It’s time! Last winter’s abundance of snow has finally retreated, and the high country is exploding with color. Now is the time to head off on your favorite wildflower hike. You will beat the heat and experience a visual feast that is unequalled at any other time of year. Now is the time to escape the heat and enjoy the beauty. However, don’t wait too long, or the peak wildflower-viewing season will pass. Happy hiking!​

1. Carson Pass to Lake Winnemucca
It’s a favorite of many hikers. Along the 2.5-mile hike, you will pass through an abundance of wildflowers, especially during the last ½ mile. At that point, there’s an area where the flowers are chest high, offering a seemingly unlimited variety.
This trail takes off at the Carson Pass Station and goes by beautiful Frog Lake on the way. The lake is only 200 feet or so off the trail and makes a scenic stop.
Directions:  Carson Pass
Directions:  Lake Winnemucca

2. Woods Lake to Lake Winnemucca
The 1.7-mile trail starts at the Woods Lake Trailhead about one mile off Highway 88. After you travel through a beautiful wooded area, the trail climbs and takes you past a hillside that is covered with an abundance and variety of flowers.
Directions: Woods Lake Trailhead

3. Meiss Meadows Trail
The trailhead is located on the north side of Highway 88 about ½ mile before Carson Pass. A roughly 2.5-mile hike takes you into Meiss Meadows, which is a large, lush meadow area teeming with wildflowers.
Directions: Meiss Meadows Trail

3. Schneider Camp to Meiss Meadows Trail
This hike is for folks with a little more adventurous nature and a four-wheel drive vehicle, since the road to the trailhead is unpaved. To get to the trailhead traveling east on Highway 88, you will turn left at the Cal Trans Maintenance Station about ½ mile past the second Caples Lake Dam. Follow the road through the station, and continue to the trailhead. The 1.0-mile trail to Meiss Ridge takes hikers through a basin filled with wildflowers.
Directions: Schneider Camp

Now is the time to escape the heat and enjoy the beauty. However, don’t wait too long, or the peak wildflower-viewing season will pass. Happy hiking!

To see the original article and more photos in Sacramento Valley magazine CLICK HERE.

Dr. Annie Gareau, one of the co-authors of a 2012 study on the Epidemiology of Mountain Bike Park Injuries at the Whistler Bike Park, and an emergency room specialist at the Whistler Health Centre was quoted as saying, " A general rule of thumb is that one in 1,000 skiers are injured, one in 100 snowboarders, and one in 10 downhill cyclists."

Time for mountain bikers to take a page from snowsports.
--by Andru McCracken, The Rocky Mountain Goat newspaper

Last week we learned that a woman broke her spine during Valemount's
Annual Bikefest. She survived, but she and her family are still
waiting to see the extent of the injuries at a hospital in Edmonton.
The Rocky Mountain Goat wishes her a full and speedy recovery.

It was a traumatic, life changing event and naturally the woman and
her family didn't want to become headlines. This makes a ton of sense
to me. The woman's identity should be protected.

I am a proponent, however, of talking openly about the events that
lead crashes, even if it's anonymously.

It's time to create a place where riders can publish an anonymized
serious injury report.

Accidents happen. There's no need to downplay them. If you think that
accidents aren't a part of mountain biking, you're either from some
gravity-free planet or you are in denial. Dr. Annie Gareau, one of
the co-authors of a 2012 study on the Epidemiology of Mountain Bike
Park Injuries at the Whistler Bike Park, and an emergency room
specialist at the Whistler Health Centre was quoted as saying a
general rule of thumb is that one in 1,000 skiers are injured, one in
100 snowboarders, and one in 10 downhill cyclists.

That said, those of us who ride accept the risks. Hit by a tree in a
windstorm? Thrown off the bike after crashing into the same tree?
This isn't a ball pit at a theme park. It's a mountain. If you lost
your nerve on a steep section and hit the front brakes and ended up
in a patch of stinging nettle with a broken clavicle, it's on you.
The responsibility at Valemount Bike Park lies with the rider.

This isn't about laying blame. This is about building a culture of
smart safe riding. It's about getting better and sharing what went
wrong, so the next person doesn't find themselves in the exact same
circumstance with the exact same consequences.

The potential value in this is echoed by the work of the local health
clinic. They have shared injury patterns with trail maintainers to
great effect, causing changes in trail layout and designations.

When there are really serious injuries a different kind of report
needs to be made: A report from the injured. What trail was it on?
What was the feature? Your skill level? The number of times you've
ridden the park and that trail in particular? What led up to the
crash? What would have helped?

Valemount is good at this already. Snowmobiling and backcountry
skiing are high risk sports, and the risk of avalanches is
notoriously easy to underestimate and hard to predict but proponents
of the sport have been making mad progress.  The latest move is for
recreationalists to submit mountain condition reports to the
Avalanche Canada website. People share how much new snow there is,
signs of instability or avalanche activity. It doesn't prevent
avalanche injuries or fatalities altogether, but it ups everybody's
game and raises awareness.

Valemount Bike Park could be a safer place, but the onus here isn't
on the trail maintainers, or the doctors at the clinic. The people
with power to help are an unlikely and unlucky crew: the injured.

It's a pretty inglorious task: How I flubbed it and why. But in the
future, I hope one of the first things we think of when we're flying
through the air all akimbo is, "What I am I going to include in my report?"

With any luck it will save some lucky soul no small amount of grief.

To read this original article in Rocky Mountain Goat CLICK HERE.

To read Dr. Garuau's report CLICK HERE.

​Placer Land Trust has purchased and permanently protected the 46-acre Southern Cross Preserve on the North Fork American River north of Foresthill. The purchase was funded by Placer Land Trust members through the 2017 Placer Conservator Auction, the Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust, and a 50% bargain sale from the landowner.
 
The wooded canyon land Preserve includes several hundred feet of federally-designated Wild & Scenic river frontage, and a section of the public Euchre Bar Trail. The property is nestled within the Tahoe National Forest, connecting federal US Forest Service lands and other nearby Placer Land Trust Preserves to create a larger area of protected wilderness. 
   
"The acquisition of the property is a great addition to the Placer Land Trust portfolio," says Ron Gould, representative of the North Fork American River Alliance, member of Placer Land Trust, and North Fork American River aficionado. "The Southern Cross Preserve is located in one of the most scenic sections of the North Fork canyon, where the river drops from pool to pool, providing many recreational opportunities. The acquisition of the property not only provides protection for the North Fork American River Wild & Scenic River, but also helps to preserve the mining artifacts and rich history of the property and surrounding area for future generations to enjoy."

To read the complete story and see more photos CLICK HERE to see Placer Land Trust Newsletter.

Jun 24, 2019
Nearly a third of elite enduro mountain bike racers finished their races after sustaining a concussion in competition, according to a newly released enduro mountain bike medical study funded by EWS and completed by Edinburgh Napier University of more than 2,000 EWS racers from 46 countries from 10 EWS events.
 
A quarter of amateur riders continue riding immediately after sustaining a concussion, according to the second part of the study, which surveyed more than 3,000 amateur level, enduro-oriented mountain bike riders.   Delaying treatment can prolong recovery by 10 days. New concussion protocol help you get back on the bike sooner post injury and can shorten full recovery time.

It’s time for a pop quiz.

You’re out there in full enduro mode, ripping
down the gnarliest run of the day, feeling the
flow, when suddenly your front wheel washes out,
sending you over the bars and into the dirt like
a human javelin. You get up, a little woozy and
unsure of what just happened. What do you do next?

A: Make like Taylor Swift, Shake It Off, and jump
back on your bike and finish the run.

B: Take a moment to let the fog clear; check your
bike, and then saddle up and let it rip.

C: Give yourself a few minutes to assess yourself
and your bike. Then walk/cruise it out, getting
off for any steep, technical stuff so you can get
out safely and get checked out as soon as possible.
D: Count back from 20 and make sure you know what
day it is. If successful, hop back on and shred away.

You picked C, right? Seems like a no brainer (pun
fully intended), but way too many people are
actually picking those other choices instead.
According to the largest ever medical review on
the sport of mountain biking, which included more
than 2,000 Enduro World Series (EWS) racers,
nearly one third said they went ahead and
finished their race immediately after being
concussed, and 43 percent of the racers said they
took ZERO TIME OFF the bike after a concussion.


The survey, which also
polled more than 3,000 amateur level enduro
riders, found that lots of mountain bikers of
every level blow off their brain injuries even
when they’re just out there riding for fun.

Specifically, the report, which was funded by EWS
and conducted by Edinburgh Napier University,
found 25 percent of recreational mountain bikers
out of 3,000 surveyed (1,941 who completed the
entire survey) kept riding right after sustaining
a concussion. Sixty-three percent didn’t follow
any safety protocol before getting back on their
bike in the days and weeks that followed a brain injury.

As one would expect, the study revealed injuries
of all sorts, including many of the usual broken
collarbones and bashed shins. But the concussion
statistics, in particular, are what caught the attention of the researchers.

What to Do If You Think You Have a Concussion

Concussion
was still the third most common injury in the
amateur mountain bikers. Though women only accounted for 10
percent of the surveyed population, they
sustained three times as many concussions as
their male counterparts. (Women appear to be at
higher risk in all sports; researchers are
investigating the why.) Almost half of riders who
reported a concussion also said they have had
significant recurrences of concussion injury.


This prompted the researchers to call for
better concussion education and more rigorous
concussion safety protocols at events. Despite
news reports, magazine features, and even movies
being made about the dangers of traumatic brain
injuries, it’s clear too many people still don’t take concussion seriously.

“It’s a problem across all sports and
recreational activities,” said athletic trainer
Tamara C. Valovich McLeod, Ph.D., a writer on the
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)
Position Statement on the Management of
Sport-Related Concussion. “People don’t recognize
and understand all the symptoms of concussion,
and if they do, there are other factors-like
riders not wanting to lose fitness-that lead them
to avoid getting checked out.”

While every concussion is different, there are
some telltale signs to watch out for. These
include: headache; loss of consciousness;
amnesia; foggy headedness; nausea; rapid and/or
severe mood swings; unsteadiness; slowed reaction
times; irritability; and drowsiness.

But here’s the thing McLeod wants everyone to
know: Head injuries no longer mean riding the
La-Z-Boy for weeks on end while your brain mends.
The 2017 Concussion in Sport Group consensus
statement overturned the long-standing notion
that you needed complete rest to recover from a
concussion. Instead, the report, recommends 24 to
48 hours of rest and then gradually becoming more active as symptoms subside.

“That means under the direction of a health care
provider, you could be doing 20 minutes of riding
and then some other exercises on the first day,
and ultimately get back to safe, unrestricted
riding sooner than someone who doesn’t seek
medical help right away and just pushes through,” McLeod said.

One study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that
adolescents who followed this type of active
protocol postconcussion recovered in 13 days
compared to 17 days for teens who did no aerobic
exercise during their recovery.

“There’s recent evidence that if you delay
seeking treatment for concussion, you take up to
10 days longer to recover,” McLeod said. “It’s
like taking one little step forward and five steps back.”

 - by SELENE YEAGER
Selene Yeager is a
top-selling professional health and fitness
writer who lives what she writes as a NASM
certified personal trainer, USA Cycling certified
coach, pro licensed mountain bike racer, and All-American Ironman triathlete.

CLICK HERE to see articles from Bicycling.com and HERE from Singletracks

After a six-month winter, Tioga Road will open Friday on a limited basis with access to the high country of Yosemite National Park. The Lassen Park Highway will open Saturday afternoon. Full operations at Echo Lake near Tahoe, Caples Lake near Carson Pass, and a dozen campgrounds in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area also will commence this weekend.
Two weeks from Fourth of July weekend, summer finally is arriving to the flank of the Sierra Nevada. Hot sun in the past 10 days has melted snow across millions of acres of national forest up to about 7,500-foot elevations in California’s mountain country. That is allowing rangers to open roads and trails for camping, hiking and boating at hundreds of small lakes and streams.
At the same time, many high-country wilderness areas remain inaccessible. Snow depths higher than 10 feet this week include at the Pacific Crest Trail above 9,500-foot Leavitt Lake near Sonora Pass, at 7,707-foot Grouse Ridge in the Bowman Lakes Recreation Area north of Tahoe, and at the 8,500-foot staging area for the trailhead for Lassen Peak.
Here are the latest tips for summer trips across the Sierra:
Tahoe Basin
Echo Lakes/Desolation: Echo Lakes finally became ice-free last weekend. The water level topped off this week and patchy snow continues circling the lake. The hiker’s boat taxi started this week and the Echo Chalet expects to open all operations by the weekend. The Pacific Crest Trail is snow-covered into Desolation Wilderness as far as Aloha Lake, but some ambitious hikers with crampons and ski poles are making the trek, anyway. Contact: Echo Chalet, 530-659-7207, www.echochalet.com.
D.L. Bliss/Emerald Bay: Eagle Point Campground opened for last weekend, joining the recent openers at D.L. Bliss State Park and the boat-in sites at Emerald Bay. In the vicinity of the shore of Lake Tahoe, all Forest Service campgrounds are open. In the surrounding higher terrain, you hit snow at 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Contact: D.L. Bliss State Park, 530-525-9529, www.parks.ca.gov; Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 530-543-2600, www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu.

North Sierra
Lakes Basin Recreation Area: In the Lakes Basin (also called “The Gold Lakes”), campgrounds opening Friday include Packsaddle, Berger and Diablo. That means all the campgrounds at Gold, Sardine, Goose, Packer and Haven lakes will be open for the weekend. The road to the trailhead to the Sierra Buttes is clear, but the trail is buried by snow, with no projections when it will become passable. Contact: Yuba River Ranger District North, 530-288-3231, www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe; Beckwourth Ranger District, 530-836-2575, www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
Carson Pass Lakes, Highway 88: Caples Lake (7,800 feet) became ice-free Monday, with immediate good fishing for big trout, and Caples Lake Resort will be open this weekend for lodging and boat rentals. Nearby on Highway 88, campgrounds are scheduled to open next Thursday at Silver, Kirkwood and Woods lakes (the last could be delayed by snow on the access road). Contact: Caples Lake Resort, 209-258-8888, www.capleslakeresort.com; Eldorado National Forest, Amador Ranger District, 209-295-4251, www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado.
Bowman Lakes Recreation Area: When you drive in on Bowman Road/Forest Road 20, the road is clear for 4 miles to Fuller Lake and beyond another 4 miles to the turnoff for Carr, Feeley and Lindsey Lakes. You turn right, and 2 miles in, become blocked by snow. It’s 50-50 if this route will clear by the Fourth of July. Nearby, the route to 7,707-foot Grouse Ridge, with 12 feet of snow measured at the lookout, is not even on the radar. Contact: Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District South, 530-265-4531, www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe.
Independence Lake, Truckee: The snow depth was measured at 84 inches here this week. Contact: The Nature Conservancy, Nevada Field Office, 775-322-4990, www.nature.org.

Central Sierra
Yosemite National Park: Tioga Road will open Friday with limited hours, 10-11 a.m., and then in the afternoon, 3-4 p.m. Snow-clearing operations are continuing on shoulders, parking areas and visitor facilities, rangers said, and during the process, no parking on Tioga Road will be allowed. Tioga Road/Highway 120 spans from Crane Flat up to Tuolumne Meadows and beyond over 9,943-foot Tioga Pass. Many high-country areas above 8,000 feet still have several feet of snow, creeks are high and meadows are flooded. Rangers predict snow-covered trails well into July, and in some high-country areas with little sun exposure, into August. For camping along Tioga Road, there are no tentative opening dates for Tuolumne Meadows, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, and the best guess by rangers is Aug. 2 for the first weekend of August. These late openers are compressing summer visitors to Yosemite Valley, where the waterfalls are still roaring and parking places are difficult to find after 9 a.m. (and to Glacier Point). Contact: Yosemite National Park, 209-372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
Crystal Basin Recreation Area: The road is clear (and paved) for 30 miles to Loon Lake (6,378 feet). In the process, you pass Ice House and Union Valley reservoirs, and snow-free spurs to other lakes. The campground at Loon is projected to open by the end of June and will be the last of 20 campgrounds in the region to open for the season. Contact: Eldorado National Forest, Placerville Ranger District, 530-644-2234, www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado.
Highway 4, Ebbetts Pass: Highway 4 is snow-free with hot weather at Calaveras Big Trees State Park and access out of Dorrington to the Stanislaus River, running high and cold. Near 8,730-foot Ebbetts Pass at the Pacific Crest Trail, the verified snow depth this week was 18 inches, patchy with drifts. Contact: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 775-331-6444, www.fs.usda.gov/htnf.
Highway 108, Sonora Pass: Highway 108 over 9,623-foot Sonora Pass is open and clear. Nearby, the gauge at Leavitt Lake reports a 115-inch snow depth and the PCT above Sonora Pass is impassable. Pinecrest and Beardsley lakes are open, full. Contact: Stanislaus National Forest, Summit Ranger District, 209-965-3434, www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus.

North state
Lassen Park Highway: The Lassen Park Highway will open at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and campgrounds at Manzanita and Butte lakes are open, along with camps at Southwest Walk-in and Warner Valley. Because of high snow above 7,500 feet, camps at Summit Lake, Juniper Lake, and the trailhead for Bumpass Hell geothermal area, will not open until well into July, and perhaps later. Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, 530-595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo.
Mt. Shasta: The Everitt Memorial Highway is clear to Bunny Flat (6,950 feet), where you then run into the wall of snow. On giant Shasta, the snow has settled, hardened, and with low winds most recent days (on Thursday, forecast to blow to 40 on the summit), set up for excellent early-morning climbing conditions. Fifth Season Climbing Report, 530-926-5555 (recording, updated daily) or 530-926-3606 (in person).
Trinity-Divide: From Lake Siskiyou, South Fork Road is snow-free over Mumbo Summit to Grey Rocks and to Castle Crags, in time for the Castle Crags Century cycling event Saturday. Contact: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mount Shasta District, 530-926-4511, www.fs.usda.gov/stnf; Castle Crags Century, http://castlecragscentury.com.
Medicine Lake Highlands: The drive from Highway 89 at Bartle is blocked this week by 2 feet of snow some 28 miles in, just 2 miles from Medicine Lake. Contact: Modoc National Forest, Doublehead Ranger District, 530/667-2246, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.

To see the original article and photos in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, CLICK HERE.

Photo by C. Ferris
Thunder, lightning, hail, snow, rain, wind. Spring has all of that, plus bright, blue-sky sunny days and mild temps in our area. All that adds up to great bike rides, except for the thunder and lightning bit.
The robust snowpack in the high country means hiking at elevations below about 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Cycling is in that boat also. Above those elevations there is snow, a lot of it.
There isn’t a really good count of how many miles of mountain bike trails we have in El Dorado County. Best guess is there may be too many to count. Someone should tally it all up and write a book about it. There’s also not a good count on how many miles of safe road bike riding we have.

Road bikes, the skinny tire type, are best suited for hard-packed dirt or paved roads. Safe simply means roads with enough shoulder space to ride away from the traffic lanes as much as possible. Some of our county roads have just enough space on the side of the road for the white fog line, and nothing more.
If you’re a cyclist, it’s time to take advantage of the fantastic June weather and start pedalling, especially if your favorite hike is still waist-deep in snow. There’s plenty to choose from for both fat-tire and skinny-tire riders.
We actually have some of the best mountain bike riding here. Some of the trails draw riders from all over the states and internationally, too. From very gentle to very technically challenging we have it all.
One of the more famous trails, which won’t be rideable any time soon, is Mr. Toads up in Tahoe. Right now it should be named Mr. Toads Very Snow Covered No-Ride Trail.
Local bike shops in Tahoe are sending mountain bike riders to the Corral Trail, Power Line Trail and Tahoe Mountain. They span quite a lot of territory and are currently free of snow. They are also good for just about anyone who is competent on a bike, travelling through some wonderful Tahoe forest scenery.
The Crystal Basin Recreation Area has many miles of trails for mountain bikes and good roads for the skinny-tire riders. Mountain bike rides up there are on USFS logging roads or marked trails. Some of those roads go on forever, taking quite a few twists and turns.
Road bike riders may enjoy the trek from Ice House to Wright’s Lake. Right now you can’t actually get to Wright’s, from Highway 50 or Ice House, but you can ride quite a ways. Traffic is light this time of year. The forest up in Crystal Basin is just simply stunning right now.
Sly Park Recreation Area in Pollock Pines has a mountain bike trail that circles the lake. There are some technical aspects to that trail. Goofing up at the wrong spot may land you in the lake.
Just across Mormon Emigrant Trail after the second dam is a series of well-known trails that wind around the forest and attract riders from all over. It’s called Fleming Meadows and is a great place to ride. Take a map though. A wrong turn can mean a long ride that you may not expect.






For a challenging road bike ride, Mormon Emigrant Trail/Iron Mountain Road will test your stamina and maybe make you think you’re crazy. At 23.72 miles one-way it’s longer, and in spots more difficult, than Blue Lakes over on Highway 88.
It’s a U.S. Forest Service road, and on their list, it’s Forest Route 5.  How much time you have or want to spend in the saddle will determine where you park. No matter where that is, from start to finish, one-way or out-and-back, you’re on your own.
There are no services along the road. The road ends at Highway 88. There is a rest stop there, but that’s it. No water, food or latte carts along the way.
For a sweet, in-town ride, the El Dorado Trail, any part of it, is perfect. Nothing is too strenuous, the scenery is great and the paved trail provides a smooth ride. Snacks in town after your ride are mandatory.
Take advantage of what we have and — get outside!
By Charlie Ferris
To see the original article and photo in the Mt. Democrat newspaper, CLICK HERE 

Park association representatives from the Empire Mine Park Association, South Yuba River Park Association and the Friends of North Bloomfield and Malakoff Diggins met recently regarding consolidation. The three groups are working through the process of consolidating their charters and support work.
A transitional committee led by the three presidents of each association (Brianna Cosbie–Empire Mine Park Association, Robert Coats-South Yuba River Park Association, and Holly Mitten-Friends of North Bloomfield and Malakoff Diggins) will continue to work together until the new foundation is operational, according to a release.
Coats has lent his leadership and expertise to guide the group through the steps necessary to form the new association, to be called the Sierra Gold Parks Foundation. With a target of Oct. 31 to be operational, the team has spent time documenting the assets, existing and future budgets, and mission-related activities projected to take place over the next two years.
A new board will be established, initially including representatives from each of the three existing park support organizations, plus additional individuals with demonstrated interest and expertise to support the state parks.
Each park support association is individually viable, with volunteers and assets; however, by consolidating functions, activities, and energies the new association will be even more robust. The new association will honor previously designated funds, grants, and park-specific event proceeds, to be expended in the park of origin. The long-term picture will be a foundation that generates enhanced support for all three parks.
Matt Green, acting superintendent for the Sierra District, expressed support for the establishment of the Sierra Gold Parks Foundation.
“This model of a super structure to support multiple parks has proven to be very effective,” Green said. “The Sierra State Parks Foundation is a similar organization that supports all of the Tahoe basin state parks, plus Donner Memorial State Park. I look forward to a long and productive beneficial relationship with our Sierra Gold Parks Foundation partners.”
When all three Western Nevada County parks were under the threat of closure due to budget shortfalls, the community rallied together — with elected officials and parks volunteers — to make operational funding available. The repeated threats of closures over the years have led to reliance on park associations to maintain trails and visitor centers, support schools programs and conduct special events.
Source: Friends of North Bloomfield & Malakoff Diggins
CLICK HERE to see original press release as printed in The Union newspaper.

Today, take your mom to see a pretty waterfall! There are plenty of spots in Northern California for waterfall-lovers to stumble upon.  Waterfall photographer Leon Turnbull gave KCRA his suggestions for the most easily accessible waterfalls in Northern California.
AMERICAN CANYON CREEK FALLS
Nestled within a very narrow valley along the American Canyon Creek, a 15-foot waterfall offers visitors a very scenic and unique experience. "It is one of the coolest little waterfalls in the greater Sacramento area," Turnbull said. It's a nearly 2-mile hike to get a view of the American Canyon Creek Falls.
BLACK HOLE OF CALCUTTA FALLS
In Placer County, hikers can easily walk to the 40-foot Black Hole of Calcutta Falls. Turnbull suggests hikers follow the scenic path along the Western States Trail from the Auburn Confluence. "Start on the south side of the river, crossing over the historic No Hands Bridge, and continue on the north side up to the waterfall," Turnbull said. It is a 2-mile round-trip hike.
BRIDAL VEIL FALLS
Along Highway 50, waterfall-lovers can stumble upon Bridal Veil Falls, and you don't even need to hike to find it. Esmeralda Creek flows into the falls in El Dorado County.
CODFISH FALLS
"The trail to Codfish Creek Falls is a beautiful and very easy hike along the North Fork of the American River," Turnbull said.Hikers can follow the trail for about 1.4 miles then reach Codfish Creek, where the trail turns upstream a short distance to the waterfall."The waterfall is a pretty cascade," Turnbull said about the 68-foot-high waterfall. "Codfish Creek drops almost vertically for 40 feet., then cascades for another 28 feet. In the spring, it is a beauty."There is a fee to park at the trailhead.
DEVIL FALLS
"It's certainly not the biggest or best, but if you want to see a pretty waterfall without getting out of your car, within a one-hour drive from the big city, then this is your ticket," Turnbull said. Devil Falls is 45 feet tall.
LAKE CLEMENTINE FALLS
"Lake Clementine Falls is not a natural waterfall, obviously. But it is such an interesting waterfall, and Lake Clementine is a neat place to visit," Turnbull said.
The Lake Clementine waterfall is formed from the North Fork Dam. Water flows off the dam for a 122-foot drop into the river below. "It is an amazing sight to see," Turnbull said. There is a fee.
LOVES FALLS
Located at the bridge over the North Yuba River along the Pacific Crest Trail, the Loves Falls offers hikers two easy ways to see the waterfall.
First, Turnbull said hikers can take a short, easy hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 49. However, if you have the time, Turnbull suggests hikers take the longer route from Wild Plum Campground.
"It is a fairly easy hike and has some nice views of the Sierra Buttes. The hike begins on the west side of Haypress Creek bridge," Turnbull said. Hikers then need to follow the Wild Plum Loop until it meets up with Pacific Crest Trail, then turn left for Loves Falls.
"The waterfall is quite a nice, little, cute one," Turnbull said. "Hopefully, you can find a good spot on the rocks below the falls to eat lunch."
NORTH FORK FALLS
The North Fork Falls, or the Emigrant Gap Falls, is a small waterfall along the North Fork American River. It's a short walk from the campground, near Emigrant Gap.
"It is a very popular swimming hole in the summer," Turnbull said.
PAULEY FALLS
"Although only 15 feet high, it is an incredibly pretty little waterfall," Turnbull said. "It cascades down Pauley Creek in many interesting little slices. In the spring, the flow can be very impressive." The land is owned by Downieville Water Co., but the public is allowed to access the waterfall.

CLICK HERE to see the original article and photos at KCRA News.

The sun is out and the seasons have quickly transitioned, meaning folks will be out wanting to escape the heat at one of their favorite local swimming holes. But those hoping to find peace and tranquility along the banks of the South Yuba River will be met with an abundance of dangerously frigid water. “We’re telling people that it’s really not safe to swim if you’re not familiar with the area,” South Yuba River Citizen’s League Community Engagement Manager Daniel Belshe said.

Dangerously high river flows along the South Yuba are expected through June and July. Right now, the Bureau of Land Management estimates a 167% above normal snowpack and have estimated a peak river flow for May 21.
“It’s actually higher than the average right now,” Belshe said. “So right now we’re sort of telling people to stay out of the water.”

Over 700,000 people visit the South Yuba River through the state parks river crossings at Bridgeport, Highway 49, Purdon, and Edwards Crossing each year and SYRCL is planning on ramping up its river ambassador program to help alleviate the impacts.

Now in it’s second year, the river ambassadors volunteer to help educate visitors about safe river recreation. “We were seeing a lot more trash over the year,” Belshe said. “There was a need for more of a presence at the river. We basically want to remind you to pick up your trash, no glass at the river, be fire safe, and the dangers of water safety right now with high waters, that’s one of our biggest talking points this year.” Despite warnings against entering the waters of the South Yuba River during high flows, Belshe and SYRCL staff still want people to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors.
“There’s still so many things to do down there,” Beshe said. Thats what I’m trying to encourage, we still want people to go down there. It’s beautiful, hitting the trails down there, the wildflowers are blooming, the water is really pretty to look at, it’s flowing really hard and sounds beautiful, but be safe.”

To see the complete article and all photos in The Union Newspaper, CLICK HERE.

Take a stroll along the lake in spring. Sweetwater Trail in the Folsom State Recreation Area is a 6+ mile out-and-back saunter along Sweetwater Creek, a tributary of Folsom Lake. Filled with wildflowers, rocks and views of the surrounding hills, the walk is a visual joy. This is a multi-use trail. Dogs are welcome on leash. 

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon pulchellum). Photo by Mary West​

I wanted to get out and hike this trail before the summer heat made it oppressive. There are shaded areas but take along sunblock, hat and glasses if you are sensitive to the sun. The poison oak was already shiny with oil in March. If you are sensitive to it, wear long sleeves and pants on this trail as it grows in profusion along the trail.

From Auburn take Highway 49 from Placer County to El Dorado County, toward Cool. Turn right on Rattlesnake Bar Road and take an immediate left on Salmon Falls Road. Follow Salmon Falls over the American River to the Salmon Falls Rafters Take Out parking lot on your left. The trailhead is just to the right of the restrooms. This is a fee area.

The highlight for me on this trail was the shooting stars. I have never seen them at this low elevation. I also enjoyed the patches of sage and mint along the way. After you make the trip to the far gate and start your return, consider the lower trail that runs along the wide creek. A bridge appears when the creek is low. Then cut up to the trail to return to the parking lot. 
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Mary West is author of the book series “Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide.” The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors and favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond (Available on Amazon). You can follow West on Facebook and Instagram.

To see the complete article in the Mountain Democrat newspaper, CLICK HERE.