If you can handle straight down and straight up hiking, trail running, or horseback riding with…read morecliff drop-offs, this Bud's for you! Head down the paved road to the river. Someone else said it's 3 miles round trip but my Strava says 3.2 miles up from the river with 800' gain. :shrug Check out Alltrails app for more input and routes. If you stick to the pavement route, the path is very wide, two cars width and more at times. So no fears of steep drop-offs. Beyond the river, it's single track. On the dirt routes going down to the river, it's very technical and steep. Though I've never been on it, I know about K2/Cardiac Hill. LOL! If you want to explore the Western States trail that's used by Tevis Cup and Western States Endurance Race (both 100 mile endurance races one on horse one on foot), then head down the dirt trail off the horse side. If you travel a little more than 3 miles down this path you'll encounter a waterfall if there's still flowing water. Cross in the water or on the bridge (horses ok either way). But again, this trail isn't for the faint of heart when it comes to horses and their riders. Be mindful it may be too much for you or your horse. Horse side has a large watering hole that had water in it in early April 2023 (while some locations fear the horse sicknesses and have shut off water). There's also tying rails. And plenty of room to maneuver a rig. Paved side has a building with restrooms. The restroom is accessed by the paved lot but is on the side nearest the dirt lot/horse trailer parking. I don't recall it having soap or towels or hand dryers in April 2023. C'mon 'rona, give us soap even if it's the sandpaper powder! Be aware that some days there are major events and you may not be able to park there. I suppose you can call City of Auburn or just be prepared to go somewhere different such as railroad park. Major events include: Tevis Cup, Western States Endurance Race, and American River Endurance Race.

Beautiful large park. Costs $7 to enter/park, and there's a strict close time to leave at sundown…read more Highly recommend for biking, but not so much for casual walking with kids. This place is huge and has a decent amount of hills and flat areas.

What a great beginner level trail!! Easy to find but make sure to park on the El Dorado County…read moreside, which is right off the hillside on 49. if you park on the Placer County side there's a parking fee. In any event, the trail is just beautiful with plenty of shaded areas. Start off walking across the bridge and the trail parallels the river. Plenty of wildlife along the way and the waterfall is very pleasant. Bring waters and maybe snacks. It's safe and fairly well travelled and maintained. There is even a trail...all up hill towards Cool! For the more advanced hikers maybe.

On AllTrails app search "Western States Trail to Calcutta Falls". Parallel Parking on the street…read moreClose to the trailhead - get here early otherwise your parking will be part of your hike. It's early spring. There is lots of wildflowers - lots and lots of butterflies to see. Got to see many reptiles - skinks and a variety of lizards. Many hawks flying overhead. Lots of amazing views of the river. And a couple of small waterfalls. Walked further than the posted trail on All Trails just to add some extra mileage.

Looking for a stunning and beautiful water fall without the leg work? Bridal Veil Falls in Pollock…read morePines California is the place where you can do that. On your way from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe, you can just drive right up to the falls from Highway 50, going eastbound. What makes this very convenient is that this is also a large pull out space that you can park to make it really easy to just get right out of your car and take a closer look. This waterfall is 80 feet tall and makes for a nice stop to stretch your legs and enjoy the cool air. When my husband I went, we stopped by this waterfall towards the end of March. The waterfall is not gushing with water but the flow is enough to nice and have that nice flowing sound that relaxes you. This part of the Eldorado National Forest is free to drive through and visit but there is a fee if you wish to visit the Bridal Veil Group Campsite and Picnic Area that is nearby. Definitely worth a visit and something to look out for if you plan on driving to Lake Tahoe from Sacramento.

Amazing nice quick stop on highway 50 heading to Lake Tahoe got some great pictures it's a quick…read morestop so be prepared.

So beautiful and peaceful we will definitely go back very kids friendly the hike was easy and…read morebeautiful

We wanted to go hiking and found the Joshua M. Hardt Memorial Trail, which circles around the…read morereservoir. The loop was a bit over 4 miles. I'm glad it was mostly shaded and flat. The water was nice and clear. There were several benches along the way. Best of all, it wasn't crowded at all when we went. Bring cash- $5.00 per vehicle.

The hike was actually a really good workout. A lot of hills, creeks, and different plant life. I…read morethought it was a good challenge but not impossible. At the same time I'm not a big hiker. We did come across a friendly group of 70 yo ladies that had completed the trail a few times and gave a lot of information.

It was a great hike, sadly it was raining but we still got to mile 3 before heading back. On the…read morehike I lost my great grandmothers bracelet that I haven't taken off in years. If anyone hiking this trail is willing, I would deeply appreciate if you would look for it and return it to me. I could meet you anywhere within an hour of Sacramento to retrieve it from you. I'll attach a picture of it along with a picture of me on the hike and my email. To the person who finds it, I'll give you a $20 reward, cash (or if you are willing to mail it, that would be even better) My email is duncansophia@icloud.com

Another nice, easy hike to add to our list around the Roseville area! Biggest tip is to be sure and…read morego online to reserve ahead of time and pay a small fee, if necessary. Reservations are required on weekends, some Fridays, and selected dates. Otherwise, Mon thru Thu are free with no reservations required. Parking available inside is limited so come early to avoid the hassle. I believe they open at 6:30 AM and closing is dependent on sundown. We hiked with our 2 little girls and dogs. Even with the little ones, we were able to make it to the Canyon View Overlook and back. In case your dog needs a bathroom break, bag it up and I recall there was at least one trash can along the path towards the Overlooks. Help keep this hiking gem clean! Scenery was gorgeous, hike was pretty easy without difficulty, and be sure to visit both Overlooks for some beautiful sights. We took the North Legacy Way, in case you're curious. Great for hiking enthusiasts, families, quality time with nature, and perfect for those that want to avoid lots of foot traffic!

Great hiking. Good facilities. Beautiful scenery. Need to have 85 characters ti post hope thi is…read moreenough.

This location is also known as the Big Hill Vista Point. There is a lookout tower here. But that is…read moreoff limits to visitors. It's actually used by the El Dorado National Forest to actually look out for fire activity. There is even a helipad. Below the hill with the tower and facility building is a parking lot and walking path to the Vista Point. Gorgeous views all around. The path is flat, no elevation gain. The point is about a 1-2 minute walk down the path. The vista point is carved out of the hillside with views and f the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Crystal Basin. The point was dedicated in 2002 by SMUD ( the local energy supply company) and the El Dorado National Forest. Not only can you simply enjoy the beautiful scenery, they have informational placards. Ohh how I luv an information board. I learned that in 1958 SMUD started the local hydroelectric projects in the area. First with Ice House Dam and Reservoir. Then in 1971, they completed the "stairway of power" that is the 40 miles of tunnels, reservoirs, and penstocks that deliver hydroelectric power using the water and snowpack from the western slope Sierra Nevada mountains. Wow! What a work of technology and people strength. To think that's how we get our electricity! The vista point is free, it's free to drive around inside the El Dorado National Forest to look a loo. But if you stay long for a hike, picnic, whatever; then you will need to pay the parking fee. To get to the vista point is not easy. The road is rural, curving, uphill, narrow at points, and riddled with pot holes in various stretches. I don't recommend driving up here is a low profile vehicle. Leave your Maserati at home.

The morning air was crisp and clean so what better time to drive up to "Big Hill Vista Point" in…read moreEldorado National Forest to see spectacular views of "Crystal Basin".. I was telling my wife that the last time I visited here was over a year ago. There was so much smoke in the valley from forest fires that you couldn't even see the lake. The road to "Big Hill Vista Point" is right off of Icehouse Road. The Road is two and one- half mile long and takes you up to an elevation of 6,132 feet to the top. Here you will find an observation area overlooking "Crystal Basin." Vista Point is also shared by the "Big Hill Lookout Tower" which is a lookout tower and command post for fire operations. Due to weather constraints, the road to Big Hill Vista Point is not always open. Best to see on a clear day ! Enjoy ! Live/Love/Travel

This was a really fun hike! Most of the trail is flat and the it's easy to follow and well worn. I…read morethink it used to be a loop but the West side is currently closed so it's now a there and back kind of path. There are many wood bridges along the path and while I'm sure they're safe (we're alive) some of them shifted under our feet and there were a few holes as well. Just be careful of where you're stepping. In some parts of the trail there is a higher path you can take alongside the main path that makes it easier to let people pass or just get a great view of everything below. Towards the end of the hike there's a big fork that goes up and down, if you head down you'll get to the water. We saw a bunch of other dogs taking this trail and our pup did a great job, even at the bottom where it was more rocky getting to the water. We would definitely do this hike again!

I went to the right side , beautiful pools, water clear and colorful, there are two spots with sand…read moreand you can relax after a nice swim, the pool is big enough to get a good swim.