6/30/2026: Taking care of business--everyday, i.e., paying sewer bill~sigh ‼ It's rather…read morestrangely odd . . . I only visit Downtown Placerville when I must visit Placerville City Hall's paying the City Of Placerville's permanently indentured sewer bill. Yet, while parking my truck inside the parking lot structure today, I began noticing two new, art galleries where Poke used to be in existence which by the way~does leave me so very sad, 1800's street names, and new murals adjacent to City Hall are popping up~hmmmm . . . Intriguing, indeed!

A Walk Through History with Small-Town Charm…read more Historic Downtown Placerville is such a wonderful place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Walking down Main Street truly feels like stepping back in time. many of the buildings date back to the 1800s, and you can sense the Gold Rush history in every corner. There's a great mix of boutique shops, antique stores, art galleries, and cozy restaurants to explore. Many of the shop owners are friendly and passionate about sharing the local history, which makes the experience even more special. The town has managed to preserve its character while adding a touch of modern comfort. We enjoyed browsing through unique stores filled with handcrafted gifts and local treasures, then stopped for a quick bite at one of the charming cafés. If you're into photography, there are plenty of picturesque spots, especially around the old storefronts and murals that tell Placerville's story. Parking can get a little tight on weekends, but the slower pace, friendly vibe, and sense of nostalgia more than make up for it. Overall, Historic Downtown Placerville is a lovely destination for a relaxed day trip, a bit of shopping, or simply soaking up California's Gold Country charm. Highly recommend stopping by if you're passing through or looking for a scenic getaway close to Sacramento.

We sort of happened upon this historic site while taking a walk in Folsom. I was honestly surprised…read moreat how fascinating the site is. It's intact and been really well preserved. There was a docent named Tom that gave us a short tour and he definitely made the experience more enjoyable. I would absolutely return to the site. I'd love to take more photos, it's super cool.

Who knew the engineering that went into supplying Sacramento with hydro-power! It's not typically…read moremy "go-to" type of history but my granddaughter was really wondering about the place so we stopped in. I've lived in the area for 50 years and this honestly, sadly, was the first time I experienced the old powerhouse. Just go, you won't be disappointed and do bring a picnic and enjoy river views under the trees!

Great beginners trail for toddlers! My daughter is 16 months old and did this walk. We got there at…read more10 and left at 1. We saw only a few people on the trail on a week day. Saw only a handful of dinosaurs. Wouldn't recommend a stroller, you'd have to pick it up at some points, but is maybe doable. Really nice river spot to relax at maybe half way, 3/4 of the way. It's an easy loop to follow. Starts at one side of the parking lot and ends at the other.

This is a nearby nature haven for families. Lots of free…read moreparking right off the road. Pit toilet in the parking lot. Down an accessible path about half a mile is a nice beach on the river. Sandy. Rocks to sit on and throw! The path is wide and mostly poison oak free. Along the path your kids will find small toys hidden on the rock walls, in the madrone bushes, hanging from the puzzle-bark pines. Nice picnic areas have been cleared of brush and poison oak and have picnic tables. Our four-year old loved the walk, enjoyed the beach, and managed the return hike, too! We could have stayed all afternoon if we had thought to bring a blanket and sand toys. Next time we will also bring small toys to add to the fun of the search! This is a loop trail, a little over a mile, but only the first half mile is wide, accessible and clear of poison oak. We returned via this trail because the rest of the loop narrows and poison oak was everywhere. Older kids might like it.

Fantastic park to stop for when you need a place to eat a lunch. We were on our way to check out…read morethe fall leaves and stopped at Safeway for sandwiches with a group of 10 of us. Nice views, and LARGE sturdy picnic tables. There is even a toilet and also an ADA compliant area next to handicap parking. The only thing is the address for the yelp listing is wrong. The address to the park is 5581 Gail Dr Pollock Pines, CA 95726

This park was so pleasant! Our goal was to have somewhere off the road to take a quick picnic in,…read moreboy did we find a gem! The picnic tables were clean and in good condition, the parking lot was clean and there were restrooms! One thing that I thought was really thoughtful too, there was a handicap accessible picnic table that had a small gate around it (the accessible table was on a concrete pad that was level with the parking lot so it was slightly above the reservoir). Super thoughtful! Five stars for this picnic location!

Large open green space for ballgames, running, walking and running a dog!…read more There is a parking lot. It's a spot to veer off the Johnny Cash trail and enter the main town.

Came for a softball tournament that was unluckily scheduled on the same day as Folsom parade…read more Parking limited as lot filled with trucks/horse trailers staged for parade. Bathrooms quite a mess. Infield in ok condition lots of room for pops for spectator shade

Summer time is here y'all. In his time to get your workouts on. I love going hiking in Auburn. It's…read morethe most beautiful place. Come on up and see the place where fast and Furious was filmed. There's a bridge. This place has all the wonderful waterfalls and bodies of water. I can't mention how many different trails there are. I love coming up here with my best friend. I hadn't been up here for almost a couple years and I needed to get my workout on to get this COVID weight off. What a wonderful place to start.

Won't be disappointed. Hikes up the mountain are pretty steep and the fall is very dangerous and…read morefar. If you enjoy a thrill this is it. Hiking down to the river was the best. Not as steep but still had an amazing view. The river was beautiful and not to cold!

I had a great time swimming in this lake during the heat wave of this year's 4th of July weekend…read more It's a beautiful place in the Tahoe National Forest. I love the lake is cold and remote. It is the highlight of this campground (and why I highly rate this place). That being said, it is very bare-bones services here. I recommend bringing your water & a pair of water shoes. There are no showers, no bathroom lighting, water is scarce (and the faucet closest to my campsite that I used had opaque white color). There is no signal, and you cannot make an easy stop somewhere to pick up what you forgot, especially as you leave Georgetown (or Foresthill). There are no trails adjacent (within walking distance) to the campgrounds. Lastly, you might have to deal with mosquitoes even if your campsite is one of the furthest from the lake. It does take a while to get here (about 1.5 hours after Georgetown, the last place with a gas station on the way there.) You also need to make sure you have the right directions (the address on Yelp is incorrect, and with a road closure lasting this year, you need to take the Eleven Pines route past Georgetown). Also, you cannot continue onto the Lake Tahoe area from here, at least as easily or quickly as one would imagine. The physical distance is much different from what the roadways would allow, but that's how remote this place is! Pros and cons.

I'm not big on camping, but I'll do it. The campgrounds is off the beaten path. We had to take a…read morewindy road to get there. Our group site had plenty of trees that provided shade. There were no showers at this location and only vault toilets, which I was weary of. Even so, it wasn't too bad as we were there only two nights. It got quite dark at night, especially since there was a fire restriction- no campfire. There aren't any hiking trails that I know of, but there is a reservoir close by if you want to swim or do other water activities. Be aware there is very limited cell phone coverage and there are no stores close by.

3/27/2026: First-Born Daughter drove underneath Johnny Cash Bridge Trail…read more Backstory: During Easter 2016, I packed well over 10K worth of household goods and commissioned a Folsom Storage Company storing my possessions. Next, I began camping reservations using my Veteran's Park Pass at Beals State Park Campground, Rattlesnake State Park Campground, Yosemite's Wawona Campground, Turlock State Park Campground, welp~pretty much all State and Federal Campgrounds WEST of The Rocky Mountains, etc. camping one week each from Easter 2016 until, July 2017. It was fun camping everywhere due to the fact I was HOMELESS~eek; however, my El Dorado County House was finally built and completed its construction at the end of July 2017. Then, my homelessness happily ended. Anyway, while camping at both State Parks--Beals State Park Campground and Rattlesnake State Park Campground plus, driving on Natomas Road and the Folsom-Auburn Road were all undergoing major construction. The State Parks and the roads were ALL a humongous mess especially, Natomas Road! Driving from Beals State Park to Ranch 99 to Oaks Parkway via Natomas Road, there were Earth Movers dotting the roadway--traffic was backed up causing a lot of congestion. Then, I noticed two pillars and a bridge connecting the two pillars under construction . . . Questioning--What was the reason for the building construction and the reason observing one pillar built on each side of Natomas Road: "Gee~is there going to be a gate access to FOLSOM PRISON????" Regardless, I was shocked! I just didn't understand why the City Of Folsom would install two pillars and a bridge which just happens to be ADJACENT and less than a quarter mile from FOLSOM PRISON! About a year later, I noticed the Johnny Cash sign! Ahhhhh~~The two pillars and the bridge happens to be a commemoration for Johnny Cash performing at FOLSOM PRISON! Aside, I know I took photos of the two pillars and the bridge posting my photos on YELP! YET, I can't find none of my photos I took of the two pillars and bridge as well as all my photos camping at Beals State Park, the Folsom Dam construction, etc.! Where did ALL my photos go, eh, YELP???? https://yelp.to/5ZZoZwPyyO

The Johnny Cash Overpass Bridge is a concrete bike bridge over Folsom Lake Crossing near East…read moreNatoma in Folsom. It was constructed in 2017 with recycled and reclaimed materials. Starting where the American River Bike auxiliary trail over Folsom Dam ends, this is officially the beginning of the Johnny Cash Art Trail. The bridge itself is art, with architecture similar to the nearby Folsom Prison. According to the website, the towers on either side of the bridge are modeled after the East Gate at the prison, where Johnny Cash took some of his most famous photos. Several planned public art works are to be placed near the bridge in the future, including the Man in Black, the Ring of Fire, the Rusty Cage, and Cash's Pick. Throughout the year, the bridge is amply decorated with flags and lights, depending on the season. Pretty soon, it should be decorated with military flags to celebrate Memorial Day. After that, it will feature American flags for most of the summer. Riding (or walking) over the bridge takes one through the two lines of flags (since they're hung over both sides of the bridge, which is also the trail). On a windy day, the noise of the flags flapping fades out the sounds of traffic down below. For selfie enthusiasts, the bridge makes an excellent backdrop, with or without the flags. Currently, the nearest parking is either in the Brigg's Ranch area, or on the other side of the dam. In the future, there is going to be a new parking lot for the trail on the corner of Folsom Lake Crossing and East Natoma, which is practically next to the bridge. According to the website, it will feature 25 parking spaces, 2 of which will be ADA accessible. Overall, this bridge is sturdy, convenient, beautiful, and environmentally friendly. I can't wait to see what it looks like when all of the nearby art installations are complete.