The ADT descends from Foresthill on the Western States Trail to Fords Bar on the Middle Fork of the American River. The trail then follows the river downstream to the Ruck A Chucky Campground. From here the ADT leaves the Western States Trail and goes upgrade on the Drivers Flat Road to the Foresthill Loop Trail, a few miles on this trail to Foresthill Road, downgrade on the road and the Confluence Trail brings the ADT to the confluence of the north and middle forks of the American River. After rejoining the Western States Trail and crossing the American River on the No Hands Bridge, an historical abandoned railroad bridge, the ADT goes upgrade to Robie Point and then to the Pacific Avenue Trailhead for the Western States Trail in Auburn.
| CUMULATIVE MILES |
CODE |
DESCRIPTION EAST TO WEST |
| 0 | P | The Forest House Hotel on the SW corner of Main and Soap Streets in Foresthill. Travel WSW on Main Street. |
| 0.1 | P | Pass Gold Street. Continue straight ahead on Main Street. |
| 0.2 | P | Turn left onto California Street and go one block. Turn right onto Lowe Street and go one block |
| 0.3 | P | Turn left on Lowe Street, go one short block to end of street. Continue straight ahead onto trail. |
| 0.4 | H | Mosquito Ridge Road. Cross over road onto trail |
| 0.8 | G | Junction with dirt road. Bear left on dirt road. |
| 0.9 | G | Dirt roads junction. Bear right on dirt road. |
| 1.1 | H | Turn right off dirt road onto trail. |
| 1.7 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 1.8 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 2.4 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 2.5 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 2.6 | H | Cross small seasonal stream. |
| 3.2 | H | Trails junction. Continue straight ahead on main trail. (The trail to the left goes to a small pond on the right with water piped in on two sides. A little further on there is an old iron water tank on the left. This trail re-enters the main trail about .1 mile from where it exited the main trail.) |
| 3.5 | H | To point where 40' up bank to the right is the end of an abandoned dirt road. |
| 4.1 | H | Cross short rock bridge over small stream. |
| 6.3 | H | Cross small stream at upper end of wooded canyon with Western States Trail signpost nearby. |
| 6.6 | H | Cross small seasonal stream. |
| 7 | H | Cross small seasonal stream. |
| 7.1 | H | Cross small seasonal stream. |
| 8.2 | H | Cross small seasonal stream. |
| 8.8 | H | Pass dirt road extending upgrade to the right. Continue straight ahead on the trail (the dirt road to the right extends 1.2 miles to the end of Oakwood Lane in the Todd Valley Estates residential development). |
| 10.2 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 10.9 | G | Trail junction with dirt road. Go right upgrade on dirt road. (0.1 mile downgrade to the left the dirt road ends at the American River where there is a large clean sandbar. This is Ford's Bar.) |
| 11.3 | G | Dirt roads junction. Go left on dirt road. |
| 11.7 | H | Dirt road junction with trail. Leave road. Go right onto trail. (Road continues downgrade to the American River at Ford's Bar.) |
| 13.3 | H | Cross small rocky stream (seasonal). |
| 13.8 | H | Cross small stream. |
| 14.5 | G | Trail junction with dirt road. Go straight ahead on dirt road. |
| 15.6 | G | ESE end of dirt road through the Ruck A Chucky Campground. Proceed WNW on dirt road. |
| 15.8 | R | Cross small stream (seasonal), flows over paved section of the dirt road. |
| 16 | G | Dirt roads junction. Go upgrade to the right on dirt road. |
| 16.2 | H | Francisco's - a small flat meadow and former home site. The trail across the meadow is not well defined. Look for the Western States Trail sign on the other side of the meadow. |
| 16.5 | G | Western States Trail enters dirt road at the west end of the Ruck A Chucky Campground after crossing stream 120' from the road. Turn right and proceed upgrade on Drivers Flat Road. |
| 16.8 | G | Western States Trail exits the dirt road to the left. (The W.S. Trail follows the Middle Fork of the American River downstream.) Continue upgrade on Drivers Flat Road. |
| 18.5 | G | Iron gate across dirt road when closed. The gate is usually open. After passing the gate, bear left when entering the parking area. Continue to bear left. Look for milepost 9 and trailhead for the Foresthill Loop Trail on the left. |
| 18.6 | HB | Trailhead for the Foresthill Loop Trail and Milepost 9. Proceed south on the trail. |
| 19 | R | Trail enters abandoned paved road. Go left onto the road. |
| 19.1 | HB | Trail exits paved road to the left onto dirt trail. |
| 19.2 | G | Trail enters dirt road. Go left onto dirt road. |
| 19.6 | G, HB | Milepost 8. Trail exits dirt road 70' past Milepost 8 onto trail to the right. |
| 20 | HB | Cross wood bridge over small stream. |
| 20.1 | G | Trail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road. |
| 20.2 | HB | Exit dirt road onto trail to the right. |
| 20.6 | HB | Milepost 7. Continue upgrade on the trail. |
| 20.8 | HB | Top of the ridge where there is an oak tree shaded area with a good view toward the southwest. Continue downgrade on the trail. |
| 21.6 | HB | Milepost 6. |
| 21.9 | G | Trail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road. |
| 22.3 | HB | Exit dirt road onto trail to the right. |
| 22.6 | HB | Milepost 5. |
| 22.7 | HB | Junction with Access Trail to the Loop Trail. Go left on the Access Trail. Loop Trail continues to the right. Trails junction. Go right on Access Trail. (The trail which continues straight ahead goes to the Mammoth Bar Off-Highway- Vehicle Recreation Area.) |
| 23.3 | P/R | Trailhead and vehicle parking lot for the Access Trail to the Foresthill Loop Trail on Foresthill Road. (Trailhead is .05 mile past trails junction.See preceeding entry.) Go left (SW) alongside Foresthill Road. Stay alert. Road is very curvy and frequently has heavy traffic. |
| 23.6 | P/R | Pass road with iron gate on the left (not a public road). |
| 24.7 | P/R | Pass road on the right to Lake Clementine - a reservoir behind a dam on the North Fork of the American River. |
| 24.8 | P/R | Junction of Foresthill Road and Old Foresthill Road. Go left on Old Foresthill Road |
| 25.7 | G | Widened shoulder on left side of the road. On the far end of this very wide shoulder area go 200' to the left down the embankment to the Stonewall OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) dirt road. Go right on the road. |
| 26.4 | HB | Cross over paved road which goes to Mammoth Bar on the Middle Fork of the American River. On the other (SW) side of the road is the upper trailhead for the Confluence Trail. Proceed SW on the Confluence Trail. |
| 28.4 | P | Lower trailhead for the Confluence Trail and bridge over the North Fork of the American River. Cross over the bridge and continue west on the old Foresthill Road. |
| 28.7 | P/R | NW end of the bridge over the American River about 100 yards downstream from the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. Turn left and cross the bridge to trailhead at SE end of the bridge on the right side. Turn right onto dirt road. Proceed to junction with the Western States Trail and NNE end of the No Hands Bridge. The No Hands Bridge is an abandoned railroad bridge over the American River now utilized by the Western States Trail. |
| 29 | G | SSW end of the No Hands Bridge. After crossing the bridge bear left on dirt road with river on left. Pass dirt road to river on left. (0.15 mile past bridge.) |
| 29.3 | H | Junction with trail which goes straight ahead. The dirt road makes sharp turn upgrade to the right. Go straight ahead on the trail. |
| 29.4 | H | Pass steep upgrade trail to the right. |
| 29.5 | H | Pass trail to the left toward river. |
| 29.6 | H | Cross seasonal stream. |
| 29.8 | H | Cross stream with waterfall on right. |
| 30.5 | H, G | Cross stream. Trail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road. |
| 30.8 | G | Dirt roads junction and milepost 2 of Western States Trail. Go right on dirt road. |
| 31.1 | G | Robie Point - paved vehicle turn around area at end of Robie Drive in Auburn. Robie Point is about 1.2 miles from the business district with restaurants and retail shops. Continue south and west downgrade on dirt road from Robie Point. |
| 31.2 | G | Dirt roads junction. Go right on dirt road. |
| 31.3 | G | Milepost 1.5 of the Western States Trail. |
| 31.5 | G | Dirt roads junction. Bear left (straight ahead) on dirt road. |
| 31.6 | H | Leave dirt road onto trail to the right. |
| 31.8 | H | Milepost 1 of the Western States Trail. |
| 32 | H | Trails junction. Bear left. |
| 32.1 | H | Cross stream. Pass trail entering from the right. Pass trail exiting to the left. |
| 32.3 | H | Milepost 0.5 of the Western States Trail. |
| 32.8 | | Western States trailhead near Pacific Ave. in Auburn adjacent to Auburn Dam viewpoint parking lot. There is a drinking fountain and horse and mule watering tank near the trailhead. |
| | | End of Segment 4 |