Hunting is allowed, in accordance with State law, unless a specific area is signed CLOSED by the BLM. [3] Amazing hike. Eventually, the use of the trail died down as did gold fever and it was all but forgotten until 1969 when a Sacramento area Boy Scout was credited with rediscovering the trail. The townspeople didnt rally together like before, and the town was no longer a desirable destination. Only met two others on the trail, but by the time I made it back up several groups were starting their way down. Easy to understand, as there are many rusted carcasses of vehicles that were unable to navigate Iowa Hill Road successfully. Perhaps, the greatest adventure in Iowa Hill is the road leading up to town. Built during the CA Gold Rush era. Pedal, Drink, and Bar hop through Sacramento on a 15 seat Beer Bike, 2-Hour Climbing and Ziplining in West Sacramento, Rock the Yacht Cocktail Cruise Sacramento 21+, Half Day Sardinian Pasta Classes with Dining and Latin Dance, Sacramento City Scavenger Hunt Excursion by Operation City Quest, Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour through Napa Valley, Sacramento Sutter District History and Food Walking Tour, Sacramento Scavenger Hunt: California Capital. Camping is not allowed in the parking lot at Stevens Trail. You'll have to cross the creek at Secret Ravine. Hikers should take the trail to left and head past Cape Horn toward the rocky gourge crossing at Robbers Ravine. The way there is a breeze but the way back is mostly up hill which was challenging. This trail traverses The News only lasted through the year of 1855 and The Patriot only lasted a few months in 1859. Features: The Stevens Trail is one of the most scenic and The Historic Stevens Trail connected the town of Iowa Hill with the city of Colfax, California. 1585f. Very nice to make it down to the river (3.5 or 4.5m out) to cool off. I strongly suggest packing this trail in stages & having more than one vehicle & driver. Drink it only in an emergency This is a relatively unknown continuation of the very popular
Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through The weather was perfect and I even went for a quick swim! Not too steep of incline or declines. Great hike. Apparently, this wall was constructed by Chinese workers in the 1860's as part of the original transcontinental railroad. Pace yourself and you'll be okay. The Iowa Hill Road is intended for light vehicles only, trailers not advised. Iowa Hill-the other Stevens trail Hiking trail in Iowa Hill, California (United States). The current trail extends 4.5 miles along the northwestern slope of the North Fork of the American River Canyon. Governor and a multiyear tenure as the president of the California Miners Association. oak, mountain
A lock ( 26. Seemingly as the gold kept pouring out, the town kept growing. Beautiful river and the coolest cave by the water for shelter from the rain. way. Bring plenty of water, it can get warm hiking out even on cooler days. Nice weekend hike with a break from the storms finally. But, unlike many camps that dried up and disappeared, Iowa Hill was able to push on and stave off becoming a ghost town. back up the trail on one of the only sun-exposed sections of the trail. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you have a dog, please dont put their poop in a plastic bag and leave it on the side of the trail. A great hint to help you choose your outdoor gear and clothing! Eventually, the use of the trail died down as did gold fever and it was all but forgotten until 1969 when a Sacramento area Boy Scout was credited with rediscovering the trail. Vehicles are allowed to park overnight in the parking lot for up to 72 hours for dispersed camping along the Stevens Trail. Beautiful views as well. are rare, but use good sense: Do not walk or ride this trail alone. Originally built as a toll road for pack mules between Colfax and the gold fields of Iowa Hill. crossings along the early trail, including this one which invited
Put-in is a two (2) mile walk from the trailhead. and back. This is a risky drive with plenty of thrill and amazing views of the Gold Country landscape. Built by Truman Allen Stevens, it was used as a toll road for miners that needed to get from the mining town of Iowa Hill to the railroad town of Colfax. Its easy going in because its mostly a slow decline and you dont even notice it but when its time to head back after the river, you definitely notice the incline. After Colfax was founded and absorbed the mining town of Illinoistown, miners and others from both towns would travel this route. In 2002, this trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it definitely makes for a great day hike. Definitely bring the app because there are splits where you may take the wrong turn. Waterfalls, California nutmeg, California bay, oak, ponderosas, madrones, assorted wildflowers. Check out my section on Iowa Hill for more information. Today, Iowa Hill is a small town on life support. were able to spot a gold dredger relaxing on the shore on the other
a spot where you can look across the river and see the turn-around
Experience this 6.3-mile out-and-back trail near Colfax, California. This trail was originally established as a toll road in 1859 by Truman Allen Stevens. At this point, there were an estimated 10,000 residents. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania but moved to Iowa as a kid. Camping is not allowed in the parking lot at Stevens Trail. Vehicles parked longer than 72 hours will be towed. Awesome hike! Took the bike trail to go around the waterfall based on other reviews. Enjoy your visit! Leave early. A local pup who will greet you
The trail went down to the bottom of the American River Canyon and back up the other side to Colfax via a bridge that is no longer in existence. Reviews on Things to Do in Iowa Hill, CA 95713 - Stevens Trail, Mineral Bar Campground, Empire Mine State Historic Park, Euchre Bar Trail, Maker's Mountain Eatery, Tap House & Wine Bar, Ponderosa Way Bridge, Mountain Springs Hitch N Post, Sierra Rose Alpacas, Town of Dutch Flat, Foresthill Divide Loop Trail Rattlesnakes, ticks, poison
Stevens Trail leaves the graded road and heads toward Robbers Ravine. Very wet. Take
And, his life of success began in Iowa Hill when Neff arrived there by 1851. Elevations are about 3,200 feet in Gold Run & about 2,800 feet in Iowa Hill. beautiful hike in the sierra foothills. Suffice it to say, I give this trail a 10 with respect to the beauty of the American River and the canyon views. between Colfax and the gold fields of Iowa Hill, it slopes gently downhill for about Historic Bell From St. Dominic's Church at Iowa Hill. side of the river. Trails a little muddy in some spots, but not bad. Travel along North Canyon Way for about a mile. It follows the North fork of the American River on the north rim of the canyon. Negligible. [6][7] The single landline was in operation for over ten years, but eventually became nonoperational due to the lack of maintenance. Definitely advise against running shoes. Hopefully they fix it soon. Some potential in the summer months to swim in the river, there appear to be several nice rocks for jumping and deep slow water. American River Canyon and back up the other side to Colfax via a bridge
This trail follows close to the North Fork of the American River. One of the best day trips near Sacramento. In 1857, a massive fire destroyed most of Iowa Hill. Official websites use .gov A little slippery at the bottom by the river, but otherwise great trail conditions. There is
Pine and manzanita line the path with oak and laurel. It is more in the shade than the Colfax version of Steven's . Gold Run is close to Interstate 80. This meant that the mines were producing a lot of gold. Nearly the entire trail is
Trail-edge Dropoffs in some sections can be Im a big baby when it comes to heights, so Ill be honest, there were 2-3 spots after the falls that sketched me out a bit. All trails in the park are open to hikers but some are not open to mountain bikers and equestrians. Stevens operated a ranch in Iowa Hill and a livery stable in Colfax. Not for out of shapers. In 1901, the post office changed its name to Iowa Hill. fantastic viewpoints of the North Fork of the American River. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 41 min to complete. Neff made his early fortunes mining in the Iowa Hill region and reportedly mined until 1863. and consult a doctor afterwards. Its a nice 2-hour walk down and several hour walk back. Neff quickly headed further west to modern day Gold Country, ending up in Iowa Hill. By April of 1854, San Franciscos Alta California newspaper reported that the diggings in Iowa Hill were of high value. The Stevens Trail is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It begins at the trailhead in Colfax and ends at the confluence of Secret Ravine and the North Fork of the American River. . Vista Trails Association. consumption, no matter how clean it looks. Stevens Trail Trailhead Phone: (916) 941-3101 Email: BLM_CA_Web_ML@blm.gov Address: Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 Latitude/Longitude: 39.105545, -120.947083 Directions: Follow I-80 East towards the town of Colfax and exit at North Canyon Way. Doubled back 5 miles to the bike trail and used that to get down to the river. This trail was designed for people to travel from Illinoistown to Iowa Hill. small open pit mine a little off the trail past the signs which
No charge! Stevens Trail Trailhead does not offer reservations through Recreation.gov. Sometimes there is only a trickle of water. Some wet spots on the trail, but not bad considering all the rain weve had. More of a moderate hike than hard. 4. The Iowa Hill Road is intended for light vehicles only, trailers not advised. As for the Steven's Trail itself, which is a foot path, it physically felt more like a continuous staircase than a horizontal trail. So, that makes for a 9 mile round trip hike and the way back is all uphill. It has survived all of the disasters of its past and has fought off the dreaded ghost town obscurity. river water are not safe for human About as long but with a little more elevation change than the Stevens trail out of Colfax. The mine is said to be unstable and extremely dangerous. The discovery was made on the north side of the ridge located at the head of the gulch leading into the North Fork of the American River. ), Trailhead Parking: Large paved parking lot . 7.32mi. It continues North Fork American River, Near Colfax, California. From Sacramento, take Interstate 80 east and exit at North Canyon Way (exit 135) at Colfax. This trail was originally established as a toll road in 1859 by Truman Allen Stevens. Directions to trailhead: The Stevens Trail starts at the What was once a booming town boasting of unparalleled riches and nearly 10,000 residents in its heyday, is now just a small community of residents refusing to fade quietly into the history books. My friends Mark and Tracey
Seasonal Popularity. Email your comments or questions to Unless you are Due to these findings, more and more miners began exploring further throughout the Divide. Although the bridge connecting the two sides of the river no longer stands, the trail still provides a beautiful hike through an area that was once bustling with minersall in search of gold! Through the 1860s Iowa Hill became the main mining hub for just about all of the northern mines on the Divide. The current trail extends 4.5 miles along the northwestern slope of the North Fork of the American River Canyon. In 1851 or 1852, miners from Iowa discovered gold here. Stevens completed the trail in 1871 and operated it as a toll route for foot traffic, horses, and pack mules traveling between the then-bustling mining town of Iowa Hill and the connection to the Transcontinental Railroad, in what is now the town of Colfax. Based on extensive research, this book includes: . out after reaching the river.