With the Folsom Lake water levels so low at this time of year, it’s not uncommon to see more old structures appearing along the shore. At Sweetwater Creek the difference between now and my previous visit last spring is pretty dramatic. I was pleased to find evidence of historic water diversion during my hike, but it was also fun comparing […]
If you’d like to get at least some hint of what the American River looked like prior to the building of Folsom Dam, try hiking the shore in the area between Sweetwater Creek and the New Salmon Falls Bridge (built in 1953) during the late fall/early winter season. The area is certainly more picturesque in the springtime; but if you […]
The old Salmon Falls Bridge, on the South Fork of the American River, is visible only during the winter and when Folsom Lake water levels drop.
Most of the signs I see along the trail when hiking are ordinary things, offering information or giving directions. I usually appreciate seeing them because they reassure me I’m headed in the right direction — even if the signs themselves seem a little confused. Other signs leave me scratching my head; surely they have a meaning, even if I can’t […]
I always find a strange beauty in the enormous granite outcroppings arising out of the earth around the area of Folsom Lake. According to one source (PDF link), the Folsom granite is about 128 million years old; I grew up seeing large granite rocks like these all over the Sierra foothills, so they are both familiar and mysterious to me. […]
Indian summer at Folsom Lake. Hiking from the Doton’s Point parking lot at Granite Bay, you can literally get lost in the tangle of intersecting trails climbing over and between huge granite outcrops to the top of the ridge. Once you arrive at the highest point, enjoy the view! Because you’re definitely going to get confused again, trying to find […]
We came across this quiet little lake at Malakoff Diggins State Park, and naturally the Big Guy couldn’t leave without making a few casts! I had time to explore most of the way around the edge of the water while he focused on the fish. Although there were plenty of bass and bluegill to be seen, they turned up their […]
We discovered the Hiller Tunnel at Malakoff Diggins State Park purely by accident, after we had already hiked most of the Diggins Loop trail and were hot, thirsty, and tired. Our main interest at that point was in getting back to the car for lunch — but once we noticed the sign, we didn’t hesitate before turning off the main […]
This morning I ventured out to the dredger tailings on Mississippi Bar hoping to spot some deer. Although I did manage to catch a glimpse of a buck and a few does, none stuck around long enough for me to point my camera at them. So instead I found myself exploring a dry creekbed that runs through the tailings. The […]