Salmon Falls trail help wanted (Sweet Water and Mickey Mouse?)

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

Ok, so I know salmon falls pretty good and want to add a little bit to it. I have heard of sweet water and mickey mouse but don't know much about them.

Lookin for a suggestion for a ride this saturday including salmon falls and then some..

thx

0gre · 08-13-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

Ok, so I know salmon falls pretty good and want to add a little bit to it. I have heard of sweet water and mickey mouse but don't know much about them.

Lookin for a suggestion for a ride this saturday including salmon falls and then some..

Well if you come from El-Dorado Hills you pass right by the Sweetwater Trailhead on your way to SF. About 2-3 miles before the bridge there is a creek crossing then a smallish parking area. Pull over and ride. You go through a gate and as long as you keep heading east you can't get too mixed up. Alternately you can Park at Salmon Falls, ride across the bridge then down into the day use area on the opposite side. The SW trailhead is on the far end of the parking lot by the bathrooms. It's about a 5-6 mile out and back from there.

Mickey Mouse is sort-of closed right now. Last I heard there was a no trespass sign there. You can search this forum for Mickey Mouse to find directions and a map to it.

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

at this pic? (from your site

)

I just searched on MM, I'd rather not risk a shotgun in my face

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

sounds like parking in the paved lot, running SF and if we up to running SW is best - sounds like a plan. THANKS!

otbp_nocal · 08-13-2007

With the lake level dropping rapidly, the old (usually submerged) bridge that connects Sweetwater to Salmon Falls might be accessible now. Can anyone confirm this?

If so, a good ride is Sweetwater out to the normal Salmon Falls bridge, then do Salmon Falls as you normally would, however far you want to go, then on your way back, drop down to the concrete bridge, back to Sweetwater, then back to the trailhead.

There's also about 18 miles of trail between Sweetwater and Dyke 8, but most of it is not bike legal...

0gre · 08-13-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

at this pic? (from your site

)

I just searched on MM, I'd rather not risk a shotgun in my face

That's the one. Also, if the old bridge is visible as otbp_nocal suggested you could just ride across it from Salmon Falls and stumble across Sweetwater that way. Makes a fun loop.

bikerkk · 08-13-2007

as of the 5th, you still couldnt cross it. Sweetwater has a tree down that is hard to get around. Right at the east(?) end just past the water crossing

Tyrone Shoelaces · 08-13-2007

yes as of last week (the 9th), the bridge was still basically unridable. I say basically, because I supposse if someone were motivated enough, they could do it, as the majority of the bridge IS uncovered, but the ends of the bridge that slope down towards the water's edge are both still buried. Possibly under as much as 2 - 3 feet of water. plus the ground around the ends is pretty soupy. it's very very close....but as of a few days ago it just needed a little more time. I ride there 2 - 3 times a week..i'll post up as soon as I see it completely uncovered if no one else does.

and regarding mickey mouse....I still think the no tresspassing sign is up at the top, but I've been riding lower mickey mouse with no problems. Well, no problems except for the fact that I'm still not good enough to clean it fully with no dabs on my fully rigid SS yet. dammit!

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

where is the bridge, is that where on SF the trail sort of T's and if you go downhill it goes right to the water and deadends?

sltmarc · 08-13-2007

i rode mickey mouse about 2 months ago. there is a sign about halfway down that says "no trespassing, if you enter i will meet you at the road" or something like that.

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

lil history I stumbled across

http://www.westernlivingcenter.com/h...almonfalls.htm

0gre · 08-13-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

where is the bridge, is that where on SF the trail sort of T's and if you go downhill it goes right to the water and deadends?

A few miles in on Salmon Falls... Don't recall how far. You are going through a wooded area and you come out into a largish meadow. There is little ravine you drop into then climb out of . A lot of people take a break right before the ravine. It's right before the trail forks. Anyhow. On the left just past where the ravine pops out there is an old bridge which is underwater most of the year. The link Brandon posted has a good picture of the bridge . If you check out the video on my site (hey someone's gotta promote this thing) you can see Sweetwater and Mickey Mouse both. Everything before the car is SW. The finish is Joseph Da Trog riding the railing of the bridge... it's like 18" wide so not trials riding but still cool when you figure there was a 10'+ drop on the one side.

BrandonMiller · 08-13-2007

Nice Vid, looks smooth n fast - bit sloppy (but not now I am sure)

Reminds me of a trail at Fort Ord, no idea of the name but there is this tree that must be 6" thick that goes right across the trail about 6' up and if you don't see it and duck your done LOL

BrandonMiller · 08-17-2007

where in proximity outa curiousity is that bridge - and has anyone gone this week to see the status? I'll be there in the morning

washedup · 08-17-2007

See where the words "Salmon Falls Road" go over the green (water) area ? That is the bridge. you can even see the trail off to the left in your map, following the lake. It is not hard to find Salmon Falls once you are on the road. Trust me. There are even signs.

otbp_nocal · 08-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

where in proximity outa curiousity is that bridge - and has anyone gone this week to see the status? I'll be there in the morning

See that little nub on the lower left... right above "1000 feet"... that's about where the concrete bridge is.

BrandonMiller · 08-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by washedup

See where the words "Salmon Falls Road" go over the green (water) area ? That is the bridge. you can even see the trail off to the left in your map, following the lake. It is not hard to find Salmon Falls once you are on the road. Trust me. There are even signs.

I know about that one

Finch Platte · 08-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

lil history I stumbled across

http://www.westernlivingcenter.com/h...almonfalls.htm

Hey, cool- thanks!

fp

yo_ca · 08-17-2007

... that's your best clue on the map.

BrandonMiller · 08-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by otbp_nocal

See that little nub on the lower left... right above "1000 feet"... that's about where the concrete bridge is.

not that I have any clue where it is but are you sure it isn't higher up, like in the middle of this pic? It looks like the road is on both sides of the water there and I recognize that spot as the jog in the trail

otbp_nocal · 08-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

not that I have any clue where it is but are you sure it isn't higher up, like in the middle of this pic? It looks like the road is on both sides of the water there and I recognize that spot as the jog in the trail

I'm pretty sure... maybe this pic will help. Once you're out there, you can't miss seeing it. I still don't know if you'll be able to cross it w/o getting wet or super muddy.

BrandonMiller · 08-18-2007

The water was a way below the bridge, in fact there were boats going UNDER it. Had a good 20 mile ride. Where does that trail that goes up the hill to the right as you are going to the end of salmon falls trail? We followed it a ways until it sort of had a wide switchback and then we turned around.

dementedfatty · 08-18-2007

wow the bridge is a good ways up there now. havent seen it that way for awhile. anyways, if your talking about where the trail Y's off at the last creek crossing, the right goes all the way up to MM, and the left goes to penisula camp. Based on what you said, thats the most first right hand hill that comes to mind.

-dementedfatty

BrandonMiller · 08-21-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by dementedfatty

wow the bridge is a good ways up there now. havent seen it that way for awhile. anyways, if your talking about where the trail Y's off at the last creek crossing, the right goes all the way up to MM, and the left goes to penisula camp. Based on what you said, thats the most first right hand hill that comes to mind.

-dementedfatty

MM as in the big eared guy? Yea, that is the spot I was talking about I think

Also kinda curious where the dirt road goes up the hill at the end of the trail. I know if you go straight you hit pavement but this time we went right but only to the "summit" and then came back down (dusty stuff is kinda loose!)

Ciclistagonzo · 08-22-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMiller

Also kinda curious where the dirt road goes up the hill at the end of the trail. I know if you go straight you hit pavement but this time we went right but only to the "summit" and then came back down (dusty stuff is kinda loose!)

Are you talking at the 4 corners "end of the trail" or the Campground?

If it's the 4 corners, the trail going up the hill takes up on a fire road to a rough single track that dumps you onto entrance road to the Campground. I remember a few years back, there was supposed to be a trail continuing on off that, but never heard if it got built or not. It's been a while since I've made it all the way in to 4 corners. (Dam domestic duty curfews!

)

BrandonMiller · 08-25-2007

yep, 4 corners. Sounds fun..

We went to what seemed the highest point and we could see folsom lake then we came back down.

Brainstump · 09-03-2007

Rode out at Salmon Falls on Friday for the 1st time since last April. The lake is getting very low! But the trail is still in great shape. There is still 1 large downed tree blocking the trail on the Salmon Falls trail. Sweetwater is clear. You can see where a few other trees have been cleared from both trails.

Here's a shot of the old Salmon Falls bridge. The water is about 12 feet below the bridge.

Here's a shot of the bridge from the south side of the lake (river).

This trail leads from the bridge to the Sweetwater trail. Sweetwater is located just past the treeline.

The bridge is located about 3 miles in on the trail. Here's a Google Earth link for a image of it's location. The route on the south side of the lake is the Sweetwater trail.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%...,0.079823&z=14

Here's the Motion Based link for the ride for fellow geeks out there.http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3815481

Tyrone Shoelaces · 09-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainstump

Rode out at Salmon Falls on Friday for the 1st time since last April. The lake is getting very low! But the trail is still in great shape. There is still 1 large downed tree blocking the trail on the Salmon Falls trail. Sweetwater is clear. You can see where a few other trees have been cleared from both trails.

With a little bit of pruning and some creativity this downed tree could possibly be morphed into a sweet log ride

BrandonMiller · 09-04-2007

I had to lift my bike over a tree somewhere on the trail but that doesn't look like the one...