The ADT rejoins the Western States Trail a few miles west of Lewis Campground. It uses the Western States Trail through the Middle Fork of the American River watershed, which is within the Tahoe National Forest. The trail crosses tributary streams of the Middle Fork of the American River at the bottom of deep forested canyons. These are the Duncan, North Fork of the Middle Fork, Eldorado and Volcano streams. On the trail, historical old gold mining towns no longer in existence are Last Chance and Deadwood. The trail passes through Michigan Bluff, an historical old gold mining town which today has a few residences and a couple of cemeteries. This segment ends at Foresthill, a former gold mining and lumber industry town which is growing today as a retirement community.
| CUMULATIVE MILES |
CODE |
DESCRIPTION EAST TO WEST |
| 0 | R | Lewis Campground at French Meadows Reservoir, elev. 5300 feet. Travel SW along NW side of the reservoir on paved National Forest Road. |
| 0.4 | R | Pass paved road to the Mcguire Picnic Area and beach on the left. Do not turn left, proceed straight ahead on the main road. |
| 0.8 | HB | At "McGuire Vista Point" sign, turn right off the main road into the parking lot. Proceed to trailhead at the far end of the parking lot (on the right side of the restroom bldg.) Proceed WSW on the trail. |
| 1.6 | HB | Poppy Campground on NW shore of French Meadows Reservoir. This campground has twelve campsites, no piped water, vault toilets. Access by trail only. Continue WSW on the trail. |
| 4.2 | HB | Cross over gravel road, continue WNW on the trail. |
| 4.4 | HB | Trail junction. Go right on the trail. |
| 4.55 | HB | Trail junction with the Tevis Cup Trail. Continue straight ahead (NNE) on the Western States Trail. |
| 7.2 | HB | Duncan Stream in Duncan Canyon. Cross over stream and proceed upgrade on the trail - a strenuous climb. |
| 11.3 | G | Robinson Flat Campground, Elevation: 6800 feet. Campground has five campsites, no garbage receptacle, vault toilets, no piped water. Look for water pump at west edge of small meadow. The water from the pump should be purified. The Western States Trail & ADT turns left onto National Forest Road 43 at campground. Follow road upgrade SW. |
| 11.8 | G | Pass dirt road on the left to Duncan Peak Lookout. |
| 11.9 | G | National Forest Road 43 summit. Elevation 6940 feet. |
| 12 | G | Junction with National Forest Road 44. Turn right onto Road 44 from Road 43. Travel SW. |
| 13.3 | G | Junction with road to the left. Keep to the right. |
| 13.8 | G | Roads junction. Continue straight ahead. |
| 14.5 | HB | Leave National Forest Road 44 which turns to the left. Go straight ahead on the trail. |
| 15.5 | HB | National Forest Road 44. Cross over the road. Continue west on the trail. |
| 17 | G | National Forest Road 44. Turn left onto the road. Travel South |
| 19 | | Deep Canyon Creek Bridge. |
| 21.4 | G | National Forest Road 44 junction with National Forest Road to Last Chance (Dusty Corners). Turn right onto the Last Chance Road. Travel NW toward the Last Chance townsite. |
| 21.6 | HB | Trail leaves the Last Chance Road to the right; follow trail. |
| 25.8 | G | Last Chance Road. Turn right (west) onto the road. |
| 26.1 | G | Road junction. Keep to the left. Road to the right is closed. |
| 26.8 | G | Gate at SW end of Last Chance National Forest Road. (Note: There are no remaining original structures in the Last Chance gold mining era townsite.) The road continues SW on private property on the other side of the gate and is the route of the Western States Trail and ADT. At dirt road junctions continue straight ahead. The road switches back to the right (N) about .8 mile from the gate. |
| 27.7 | HB | Turn left off of road onto trail which descends into the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River Canyon. |
| 29.6 | HB | Footbridge, across the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River, at the bottom of the canyon. Cross footbridge. Ascend trail to Deadwood Ridge (a strenuous climb). Elevation at footbridge: 2720 feet. |
| 31.6 | HB | Historical display board on Deadwood Ridge. From the point where the Western States Trail reaches the top of the ridge, turn left past the historical display board to the end of the log railing across from the display board. Just past the end of the log railing make a right turn between two large pine trees and continue on the trail perpendicular to the edge of the ridge overlooking the canyon. About 220 feet from the ridge cross over a dirt road and continue on the trail toward the Deadwood townsite. Do not follow the trail which extends parallel along the ridge and which also passes by the historical display board. Elevation at historical display board: 4360 feet. |
| 32.4 | G | Dirt road to Deadwood townsite. Turn left onto road. |
| 32.6 | HB | Leave road onto trail to the left. The trail parallels the road toward the Deadwood townsite. |
| 33.3 | HB | Cross over dirt road. (Not the road to the Deadwood townsite.) |
| 33.4 | G | Dirt road at Deadwood townsite. Turn left onto the road. Stay on the main road. There are no original structures remaining at the Deadwood townsite. |
| 33.5 | HB | Entrance to the Deadwood Cemetery. The Western States Trail and ADT continue SW on the left side of the cemetery entrance and descend into the Eldorado Canyon. |
| 37 | HB | Footbridge across the Eldorado stream at the bottom of the canyon. Elevation: 1780 feet. Cross footbridge. Ascend trail out of the canyon - a strenuous ascent. |
| 39.8 | P | Trailhead at Michigan Bluff. This historical gold mining town is located at the end of a paved road into the town. There are homes in this town but no services. Turn right onto the road from the trail. Look for the historical Masonic Cemetery sign alongside of the road. The cemetery is located about 300 feet down a lane to the left. |
| 39.9 | G | Turn left onto Gorman Ranch Road which is 30 to 40 feet beyond the lane to the cemetery. |
| 40.7 | G | Dirt roads junction. Continue straight ahead on the Gorman Ranch Road. |
| 41 | G | Junction of Gorman Ranch Road and Chicken Hawk Road. Turn right onto Chicken Hawk Road. |
| 41.3 | G | Pass trail which extends to the left. Continue straight ahead on the Chicken Hawk Road. |
| 41.7 | HB | Turn left onto trail from Chicken Hawk Road. |
| 42 | G | Turn left onto dirt road. |
| 42.2 | HB | Leave road onto trail to the right. |
| 43.6 | HB | Volcano stream at bottom of Volcano Canyon. Beware of bears in this area. |
| 44.5 | R | Trailhead at Bath Road, a paved road. Travel upgrade on Bath Road. |
| 45.3 | HB | Foresthill Road. Turn left (SW) on trail alongside the road. |
| 45.6 | HB | Catholic Cemetery - 1861-1986 - across road on NW side. Pass Old Mill Road which extends to the left. Pass Walters Way which extends to the left. |
| 45.8 | HB | Note "Bell of St. Joseph" from St. Joseph's Catholic Church on the left. The church was destroyed by fire. This historic bell, cast in England in 1859, cost gold miners $3500. |
| 45.9 | PS | East end of Main Street. The Foresthill Union Elementary School is on the left. Continue straight ahead on Main Street which is adjacent to and parallel to Foresthill Road. |
| 46 | P | Pass by Church Street. The historic Foresthill Cemetery is at the SSE end of Church Street - about 2 blocks to the left off the trail route. Continue straight ahead on Main Street. |
| 46.1 | P | Soap Street. The Forest House Hotel with dining room and tavern is on the SW corner of Main Street and Soap Street. Elevation: 3220 feet. |
| | | End of Segment 3 |
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