Spring has sprung, and Sierra snowmelt and (March and) April showers are working magic in and around the region. As rivers surge and Folsom Lake fills, the sun shines on grassy banks and rippling meadows, coaxing wildflowers into bloom. Warmer days also mean waterfalls! Now is the time to hit the trail to catch nature at its most beautiful. We share some favorite spots.
Word to the wise: To park within some recreation areas, day-use fees range approximately $4–$12, depending on location and day. Go early, bring plenty of water, and watch out for poison oak. (Leaves of three, let it be!)
In EDH, between Brown’s Ravine and Sophia Parkway, a loop popular with mountain bikers has spring-green hillsides dotted with purple, orange and yellow flowers. With Folsom Lake on one side and Green Valley Road in the distance, you’ll feel cocooned from the world’s rush, yet close enough for easy return.
On the New York Creek Nature Trail near El Dorado Hills Community Park, flowers bloom in grassy thickets beneath wide-armed oaks. With benches, bridges, and birdhouses along the few-mile route, it’s enticing for families with kids, who also will appreciate the play structure at the park.
Off Salmon Falls Road, the 5ish-mile out-and-back Sweetwater Creek Trail leads to a finger of the river/lake. Watch for birds and tangles of wildflowers. In dry years, low water levels reveal the old Salmon Falls Bridge and other remnants of the Gold Rush-era community of Salmon Falls, population 2,500. Across the water, Darrington Trail (also known as Salmon Falls Bridge Trail) starts in Pilot Hill and draws wildflower-seekers, view-lovers, and mountain bikers headed for Peninsula Campground, 8.5 miles out. Go when it’s cool; shade is limited. In Coloma, wildflowers pop along the riverbank trail and up on surrounding ridges.
In Folsom, the American River Parkway beckons. Access points off the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail provide brilliant wildflower sightings. One of the best is just east of the Folsom Truss Bridge on the Folsom-Auburn Road side of the river. Trails meander down toward the water, lined with lupine and poppies and other brilliant flowers. Rumor has it the bluffs near Folsom Powerhouse produce vibrant displays too.
At the Folsom Point lake entrance across from Briggs Ranch, wildflower patches skirt the water. Lakefront paths emerge each spring as the shores green up, then burst into bloom. Walkers undeterred by fencing from an ongoing construction project can reach trails from the parking lot, and follow the road to a flower-laden hillside path that cuts through woods to pop out near Folsom Lake Crossing.
In Placer County, another area overtaken by a big construction project is Folsom Lake’s Granite Bay access. Still, day-users can park at the main beach and take trails leading toward Beek’s Bight, where superblooms have drawn photographers in recent years. Watch social media feeds for explosions of deep-purple lupine—or just go see for yourself. No guarantees, but you might get lucky.
Farther along Auburn-Folsom Road, in Loomis, a turn at the Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging Area sign leads visitors past mansions and horse trailers. From the parking lot, pick up trails that run among wildflowers, oaks, and statuesque boulders, out to various vantage points to Folsom Lake. Expect to share trails with horseback riders and wear shoes that can stand a little manure.
In Auburn, Hidden Falls Regional Park beckons. On weekends and holidays, visitors must make parking reservations (placer.ca.gov) to hike the 30-plus miles of pretty trails beside Coon and Deadman’s creeks. It’s approximately half a mile from the parking lot to the Hidden Falls observation platform, which provides views of the water tumbling over boulders.
The Auburn State Recreation Area is a true gem in the region. At the Confluence, where the Middle and North Forks of the American River meet in wild splendor, hit the 1.9-mile Lake Clementine Trail to see the torrential falls plunging from the North Fork Dam—a spectacular sight.
At higher elevations, wildflower and waterfall viewing might need to wait until later spring. Several trails wind through the Echo Summit area, and hardy wildflowers show their petals once the snow melts. (Look for brilliant yellow woolly mule’s ears, with large fuzzy leaves.) Be aware: any trail that takes you into Desolation Wilderness, even day use, requires a permit (free— typically available at trailhead kiosks or the Placerville ranger station). In the Kirkwood area off Highway 88, near Carson Pass, the 4-mile trail to Meiss Lake showcases plenty of late-spring color.
Near South Lake Tahoe, across Highway 89 from Emerald Bay, the Eagle Falls Trail takes hikers up a sloped path through pines for about a quarter-mile to reach stairs cut into rock. It’s another quarter-mile to reach the falls, which plummet over the mountainside beneath a viewing bridge. For additional scenic payoff, go another mile or so to Eagle Lake (Desolation permit required). Also near South Lake Tahoe, at Fallen Leaf Lake, Glen Alpine Falls is accessible with just a short walk from your car. The wide waterfall cascades over graduated rocks, and visitors can follow an adjacent path or sit at the overlook to admire the rush. Near Tahoe’s South Shore beaches, Taylor Creek Visitor Center (opening late May) is an ideal starting point for easy trails beneath Jeffrey pines and aspens, through marshlands, to Tallac Historic Site. Wildflowers show their magnificent colors in late spring and summer—if possible, buy a guidebook at the visitor center to help with identification!
The waterfall cascades over graduated rocks; visitors can follow a path or sit at the overlook to admire the rush.