With summer around the corner and the weather warming up, now’s an opportune time for beginners and experienced hikers to venture outside onto the trails and paths. Whether you’re looking for the immersive tranquility of nature or working towards shaping up and building stamina, hiking is a fulfilling hobby for anyone to partake in.
This list will guide you through five of the best hiking and nature trails in the Greater Sacramento Area. From Sacramento to Auburn, these trails will cover a range of difficulty levels, so you can choose what feels most manageable. Difficulty is based on the distance, time duration and elevation changes.
Yolo Bypass Nature Trail
Further past West Sacramento is the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, home of the Yolo Bypass Nature Trail. The simple and easy route is less than two miles long and has low elevation gain. This is a perfect option for inexperienced or out of shape trail goers who need to start small.
There are a diverse amount of animals, such as birds and rabbits, making it a unique trail to experience. It is the perfect place to enjoy some quiet solitude because of its secluded nature.
Reviewers on AllTrails informed that the overgrown wildness of the path and uneven ground requires caution. There is also little shade, making sun protection important.
Middleridge Trail
Located in Fair Oaks, this trail takes its path through a ridge between two hills, passing through a mixture of forest and open areas. As a result, there are a plethora of shaded areas to take breaks along the way.
Some of the paths are narrow, so it is advised to watch out for runners or bikers sharing the trail. The route reaches the American River, near Nimbus Dam, before looping back around to the beginning.
Middleridge Trail is about three miles long with an elevation gain of 324 feet, taking about an hour and a half to complete. This length and difficulty is suitable for inexperienced hikers, allowing for practice with elevation gains.
Western States Trail
The Auburn State Recreation Area is chock-full of the best hiking trails in the Greater Sacramento area. One of the most rewarding treks is to Calcutta Falls, which you can reach by taking the Western States Trail. The route takes you along the North Fork of the American River, offering beautiful sights of the water throughout the hike. A highlight is crossing the bridge over the river with a stunning view.
The Western States Trail has limited shading, so it is recommended to be prepared with sun protection. Trail goers should also watch out for dust and plan accordingly.
It is advised to come early to receive convenient parking and to be cautious of poison oak along the path. According to reviews on AllTrails, Western States Trail is a lower difficulty trail. It takes less than an hour to complete and is a little over two miles long with an elevation gain of 259 feet.
Quarry Trail
Nearby the Western States Trail, lays another hiking path known as Quarry Trail. The route passes further alongside the American River, eventually leading to a limestone quarry.
The trail features popular rock climbing areas and a cave entrance, providing a versatile range of sights during any trail goer’s journey, along with rich mining history. Similar to the Western States Trail, the path lacks ample shading, so it is best to be prepared with sun protection.
Quarry Trail is about three miles long and features a similar elevation gain, making it only slightly more difficult than the Western States Trail.
Clementine Trail
The longest but most fulfilling hiking path on this list, the Clementine Trail, is further up into the Auburn State Recreation Area. The trek passes under Foresthill Bridge, which is the tallest in California, and Clark’s Pool, a popular swimming hole inside the park.
The trail leads to a grand waterfall at the North Fork Dam at the top of the American River. It is advised to watch out for poison oak at the base of the waterfalls.
With a length of 4.4 miles and an elevation gain of 672 feet, Clementine Trail is listed on AllTrails as a difficult one in the area. However, it is still a manageable challenge for beginners, as it only takes about two and a half hours to complete.
