Location: Auburn, CA.
Distance: 4.3 miles
Type: Day-Hike
Rating: Easy to Moderate
Permit: Day/parking permits are $10. Make sure to bring cash or your checkbook with you. If not, you will need to go up the road to the ranger station to use a credit card.
Preparation
During the summer, Auburn hiking is very popular. This trail is one of many trails that you can choose to hike in this area. Only an hour drive outside of Sacramento, it’s a fairly simple location to get to. It’s crucial to get to your hike early in the morning to guarantee a parking spot. I brought a pack with water, a couple of snacks and sunscreen. The hike is not very shaded, so sunscreen is extra important.
The Hike
The hike was moderately easy with some uphill climbs here and there. According to several sites, the length of the hike is about 4.3 miles. Early on in the hike, you will come across the Foresthill Bridge, also known as the tallest bridge in California! I’ll talk more about this bridge later…
Throughout the entire hike, the scenery is pretty incredible and the trail is abundant with greenery and flowers. Towards the end of the hike, the dirt trail turns into a paved road (Lake Clementine Road) that leads up to the Clementine Dam. The Dam is incredible and you have a pretty good chance of getting a glimpse of a rainbow or two at the base of the dam. Hiking down the side of the hill can be a bit slippery, but it is definitely worth the view!
Follow the same trail back until the trailhead is reached.