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California
Foresthill to Auburn

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.

Codes for type of trail along route:Codes for services along route:
P=Paved road w/shoulder R=paved road no/shoulder C=camping PC=primitive campsite
T=Trail-hiking only B=Trail allows bicycles BB=bed & breakfast zipcode=post office
H=Trail allows horses S=Sidewalk L=lodging M=meals
G=Gravel or dirt road G=groceries B=bike shop
  W=water CO=country road

CUMULATIVE MILES CODE DESCRIPTION EAST TO WEST
0PThe Forest House Hotel on the SW corner of Main and Soap Streets in Foresthill. Travel WSW on Main Street.
0.1PPass Gold Street. Continue straight ahead on Main Street.
0.2PTurn left onto California Street and go one block. Turn right onto Lowe Street and go one block
0.3PTurn left on Lowe Street, go one short block to end of street. Continue straight ahead onto trail.
0.4HMosquito Ridge Road. Cross over road onto trail
0.8GJunction with dirt road. Bear left on dirt road.
0.9GDirt roads junction. Bear right on dirt road.
1.1HTurn right off dirt road onto trail.
1.7HCross small stream.
1.8HCross small stream.
2.4HCross small stream.
2.5HCross small stream.
2.6HCross small seasonal stream.
3.2HTrails 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.)
3.5HTo point where 40' up bank to the right is the end of an abandoned dirt road.
4.1HCross short rock bridge over small stream.
6.3HCross small stream at upper end of wooded canyon with Western States Trail signpost nearby.
6.6HCross small seasonal stream.
7HCross small seasonal stream.
7.1HCross small seasonal stream.
8.2HCross small seasonal stream.
8.8HPass 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).
10.2HCross small stream.
10.9GTrail 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.)
11.3GDirt roads junction. Go left on dirt road.
11.7HDirt road junction with trail. Leave road. Go right onto trail. (Road continues downgrade to the American River at Ford's Bar.)
13.3HCross small rocky stream (seasonal).
13.8HCross small stream.
14.5GTrail junction with dirt road. Go straight ahead on dirt road.
15.6GESE end of dirt road through the Ruck A Chucky Campground. Proceed WNW on dirt road.
15.8RCross small stream (seasonal), flows over paved section of the dirt road.
16GDirt roads junction. Go upgrade to the right on dirt road.
16.2HFrancisco'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.
16.5GWestern 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.
16.8GWestern 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.
18.5GIron 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.
18.6HBTrailhead for the Foresthill Loop Trail and Milepost 9. Proceed south on the trail.
19RTrail enters abandoned paved road. Go left onto the road.
19.1HBTrail exits paved road to the left onto dirt trail.
19.2GTrail enters dirt road. Go left onto dirt road.
19.6G, HB Milepost 8. Trail exits dirt road 70' past Milepost 8 onto trail to the right.
20HBCross wood bridge over small stream.
20.1GTrail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road.
20.2HBExit dirt road onto trail to the right.
20.6HBMilepost 7. Continue upgrade on the trail.
20.8HBTop of the ridge where there is an oak tree shaded area with a good view toward the southwest. Continue downgrade on the trail.
21.6HBMilepost 6.
21.9GTrail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road.
22.3HBExit dirt road onto trail to the right.
22.6HBMilepost 5.
22.7HBJunction 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.)
23.3P/RTrailhead 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.
23.6P/RPass road with iron gate on the left (not a public road).
24.7P/RPass road on the right to Lake Clementine - a reservoir behind a dam on the North Fork of the American River.
24.8P/RJunction of Foresthill Road and Old Foresthill Road. Go left on Old Foresthill Road
25.7GWidened 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.
26.4HBCross 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.
28.4PLower 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.
28.7P/RNW 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.
29GSSW 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.)
29.3HJunction with trail which goes straight ahead. The dirt road makes sharp turn upgrade to the right. Go straight ahead on the trail.
29.4HPass steep upgrade trail to the right.
29.5HPass trail to the left toward river.
29.6HCross seasonal stream.
29.8HCross stream with waterfall on right.
30.5H, GCross stream. Trail enters dirt road. Go left on dirt road.
30.8GDirt roads junction and milepost 2 of Western States Trail. Go right on dirt road.
31.1GRobie 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.
31.2GDirt roads junction. Go right on dirt road.
31.3GMilepost 1.5 of the Western States Trail.
31.5GDirt roads junction. Bear left (straight ahead) on dirt road.
31.6HLeave dirt road onto trail to the right.
31.8HMilepost 1 of the Western States Trail.
32HTrails junction. Bear left.
32.1HCross stream. Pass trail entering from the right. Pass trail exiting to the left.
32.3HMilepost 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

 
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