Back on June 26, 2016, I wrote about the South Fork American River Trail – strip of dirt that stretches 25 miles from Folsom Lake to Coloma. Back then I posted a few pictures and talked about the first four miles of that trail. On the Folsom Lake end. I expressed a desire to hike the entire length of the trail one day.
And then this happened. And that. And I haven’t been back.
One reason is that it is an effort I would rather not attempt on my own and the lack of a hiking partner has put the effort on the back burner. Another reason is an injury that seems to keep my mileage — whether a run or a walk — limited to 6-8 miles at a go. Which makes a 25 mile hike a daunting task.
I also have been derelict in getting to the river and fulfilling the objective I set out for this blog. I haven’t posted here in eight months. I have been back to the river. Lately I’ve tried to join a friend for a weekly run along the river. But that’s not the time for picture taking.
I needed to do something this weekend by myself. I needed to get out of the house and re-connect. I needed some space. Some quiet. I also wanted to go to a new place. Not back to the confluence near Auburn. Or the portions of the river go through Sacramento.
And I considered that 25-mile hike. So, I went to Coloma to explore the trail from the other end.
As a resident of Sacramento for more than 50 years, I’ve been steeped in the history of the area. This is the place where gold was discovered by John Marshall in 1848. Just on the other side of the river from where I was standing when I took this picture.
There is a State Park here with plenty of old buildings and monuments. It’s a nice little step back into history.
What isn’t there, however, is the end point for the South Fork American River Trail. On the north shore of the river, there is a trail. It peters out after less than a mile. I walked it, hit a dead end, tried a little further. I went back and asked a park employee.
No, the trail isn’t complete. There are bits and parts of it, but the entire 25 mile trail has not been completed.
So …
Now what?
I bought a book in the gift shop at the State Park that has a lot of info about trails along the American River. I guess that will be next.
Things could be worse.
The American River 
We haven’t done any hiking at Coloma yet, but a couple of miles up from there you can access the trail and make your way, I think>/i>, all the way to Folsom Lake at the Salmon Falls bridge. If you’re so inclined, that is. It’s a long way. Check out the trail head at Greenwood Creek (which I’m writing about later this week, matter of fact!) Cronin Ranch too. But, as I’ll mention in my post, the floods last winter did a real number in this area, so I’m not sure there’s continuous trail anymore all the way to Lake Folsom. Kayak and portage anyone? đŸ˜‰
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Oops, I messed up my italics on that comment. Oh well!
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One of the rangers at Coloma said that the entire length of the trail is not complete. He mentioned that the segment between Coloma and Cronin Ranch is where there are a lot of gaps.
I’ll check out Greenwood Creek. Need to find some new spots to hike along the river.
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