Bring the Kids: Find a Historic Mining Bridge!

Middle Fork American River in Tahoe National Forest

Fishing, Hiking, Camping

Mosquito Ridge River Access Trail  

 Find a rare gem, a miners' suspension bridge flooded out

and hidden across the river!

 

Mosquito Ridge River Access is a 3 mile round trip hike on a recently maintained trail climbing over the ridge and traversing down into the canyon to the Middle Fork American River. An old mining suspension bridge is downriver hanging in the trees! Several fishing campsites line the river.

 

The campsites are scattered along the river bank, each with a fire ring and flat space for tents.  Another treat is a short distance upriver there is a very tall waterfall across the canyon.  I bushwhacked uphill beyond the campsites to get a better view of it. 

The river is low this year (2012) and its difficult to get to water through tangles
of blackberry vines. 
Without heavy traffic, user paths have grown over.  Bit of a machete hike there!

Along the recognized trail to the campsites there is a fork to your right
heading down into the canyon 
that also leads down to the river. 
 

 

 

A classically built rock wall that supported the old bridge abutments that no longer have a bridge to support!

To see the bridge remains, walk downriver along the rocks from the abutment 
to this area where the river narrows.  It's also a nice place to catch some sun and picnic.

Where is the old metal bridge then?  Look across the river into the vegetation!



Watch your step when you get to the river because there are still cables like this one anchored into the rocks that can most inconveniently trip you!

Upriver view from below the bridge abutment.

The kids can have fun looking for lizards and salamanders!

Or other wild things!  These prints were near our tents in the morning, but nothing was disturbed.  Good advice to bear canister your foods though.

 

 

Below is a topo map of the trail you can enlarge by clicking on it.  Another fine place to camp, especially in colder weather, is on the ridge.


 In winter or spring the ice remains on vegetation down in the canyon. It is a thick frost that looks more like snow at a distance! You may sleep warmer at the top, and your short hike to the river might be more enjoyable.

Driving Directions:

• Take Foresthill Road at Highway 80 onto
• Auburn Ravine Road.
• Turn right onto Mosquito Ridge Road.
• Follow it into Tahoe National Forest, continuing until you see the sign on the right for Mosquito Ridge Access Trail.  There is a large dirt turn out for parking on the left and the trail heads uphill on the right.

For more possible hikes for you:

Trails by Areas:

Happy Trails!  Thank you for coming by!



Donner Area Hike for Families to Backpackers

Old Donner Pass to Azalea Lake Loop

(or you can park at the Sno Park parking near Boreal

and hike from that direction for a shorter, easier hike. 

*GPS links are at the bottom of this page.)

 

 

Suitable for beginners, families, and backpackers to PCTers!  Hike this 6 mile semi-loop with views of Donner Lake and the covered train tracks running across the range to the south.  Visit George S Stewart Peak to scramble sunny boulders, then retreat to the shady forest trail that will have numerous runoff creeks earlier in the season.  On the return you'll pass ponds and small lakes including Azalea and Flora, and finally Angela Lake.  For a 6 mile loop you get fantastic views, and a family friendly hike!  I met a 5 year old and 7 year old happily making the trek.

The bonus is arriving at Azalea and Flora Lakes with plenty of campsites for backpackers. 

But back to the beginning, parking!  I parked across the street from this favorite rock wall  and began my hike at the marker shown below.  Enlarge to see the climbers.

There are several easy options: You could park across the Old Donner Bridge and just walk back across the the nearest TH, or park at Mt Judah PCT parking and catch a TH there.

The trail will traverse uphill and the tracks I linked you to from my own hike will ascend all the way to the top of George S Stewart Peak.  It isn't too hard, even for the kids, although it isn't stroller worthy.

I started in the heat of the day so it was nice to photograph Donner Lake and the surrounding sights while snacking.  I could see the covered railroad tracks to the south, the Old Donner Bridge, to the west Lake Angela, and to the north through the forest see 80 carved in.

The Donner Pass Railway was covered for protection from snow, according to my grandfather who worked on the rails.

Descend into the forest and find wildflowers even in August despite the runoff creeks being dry.

This widow maker is a landmark that you are nearing the trail leading into Azalea Lake.  Me?  Got impatient as the sun dropped and bushwhacked over the rocks to get to the lake's basin.

Finally I arrived at Azalea Lake.  The trail went around the east side of the lake and continued past campsites and a small ascent on to Flora Lake.  I was the only one there!



Flora Lake is also set in a beautiful bowl.  If you climb a small distance to the east you get views of Donner again.  I added waypoints to my GPS tracks along this section as the trail isn't always clear, but is easy.

Pink is the old Donner Pass Highway.  Orange is Highway 80.   The small dark line at the top is where you could park and begin your hike rather than from my starting point.   

The Garmin Elevation Profile can be read more easily if you click on it to enlarge it.

Links for GPS:

Peachy Hiker GPS tracks  from Old Donner Pass
and
From 80 to Azalea by ClipperCreekWanderer  from 80 near Boreal.

Articles about other hikes you may be interested in:

Tahoe National Forest

• Carr Lake Under Snow
• Crooked Lakes Trail (Survivor Night)
• Tahoe Rim Trail
• Grouse Lakes Basin Trails near Lake Tahoe
• Grouse Ridge Campground and Trail Head 7-2012
• Loch Leven Lakes, Salmon Lake
• Anticipating Mosquito Ridge with Friends
• Snowshoe to Flora Lake from Boreal Sno Park

Trails listed by Location

Thank you for stopping by.  Happy Trails!

edited 6-2013

Miners Ravine near Roseville, CA

The trail head is behind UA Theaters on Eureka! 

Updated on Nov. 9, 2012: This local dirt trail is ideal for getting the kids outdoors. There is a stream with beaver dams, indian grinding rocks, shade, and room to run.  First I am posting new photos of the dazzling autumn colors (not edited or enhanced) from my hike yesterday (Nov, 2012) then the previously written article, photos, and information I had posted here before will follow.

Often you see ducks and geese here and occasionally some other wildlife.

Autumn 2012

 

Here in our community is this wonderful trail with rolling hills, trees, wildlife, a pond, and as strenuous or easy a hike as you personally choose. 



This is one view of the pond in Miners Ravine that invites geese, ducks, and other wildlife. Its a great place for a picnic with the kids!

This is where you leave the paved bike trail and head into the woods. It will be on your left just after you cross a foot bridge.

Foothill Hikers introduced me to this area or I wouldn't have know to get off of the bike trails!



At times you will walk along the creek and often in the shade.



You'll cross under this bridge, not picturesque yet, but it gets better!

One of my favorite ways to kick this one up a notch is to jog up and down these hills.  They are steeper than they look!



Ducks, geese and other wildlife visit the Miners Ravine Pond.  There aren't tables, but a blanket would do..

Soon you'll see the beaver dam and evidence of their residency! 

There are a couple of dams in place although I guess for flood reasons, sometimes they get disturbed.  The beavers are ambitious though and they erect new ones!

A little history here in our own backyard...historic indian grinding rocks!

More of the hills I like to jog...

I couldn't resist the reflections here!

Remember to look up for wildlife too!  Birds of prey live here as well as garden variety birds.

This is the creek as you near the end of this hike.

Miners Ravine Trail Map

Distance: 5.9 miles as posted, but so many options make it totally adjustable to fit your needs.
Difficulty: This can be easy to moderate as a hike. It would make a nice trail run also.
Location: It is in the Rocklin/Roseville area but easy access for Sacramento and Loomis right off of 80 near 65. I park at the back of the UA Theaters parking lot on Eureka Road near the marked trail head . It is posted and leaves the parking lot paved as a bicycle trail, but you'll turn off and hike as shown above.
You can park on the dead end street at the other end of the loop by taking Sierra College Road east off of Highway 80. Turn right on El Don Road. Turn left on Foothill Road. At the corner you turn right and it is then Greenbrae. Follow it to the end taking the left fork as shown on the map below.

Click on this Miners Ravine Trail elevation profile and see the details clearly.

download GPS tracks for this Miners Ravine Trail

Foothill Hikers also have tracks posted on Wikiloc with a hiking variation of this same area.

Happy Trails!

updated Nov. 2012