HIDDEN FALLS TRAILS
Excerpt from Jordan Summer's Book,
"60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Sacramento, including Davis, Roseville, and Auburn"
"60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Sacramento, including Davis, Roseville, and Auburn"
Trail in Brief:
Hidden Falls Regional Park, a new addition in Placer County’s Placer Legacy Program, is really a model for suburban open-space design and use. The park’s 7 miles of trails are available to hikers, bikers, runners, and horseback riders. An accessible trail—the Hidden Gateway Trail—offers excellent views of the
221-acre site. The other paths consist of either loops or out-and-back
trails that range from moderate to difficult. The hike described here
combines portions of each trail to give the hiker a good workout
rewarded by excellent scenery. These trails are well marked, and
intersections are somewhat frequent, so being temporarily disoriented
should not be a concern on this hike.Detailed Trail Description:
Your trail, which starts out near the top of the ridge, descends to Deadman’s Creek and then ascends the next ridge to the north before arriving at the pools of Coon Creek. The nicely shaded path takes you along Coon Creek as you make your way west toward Deadman’s Falls.
The trail starts at the information kiosk at the end of the parking lot, where you will see a map of the complete trail system. The restrooms and pay phone are to your left; walk about five feet down the sidewalk, turn right, and descend a few concrete steps to the dirt path of Poppy Loop Trail, and then turn left and begin walking north.
As you start down Poppy Loop Trail, the view to your east is of fenced cattle ranches ringed by foothill woodland forests. This old four-wheel-drive road is rather exposed as you descend to the first U-turn. The trail you see to the right is your return route. On the way down, though, you will feel a nice cooling as you enter the shade of live oak and foothill pine. Within moments you will begin to hear Deadman’s Creek. Another, more appetizing, sign of the upcoming creek is the appearance of miner’s lettuce on the left side of your trail. Resist the temptation to pick—it is prohibited—as you head toward the bridge ahead of you.
Crossing the bridge, you are on Pond Turtle Trail. Take this connector 30 feet to the junction with Blue Oak Loop Trail. A sharp right uphill puts you on the side of the hill under the shade of the foothill woodland understory—toyon and manzanita. This trail will quickly gain elevation and then level off. To your left you can see the contours of the hills in the trail cut. Notice the gentle folds of the rock strata as you pass.
After you round a seasonal runoff ravine from the left, you may begin to notice more blue oak—much of it speckled with oakmoss lichen. On the right, a rather large—and horizontal—foothill pine stretches from its roots at the canyon center to its crown tip at the trailside. Signs indicate this tree fell during the 2006 winter. Your trail continues to gain elevation after it swings back to the north. Walking in the shade, watch for weasel signs, which are usually plumb in the middle of the trail.
As you level out after 1.4 miles, you will see a signpost (labeled #10) at the junction where you now leave the Blue Oak Loop when it turns left and you continue straight onto the Seven Pools Vista Trail. Descend a bit to the northeast toward the Seven Pools area. You will not actually reach the pools on this trail. It is the next junction that will get you there. For now, the dirt- and leaf-covered trail seems like the easy part of the hike: gently descending, continuously shaded, quiet enough to hear birds and the stream.
Among the toyon, manzanita, and live oak, the trail will make a U-turn before reaching the Seven Pools area and will then wrap around the hillside, gently descending in and out of a ravine before reaching a
well-signed intersection with Seven Pools Loop.
Your route turns sharply right, onto Seven Pools Loop, at signpost #11.Head east, descending just below the previous trail section, getting ever closer to Coon Creek. To help keep your feet dry, use the small bridge that crosses the ravine you walked around earlier. Now head north about 100 yards to a spur trail that leads to a rock outcrop looking over the cascades and into one of the pools.
Return to the Seven Pools Loop, heading west. Notice the bits and chunks of quartz rock along this section of trail. Quartz-bearing gravels attracted miners’ attention as the mining ditch along Deadman’s Creek reminds us. The large blocks in the creek bottom testify to the general geological makeup of this region: highly fractured blocks and faults, squeezed, uplifted, folded, coated with lava and mudflows, washed, scrubbed, bleached, and left as you find them today. To see a good example, just before reaching the vista ahead on the right, look at the outcrop of rock running from the left on the hill above you, visible as it continues immediately under your feet, and out to your right at the boulder-littered canyon floor.
Shortly after the vista spot, just as the trail turns away from the creek, your path crosses Pond Turtle Trail. This junction is simple: keep walking straight. But, if you want a pleasant spot to sit and have a moment, the creek is right there.
Continuing west on Seven Pools Loop, the trail varies from 5 to 50 feet above the creek bed. Walk past any blocked trails that are marked for trail restoration. The 960-acre ranch to the west is currently being surveyed for additional trails, but vegetation recovery is needed in some areas first.
The Seven Pools Loop will switchback, ascending to the east for 0.2 miles. Turning right at the intersection with Quail Run Trail will send you toward the Falls Access Trail for one of the real highlights of this hike.
As you round the curve of Quail Run Trail, resist the temptation to shortcut the ten feet across to the Falls Access Trail. Restoration of that impromptu trail is in progress and needs cooperation.
Walk another 150 feet around the curve. Just after the contorted black and burgundy madrone, take a right at the junction onto Blue Oak Loop. Walk 75 feet, then turn right onto the Falls Access Trail, heading west.
This is the most difficult section of the route. No horses or bikes are permitted on this trail for good reasons. The Falls Access Trail is the most uneven, least well-established trail in the park. It most closely approximates a typical wilderness use-trail. You will have some rocks and boulders to contend with, and the side trails are obvious enough to avoid. Descending to within 50 feet of Deadman’s Creek, you will find nice vista points overlooking some little riffles.
More importantly, this trail ends rather precipitously at the falls overlook, and the footing is quite slippery—so do not rush around that last bend! At least 100 feet before the trail’s end, the falls and the viewpoint will be visible. Take moment here to slow your pace. Before you drop down to the overlook, enjoy the view from this upper perch.
In March of 2007, Placer County engineers were surveying to establish a platform overlook and picnic tables in that spot. A platform would be a distinct improvement because there is presently no way to see the entire falls without being in midair. The 35-foot falls flow year-round. It is an impressive cataract that highlights the hike. Just below the falls is the junction with Coon Creek.
Return on this trail to the junction with the Blue Oak Loop, and turn right, heading southeast along the Blue Oak Loop. This section of the trail is flat and shaded. You are heading toward the bridge that ties the Blue Oak Loop with the Poppy Loop Trail.
When you cross the bridge on returning, turn left at the junction with the Poppy Loop Trail to walk along Deadman’s Creek and past a massive blackberry patch. Three easy switchbacks lie between the creek and the ridge. Even though you leave the shade of foothill pines and California buckeyes for an open, dry slope, you cannot help but stop and admire the massive mistletoe-blotched valley oak that towers over the trail. Walk another 500 feet to the trailhead, with this giant to your right.
Hidden Falls Trails Information at a Glance
UTM Zone (WGS84) 10S
Easting: 0659081
Northing: 4313838
Latitude: N 38° 57' 32"
Longitude: W 121° 00' 59"
LENGTH: 5.1 miles
CONFIGURATION: Connected loops
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
WATER REQUIRED: 2 liters
SCENERY: Riparian and foothill woodland
EXPOSURE: Well-shaded trail most of the way
TRAIL TRAFFIC: Very little
TRAIL SURFACE: Sand and rock; dirt and duff
HIKING TIME: 2–3 hours
SEASON: Year-round, sunrise–sunset
ACCESS: No fees or permits
MAPS: USGS Gold Hill. An excellent color map of all the trails is available online at http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/Facility/parks/hiddenfalls.aspx.
FACILITIES: Restrooms, water fountain, and pay telephone
WHEELCHAIR TRAVERSABLE: Yes. The Hidden Gateway Trail is accessible and begins just 10 feet past the trailhead for this hike.
DRIVING DISTANCE: 32 miles
SPECIAL COMMENTS: Scenic, new trail system on 220 acres being expanded by 960 acres
DIRECTIONS FROM SACRAMENTO:
From Interstate 80 East and Capitol City Freeway in Sacramento, drive 24 miles to Auburn. Exit CA 49 north toward Grass Valley. Drive north 2.7 miles; turn left onto Atwood Road, which becomes Mount Vernon Road after 1.7 miles. Follow Mount Vernon Road 2.6 miles and turn right on Mears Drive. The Hidden Valley Regional Park entrance sign is up the hill on the right. Turn into the parking lot. The trailhead is to the right of the restrooms.
Photos courtesy of Jordan Summers
Copyright 2008 Jordan Summers, author "60 Hikes within 60 Miles:
Sacramento, including Davis, Roseville, and Auburn." Used by permission of the publisher.
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