We always love hiking here. It's easy to hike with kids, even though it can get a little rocky and…read morea little muddy. The cave is always beautiful, especially when the water is flowing. Today, there are still descent of people hiking, and we came around 12:30 Easy Hike!Gonna come back again soon. P. S please leave no trace

I went here on a weekday, and when I arrived in the parking lot, I was shocked by how much was…read moregoing on. It definitely did not feel like a safe place to leave a car or to walk alone. There appeared to be drug activity, and there were people living in their cars. It felt more like a place for people to hang out and purchase drugs than a normal parking lot. I observed this as I drove through, which was very concerning. This was a bummer, especially since the trail itself looked beautiful. I'm surprised that law enforcement hasn't been called by the neighborhood, but then again, I understand that people can sometimes become used to these conditions.

Take a hike! Seriously... the trail is well marked and easy. Bring a picnic and enjoy a day at the…read morelake

Just a very nice 2 1/2 mile walk around this pretty lake. Nothing special necessarily, but very…read morepretty.

"100 degree Hike -- Just Righr!"…read more I had a chance to check out this trail today on a boiling hot day. At the end of my 10 mile hike, I was really dragging, and did not know why. (I like hot weather.) When I got back to the car I realized it was 100 degrees! Oh, I guess that explains it. So keep in mind that in the summer this area is boiling hot! If you do hike at that time, be sure to bring a ton of water. I brought 3 liters, which was just right for a 10 mile round trip. I did not see any potable water along the trail, so be sure to keep that in mind and bring your own water. There is a convenient staging area at the south end of Pardee dam, called Campo Seco. The day that I visited, the only other visitors there had large horse trailers. There is an outhouse at the staging area, and another one a few miles east on the trail, at a fascinating area called the Wildermuth House. This house is the top attraction on the hiking trail. Definitely worth a visit. Note that you need to also get a hiking permit. I got mine today from the party Lake Pardee Recreation Area. It's really very inexpensive. There is also a sign in kiosk at the staging area. On this my first visit, I went east from the staging area. For most of the trail, there's not a whole lot to see. After several miles however, the trail approaches close to the Mokelumne River, and the views are excellent. If you happen to go 5 miles east from the staging area there's a fascinating structure known as the Kiln. It's actually made out of bricks and is just slightly off the trail. One can actually crawl inside. I posted some photos of the kiln. The Kiln marked by further most point on my hike today. From there I returned to the staging area. Including some extra time for finding geocaches, my round trip to the killed was about 10.5 miles. So I'm glad I made this hike, but in the future I think I will visit on a cooler day.

What can you say, this is a hidden jewel. We just found this trail system. Very well maintained and…read morea family pass is 10 per year. Several access points allow you to get there easily. Difficulty levels are from easy to difficult all are accurately marked on the maps. We have tried several segments and can't wait for the next. Grab a pack and good shoes head out in the morning to enjoy beautiful views and a quite retreat from the craziness of life. You really must try this EBMUD system, good information on their website also where you purchase your pass as well. See you on the trails!

Chasing (roadside) waterfalls…read more.. This is a pretty decent roadside waterfall off Highway 50 (between Sac and Lake Tahoe) near Pollock Pines. It is pretty during spring as snow melting gives the waterfall a good amount of flow with a drop of 80-ft. Nice stop to stretch out the legs at the same time. The waterfall grabs your attention whether you're driving to or from Lake Tahoe. The falls is to your right as you head to the Lake. I suppose you can pull over on the opposite side of the highway to get a full view of the falls but I wouldn't cross the road as it is dangerous because there are blind turns, sometimes cars and trucks whiz by fast and furious down this road. Easy access where you literally just pull over into a very large pullout right in front of the falls. This waterfalls is about 60 miles from our place. It is worth stopping to look at, at least once, on your way to Lake Tahoe. Review #2106 updated

Worth the quick stop to get out, stretch and check it out on the drive to Tahoe or back! Very cool…read morelittle falls on an easy pull out.

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.

Some friends and myself just spent the last two days hiking into the desolation wilderness part of…read morethe Sierra Nevada mountain range, near Lake Tahoe, Ca. Up Wright's Lake road you go until you've reached a top-of-the-world mountain spot called Wright's Lake. There are some hiking trails that extend you further into the nearby mountains, placing you at various lakes beneath these craggy skyscrapers, just west of Pyramid peak. We spent a night at Hemlock Lake, a beautiful little destination spot in this area for hiking and overnight camping. I hurrah this pristine little lake for variety of excellencies: first, the fishing was bountiful, and a respectful fisherperson will find themselves a tasty dinner amongst the wildlife jumping at the water's surface. Second, there is a half-rushing waterfall that cascades from higher-up snowmelt, feeding down into the lake. A short jaunt and slopey climb will catch you some of the prettiest vista-views this side of the Sierras has to offer. Surrounding both the waterfall and lake are gorgeous Jeffrey sugarpines. Put your face close to its rutty bark, and you will want to lick the delicious smell of these trees (especially for a hungry hiker). All this, but don't count on any time to sit and meditate. Half of the exercise I got out of this trip was from slapping and dancing around the mosquitos that inhabit the lush little 8500-foot lake. I won't complain, since it's not my place to judge nature, but I do largely suggest that you bring with you some sort of repellant. We used garlic cloves, which worked surprisingly well. But if nature's comfort is what you're looking for, mosquitos are only a necessary part of this package. I say, take the trip. Even if you don't like the remarkable hike or lake, there's enough camping spots and high-mountain lakes in this area to keep you and your family/friends packing here for for years to come!

Beautiful scenery and you can choose from different levels of hiking trails. Lots of shade in warm…read moreweather.

For people who enjoy walking threw nature this is a beautiful place ! With a lot to over look enjoy…read morewalking

The Rubicon Trail was certainly a hike that we stumbled upon by chance. After visiting Baldwin…read moreBeach, we were looking for somewhere to see the infamous Emerald Bay and see the lake from a different viewpoint. After paying the $10 entrance fee to park, we saw that there was an option for a hike to get to a waterfall. One thing to keep in mind is the steep incline throughout most of the trail - this would definitely be a hike that I would consider as moderate difficulty. Overall, I believe that my Apple Watch clocked 3.75 miles for the hike round trip! Getting to the waterfall and spending time in the visitors center and around the base of the lake was a treat!

I picked the perfect day to hike; temp was 70 around 2 pm. I had read that the D.L Bliss Camp…read moreaccess to the Rubicon trail was closed but Emerald Bay was open. We headed to EB camp grounds. Being this the first time we attempted to hike at The Rubicon, we had questions. The park rangers gave us a free 20 min pass to drive inside and see where the trail was. We explored the area; some construction was happening but trail was accessible. We were happy with what we saw, it was a beautiful day and I had a backpack full of water and snacks. We went back to pay the 10 dollar fee for the day pass and we headed out towards our journey. The path was pretty easy heading to Vikingsholm Castle hardly broke a sweat. We enjoyed clear beautiful panoramic views of the lake. It was quite breathtaking. Not too many people on the trail and that was quite peaceful and enjoyable. A lot of people when we arrived at the Vikingholm Castle. We took a few photos there and enjoyed the cool breeze then headed back. Boy oh boy did I underestimate that climb back to camp. My mind was saying "yes you can" but my old bones and lungs were not very convinced. I hadn't been hiking like this in about 5 years but I survived without reaching for my Life Alert pendant; kidding, not kidding. It was just a reminder that I have to do this more often to get conditioned again. It was a nice accomplishment even though I just did 1.5 miles of the 12 mile hike. I'll push to do 3 next time. It was really great to get out and enjoy nature like that. We are so lucky to live so close to all this beautiful scenery. It was quite refreshing, I felt great. We stopped at Camp Richardson on our way back and enjoyed some ice cream; a perfect ending to our beautiful day.

Beautiful Blue Oak ecosystem. They sponsor hikes with themes: fungi & mushrooms, native Indian or…read moresettler history, yoga, geology,etc. Self guided hikes of 3 to 6 miles. SacramentoValleyConservacy.org

We attended the first docent-led hike of the year on Saturday, 2/1/2020. It was a "history" hike,…read morefocusing on the Deer Creek Gold Rush. We learned about the gold in the area, the miners, the mining district, and the fate of the local natives. The leader, David, was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed a beautiful 3-mile hike over gentle hills. It was an easy hike, although some of the terrain was rocky and uneven, and we had to find a path through a couple of small streams. Not a problem for most, but some older folk were glad they had their hiking poles. I was glad I had my waterproof hiking shoes. The Preserve is open to the public on Saturdays from Feb - May, and then again in the fall. Check the website for access hours. You can hike on your own, or register for one of the docent-led hikes. Also, the road to access Deer Creek Hills is not paved, and there is a small stream you have to drive through to get to the hiking area, so a four-wheel drive is a good idea. Those without high-clearance vehicles parked their cars along the side of the road before the stream, and hiked to the trailhead.