Mossy Rock Trail, 2 mile easy hike, Auburn, CA

Difficulty: Pretty easy, though it is a little workout right at the beginning

Distance:  Less than 2 miles.

Notes:  Trail head is located at the new restroom on the left side of Foresthill Road just East of Highway 49 bridge crossing the river on your right. Free parking at this time although there is talk about fees being required soon. For more info: Stagecoach Trail History . Dogs are allowed on leashes (per a sign at the trail head), and children who like the outdoors could do this hike.  Some of the Mossy Rock Trail would be unsuitable for a stroller due to deep trench like sections eroded from water and use. I haven't used GPS there, but Wikiloc may have tracks for it.

• There is now a $10 parking fee at the Confluence.

This was expected to be a rainy day hike so I carried my day pack with a waterproof shell and a warmer fleece, just in case.  The Stagecoach Trail, which began climbing uphill toward the giant Foresthill bridge, was wide, weathered, and lined with ferns and wildflowers. 

As I climbed I caught views of the bridge.  It was gratifying to see it at almost eye level! 
I put the hiking poles away and focused on hiking and getting photos. 
The trail "Mossy Rock" took off to the left, narrowing quite a bit,
but intrigued me...almost a deer trail.  Bicycles had obviously used it, even recently.  

The butterflies floated playfully around me,
but I had the hardest time catching them in my camera frame! 
With persistence, I finally captured shots of a couple of them resting and snacking. 

They shimmered and glistened in the sun.  When they rested on the trail, 

they flopped down and spread their wings flat to the ground as if dead!  

But as soon as I got close enough to frame and shoot them, 

off they went, teasingly defiant.

The American River Canyon photographed from the Mossy Rock Trail.

The storm I expected to hamper my hike was visible in the distance. I was hiking in short sleeves.  I had to reset my camera lighting for too much brightness.  The view was rewarding when it opened out into the canyon every so often.

This was a surprising view, caught just between the trees and

shrubs along the trail,

of the old Quarry Bridge crossing the American River

just downstream of the confluence.

 

Rounding a corner another window opened a glimpse of the river rapids.

This bench was placed in remembrance for a person who loved the canyon.  

It makes a nice resting place to just soak in the warmth and views.

This was part of the Mossy Rock Trail, lined with blooms that day, and well shaded.  

There were several small and shallow water crossings along the way.  

A final canyon view and it was back to the car.    I spent three hours there, 

but quite a bit of it chasing butterflies!

Happy Trails and I hope you have a great time!

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Related Articles:



ASRA ~ Auburn State Recreation District
• American Canyon Trail & Waterfalls in Cool, CA
• Training Hill in Auburn/Cool, CA
• Western States Trail (WST) from Confluence to Auburn
• Confluence Memorial Day Hike
• Mossy Rock Trail, Auburn, CA
• Cardiac Bypass-North Fork
• BLM ~ Bureau of Land Management
  Near Auburn, CA
  • Dave Moore Nature Area
  updated 9-2012

Codfish Creek Falls, Weimar area

* If you click on a photo, each of them can be viewed enlarged for detail.

A 60 foot? waterfall-reports vary.

Difficulty:  Easy
Distance:  3.8 miles round trip
Driving Directions:  Take I 80 to the Weimar exit. Turn right on Canyon Way, which becomes Ponderosa Way. Drive south for 5.8 miles (2 1/2 or so of dirt road) to the American River. The trail heads downstream on the north side of the river.  There are vault toilets at the trailhead now.  There is a $10 charge for parking now. You park by the bridge at the side of the road and follow the trail downstream.


Yes, the trail is narrow at times, basically single file; it is green and pleasant.  Again, check for poison oak and ticks.


The falls were quite a surprise! No clue going in they would be so dramatic so late in the waterfall season! Crossing the creek and climbing beside the falls was invigorating!!!
We happened on a great water flow time and expected a much smaller waterfall.


This is the view from the bottom of the falls downstream, very cool and pretty.


There I go bushwhacking again! I like a person in a photo to show the magnitude of a waterfall. This is a gem, and not a difficult hike.  Beware.  I am not suggesting you should climb the waterfall.  It is riddled with slippery rocks and thick berry vines full of thorns! Use caution, good gear, good judgment and technical hiking abilities.  Climb at your own risk!


Tiny little me and bushwhacking delights!

Lat/Long:38.99712, -120.95527 I give this falls a great rating, even though from Sacramento area it is a bit of a drive for such a short hike. Arrive early and take a picnic to spend the day. There are slabs of rock beside the falls in the shade where you can rest and enjoy the view. A nice cool spray floats over you and on a hot day, a little shower is pleasant! You can also climb up the hill before the falls to the top where there is a boulder two people can comfortably sit on and look down on the falls, yet not be seen from the bottom! Very Cool!

Other options include fishing the river and swimming near the bridge.

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

updated 7-2012