Springtime– Things to Do in Placeville
Hiking – Biking – Wildflower Season is here
Spring is the best time to hike/ bike. The flowers are in bloom, the temperature is moderate and the chance of rain is low.
For those in the Bay Area or Reno, Placerville is the perfect location for a weekend away from home. A short 2 – 2 1/2 hours drive and you are in another world.
Hiking:
For the less adventurous, take a walk around the Coloma Spring Historic District and admiring the Stately Victorian Homes and yards.
Stop for lunch in Old Town Placerville. Go wine tasting in the afternoon or relax in the backyard at COLOMA SPRING SUITES. There is a gas grill if you are in the mood for a BBQ.
For the more ADVENTUROUS, Hiking opportunities include:
The Dave Moore Nature Area, on the south side of Highway 49 about .8 mile north of the junction of Highway 49 and Marsh. One of the main features of the Dave Moore Nature Area is a loop trail about a mile long which goes from the parking lot trail head to the South Fork American River and back again passing through several habitat types. Nestled in the heart of Gold Rush Country, the trail is lined with remnants from nearly 150 years ago when Chinese laborers channeled creek water by hand with pick and shovel for gold mining. Tailing piles from the Gold Rush period blanket the area which lend to the characteristic landscape that makes this area so unique. About half of the trail is constructed to be fully accessible to people with wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.
The Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park, – Hikers, runners, horseback riders and bicycle riders have access to 9 to 12 miles of trails on the 1414-acre once privately owned and now open to the open to the public under administration by the Bureau of Land Management. From the Pedro Hill Road entrance just off Highway 49 about 4.8 miles north of the junction of Marshall Grade/Highway 49, hike 1.1 miles through sweeping meadow vistas to the river, or explore some of the other trails on the old ranch. Eventually a river’s-edge trail system will connect Lotus to Salmon Falls at the upper end of Folsom Lake.
Placerville/ El Dorado Trail – for hiking, biking and horse back riding.
The El Dorado Trail includes a former railroad tunnel and bridge. It extends from Camino (does not extend to downtown) through Placerville to Diamond Springs.