trail begins to leave the grasslands area behind, and reenters thick riparian forest.

The Center Trail reaches the junction with the South Trail. [8] For a shorter walk, simply continue straight ahead on the Center Trail back to the levee. For a longer walk, turn left on the South Trail and continue southward. The South Trail crosses a fuel break and continues south over a series of shallow drainages. [9] In this low part of the sanctuary, flooding occurs often, and the vegetation is quite water tolerant. After dropping in and climbing out of the deep Sycamore Swale, the South Trail comes to its signed junction with the Oak Trail on the right. Continue on the South Trail, which soon crosses the even deeper Ringtail Bypass (which may retain water). This is the former Feather River bed extending downstream from Lake Crandall. If the channel is flooded, turn around and proceed back to the Center Trail.

If it isn’t flooded, cross the channel and you will come to the junction with the South Forty Trail. [10] Turn right on this trail to proceed northwest along the slough draining Lake Crandall and along the foot of the Feather River levee on your left. [11] Follow the South Forty Trail to its junction with the Center Trail, at the foot of the levee from the Center Trailhead. Turn left, climb the levee and turn left again [12] to follow the levee back to the [13] Sanctuary parking area.

Milestones

• 1. From parking lot, walk up levee and proceed north
• 2. Drop down off levee to the Center Trailhead on the right
• 3. Otter Trail junction, turn left
• 4. North Trail junction, continue straight
• 5. Grassland Trail junction, turn right
• 6. North Trail Junction, turn left
• 7. River Overlook, retrace steps to North/Center junction, turn left
• 8. South Trail junction, turn left
• 9. Cross fuel break
• 10. Oak Trail junction, continue straight on South Trail
• 11. South Forty Trail junction, turn right
• 12. Return to Center Trail trailhead, climb levee, turn left, return to lot
• 13. Sanctuary parking lot

Table of Contents

Sacramento Region Map

Sacramento Region Trails Table

Using Top Trails
Organization of Top Trails
Choosing a Trail

Introduction to the Sacramento Region
Geology, Topography, Hydrology, and Climate
Ecoregions of the Sacramento Area
California Central Valley Grasslands Ecoregion (Great Valley)
California Woodlands and Interior Chaparral Ecoregion (the Coast Range and Sierra Foothills)
Sierra Nevada Forests Ecoregion (Sierra Nevada)

On the Trail
Have a Plan
Carry the Essentials
Less than Essential, but Useful
Trail Etiquette

Chapter 1: The Great Valley

1. Bobelaine Sanctuary Trails: Feather River

2. River Walk Trail: Cosumnes River Preserve

3. Deer Creek Hills Preserve Trails

4. Delta Meadows State Park and Historic Locke

5. Effie Yeaw Natural Area Loop Trail

6. Gibson Ranch Regional Park Loop Trail

7. Wetlands Discovery & Loop Trails: Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

8. Sutter Buttes Trails

9. Howard Ranch Trail

10. Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail Loop: American River Parkway

11. Lake Natoma Loop: Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

12. Sacramento Northern Bikeway

13. Sacramento Waterfront Loop

14. Wren Wetlands Trail: Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Chapter 2: The Coast Range

15. Blue Ridge Trail: Cache Creek Natural Area

16. Cache Creek Ridge Trail: Cache Creek Natural Area

17. Redbud Trail: Cache Creek Wilderness

18. Cold Canyon-Blue Ridge Loop Trail: Stebbins UC Reserve

Chapter 3: Sierra Foothills

19. North Yuba River Trail

20. Humbug Creek-South Yuba Trails: South Yuba Wild & Scenic River

21. Empire Mine State Historic Park Loop Trails

22. Shingle Falls Trail: Spenceville Wildlife Area

23. Stevens Trail: North Fork American Wild & Scenic River

24. Codfish Falls Trail: Auburn State Recreation Area

25. American Canyon Trail: Auburn state Recreation Area

26. Western States Trail: El Dorado Canyon

27. Western States-Riverview Trails: Auburn State Recreation Area

28. Olmstead Loop Trail: Auburn State Recreation Area

29. Cronan Ranch Loop: South Fork American River

30. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Loop

Chapter 4: The Sierra Nevada

31. Mount Judah Loop Trail

32. Pacific Crest Trail: Castle Peak Area

33. Salmon Lake Trail to Loch Leven Lakes

34. Grouse Lakes Loop Trail

35. Picayune Valley Trail: Granite Chief Wilderness

36. Lake Margaret Trail: Caples Creek Proposed Wilderness

37. Granite and Hidden Lakes Loop

38. Shealor Lake Trail: Caples Creek Proposed Wilderness

39. Winnemucca-Round Top Lakes Loop: Mokelumne Wilderness

40. Caples Creek-Silver Fork Loop: Caples Creek Proposed Wilderness

41. Horsetail Falls Trail

42. Twin Lakes Trail: Desolation Wilderness

43. Lyons Creek Trail: Desolation Wilderness

Appendices
Top Rated Trails
Weekend Getaways
Governing Agencies
Major Organizations
Useful Resources
Maps

Index

Author