Location: Auburn State Recreation Area (ASRA); Auburn, CA.
Distance: 2.5 miles
Type: Day-hike; Loop.
Rating: Moderate.
Dog Friendly?: Yes, on a leash.
Permits & Fees: Parking is FREE. Woohoo!
Driving Directions to Trailhead: Click HERE. Parking is located in a large parking lot at the edge of Overlook Park.
Preparation: Water and sunscreen!
The Hike:
AllTrails Map – CLICK HERE.
NOTE: The trail directions on AllTrails is not 100% accurate. The start of the trail is at the very end of the parking lot, past the green bench. The start of the trail is circled on the second picture below:
After walking past the parking lot, continue down the hill (the skate park will be to the left), until this gate is reached:
Walk past the gate and continue walking downhill following the narrow dirt trail. The first portion of this hike is steep, but has some killer views!:
The first fork in the hike is the start of the loop portion of the trail. We stayed on the left trail to complete the loop clockwise.
A few tenths of a mile later, a sign that reads “Western States Trail” is reached (stay RIGHT of the trail and do not continue on the Western States Trail):
After this sign, follow the trail as it loops back around the ridge of the hill. Continue on the trail until this sign is reached (take a right here):
Shortly after this, a final sign is reached. This sign marks the beginning of the uphill portion of the hike that leads back to the trailhead:
This is the hardest part of the hike, but it’s a quick uphill climb. Take the dirt path back to the first fork to complete the loop. Then, take the same trail back up to the parking lot. Don’t forget to look at the amazing views one last time before finishing the hike:
Enjoy!