From Auburn the ADT follows the Western States Pioneer Express Trail into the American River Canyon, downstream alongside the American River and in the foothills on the WNW side of Folsom Lake in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. After leaving the Western States Pioneer Express Trail, the ADT follows the American River Bikeway. It passes Folsom Dam and Folsom Prison, which is on the other side of the river below the dam, the historic bridge across Lake Natoma to Old Town Folsom, Lake Natoma, Nimbus Dam and the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. The ADT then continues on the American River Bikeway (also designated as the Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail) for over twenty miles through the American River Parkway to the end of this segment at the mouth of the American River where it flows into the Sacramento River in Discovery Park.
| CUMULATIVE MILES |
CODE |
DESCRIPTION EAST TO WEST |
| 0 | H | Trailhead for the Western States Pioneer Express Trail in Auburn adjacent to the Auburn Dam Site viewpoint parking lot on Pacific Avenue. |
| 0.2 | H | Pass trail exiting to the left. |
| 0.4 | H | Bear right to enter wide asphalt paved area. At far end of this area bear to the left side. Cross paved road. Cross wider paved road; then immediately turn left onto trail. |
| 0.8 | R | Trail enters paved road. Go right on road 200 paces. |
| 0.9 | H | Turn right onto trail from road. |
| 1.3 | H | Cross Maidu Road diagonally to the right side of metal gate and continue on trail. |
| 1.7 | H | Cross Maidu Road. Trail Junction. Turn left onto Cardiac Bypass Trail which trail is used by the Western States Pioneer Express Trail to descend into the American River canyon. |
| 1.8 | H | Cross canal. Continue straight ahead downgrade on trail. (Elevation 1300 feet) |
| 2 | R | Turn right onto paved road. Paved road junctions. Turn right. |
| 2.2 | H | Leave road onto trail to the left. Continue downgrade on the trail. |
| 2.6 | G | Turn right onto gravel road. Go 100 feet to gravel road junction. Go straight across road onto trail which becomes a dirt road. Continue downgrade on the dirt road. |
| 3.3 | H | Leave road to the right through an opening in barbed wire fence next to a gate. Go 50 feet to trail junction. Turn left, cross small stream and continue downgrade on the trail. (The Cardiac Bypass Trail ends at the trail junction.) |
| 3.6 | H | Bottom of grade - 60 feet from the American River. Turn right on trail which follows the American River downstream. (Elevation: 520 feet) |
| 3.9 | H | Trail junction with trail that goes straight ahead. Turn left and immediately cross small stream. Note: The American River Flows into Folsom Lake. The Western States Pioneer Express Trail follows the river downstream and then continues SSW on the WNW side of the lake. The Trail is located on the hillsides bordering the river and lake at variable distances from and elevations higher than the river and lake. Where the lake begins depends upon the time of year and the amount of precipitation received in the American River watershed. |
| 7.7 | H | Historical display board on left side of trail. |
| 7.8 | H | Cross wood bridge over stream at Morman Ravine. |
| 7.9 | G | Milepost 48 at point where trail enters gravel road at small PG&E hydro powerhouse. Proceed past either side of powerhouse and on road toward the lake. |
| 8.1 | H | Leave road onto trail to the left 50 feet after road becomes paved. |
| 8.2 | H | Pass trail to the right which goes along the right side of Avery's Pond. Continue straight ahead along the left side of Avery's Pond. |
| 8.7 | H | Trail junction with trail that goes straight ahead. Bear left and go downgrade. |
| 9.4 | H | Milepost 46.5 and pass trail going downgrade to the left. Dirt road crosses trail. Pass dirt road going downgrade to the left. |
| 9.6 | H | Turn right on dirt road which becomes a trail after about 150 feet. |
| 9.9 | H | Cross paved road at Rattlesnake Bar. Cross over small gullies. |
| 10 | H | Turn right onto dirt road. Cross gravel road onto trail. |
| 10.2 | H | Trail becomes dirt road. |
| 10.3 | H | Rattlesnake Bar Assembly Area. Dirt parking area is on the left side of trail. Continue straight ahead. Roads junction. Turn right upgrade onto rough dirt road. |
| 10.6 | H | Cross wood bridge over small stream. |
| 10.9 | H | Milepost 45 and trail junction. Go left. |
| 11.2 | H | Cross small stream with log railing on both sides of the trail. |
| 11.4 | H | Cross small stream. Milepost 44.5 is nearby. |
| 12.1 | H | Trails junction. Turn right. Continue to bear right at a second nearby trail junction. Then ascend to short steep grade. |
| 12.2 | H | Cross small flat area straight ahead, then downgrade to dirt roads junction. Turn right on dirt road but not on road to the right rear. Go upgrade. Watch for trail to the left as approaching top of grade. Turn left onto trail. |
| 12.3 | H | Pass trail to the right which goes about 120 feet to the east end of Horseshoe Bar Road. This area is the Horseshoe Bar area of Folsom Lake. |
| 17 | H | Viewpoint of Folsom Lake. |
| 17.2 | H | Los Logos Trail crosses ADT from right rear to left front. |
| 17.4 | H | Pass trail to the left. Proceed upgrade to the right. |
| 18.2 | H | Cross dirt road. Proceed straight ahead on the trail. (The corner of Twin Rocks and Boulder Roads is 200 feet to the right on the dirt road.) |
| 18.8 | H | Cross paved road and pass through the Granite Bay Assembly Area. This area has a drinking fountain and picnic tables. |
| 19.8 | H | Cross paved road. Trail Junction. Go left. |
| 20.1 | BH | Cross the paved road which enters the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area at Granite Bay. (Douglas Blvd. Extends west from the entrance one mile to a shopping center and beyond to the city of Roseville.) Continue straight ahead on dirt trail. Just before reaching a paved parking area the trail swings to the right onto a narrow crushed rock road. Go upgrade 150 feet. on the crushed rock road, then turn left onto a dirt road used as a multi-purpose trail. |
| 21.6 | BH | The Western States Pioneer Express Trail exits road to the right at point where the road becomes surfaced with crushed rock. Continue straight ahead on the multi-purpose trail on top of Folsom Lake Levee. |
| 22.5 | BH | Multi-purpose trail on top of levee becomes paved at iron gate. |
| 23 | BH | Cross over paved road to Beals Point parking lot at beach area in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. (There is a public restroom and snack bar .2 mile to the left on the far side of the parking lot. To the right of the road crossing there is a campground.) At this road crossing the paved multi-purpose trail becomes the paved American River Bikeway. Proceed straight ahead on the bikeway. |
| 24 | BH | Pass through tunnel beneath Folsom Dam Road. (If desired, leave trail to the left just before entering the tunnel, cross small parking lot and Folsom Dam Road to the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area Headquarters Office where trail informatiion and maps can be obtained.) |
| 26 | BH | Pass paved trail to the left which crosses over the upper end of Lake Natoma on the Folsom Historic Bridge. Lake Natoma is a reservoir behind Nimbus Dam on the American River. If desired, cross over the bridge, bear right, then left onto Riley Street and cross Riley Street to the Folsom Powerhouse. (Pioneer Hydro Electric Plant - 1895-1952) --.2 mile from the Bikeway. Continue SSW on Riley Street to Folsom Old Town --.4 mile from the Bikeway. |
| 26.6 | BH | Pass by large parking lot on the left at Negro Bar. |
| 31 | BH | Pass by the north end of Nimbus Dam. |
| 31.3 | BH | Pass beneath and then cross over the Hazel Avenue bridge to the south side of the American River. Cross paved road which enters the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and visitor parking lot. The hatchery, which has a salmon and steelhead fish ladder from the American River into the hatchery and a visitor center, is open to the public. |
| 31.7 | BH | Paved trails junction. Turn right. Note: The American River Bikeway is also known as the Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail from this point to the end of this segment at Discovery Park. |
| 34.1 | BH | Pass beneath the Old Fair Oaks Bridge - a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the American River. The community of Fair Oaks is on the other (north) side of the bridge. |
| 34.4 | BH | Pass beneath the Sunrise Blvd. Bridge over the American River. |
| 34.5 | BH | Pass paved trail to the right which goes to a pedestrian bridge over the American River and to the Sacramento Bar on the other (north) side of the river. There is a restroom and drinking fountain at this trails junction. |
| 35 | BH | Pass through small park with picnic tables, restroom and drinking fountain. |
| 35.6 | BH | Pass trail to the left to restroom. |
| 35.8 | BH | Pass trail to the left rear to trail parking lot on Ambassador Drive in the community of Rancho Cordova. |
| 38.4 | BH | Pass Cordova Community Park which is on the left. Pass through Goethe Park which is mostly undeveloped. |
| 40.5 | BH | Cross the Harold M. Richey Bicycle Bridge over the American River from east to west. |
| 40.7 | BH | Pass paved trail to the right which goes to the end of Arden Way. Pass picnic and parking areas which are on the right. (1/2 mile long) |
| 44.2 | BH | Pass beneath the Watt Ave. bridge over the American River. |
| 45.8 | BH | Pass beneath the Howe Ave. bridge over the American River. |
| 46.4 | BH | Pass beneath the Guy West Bridge, a pedestrian and bicycle suspension bridge over the American River. The California State University Sacramento campus is on the other (SW) side of the bridge. |
| 46.9 | BH | Pass beneath the Fair Oaks Blvd. Bridge over the American River. Pass by the Campus Commons Golf Course which is on the left. |
| 48.2 | BH | Pass paved trail to the right at the 6 mile sign. The trail to the right goes to CAL EXPO, the California State Fairgrounds. |
| 49.6 | BH | Pass beneath the Interstate 80 bridge over the American River. |
| 49.9 | BH | Pass beneath railroad bridge over the American River. |
| 51.5 | BH | Pass beneath the Highway 160 bridge and railroad bridge over the American River. Pass paved trail to the left. Cross over Del Paso Blvd. Pass paved trail to the right which is an eight mile long paved trail to the community of Rio Linda. |
| 52.1 | BH | Pass beneath the Northgate Blvd. Bridge over canal. |
| 54.3 | BH | Pass beneath the Interstate 5 bridge over the American River in Discovery Park. About 30 feet beyond the bridge is the mileage start point of the American River Bikeway as shown by a Mile 0 signpost on the left side of the trail. Mile 0 is also painted on the bikeway pavement next to the signpost and is the end point of this Segment 5. Discovery Park is located at the mouth of the American River where it flows into the Sacramento River. Elevation: 20 feet. |
| | | End of Segment 5 |