Thursday, March 31, 2011

 

Hidden Falls Regional Park hiking trails, Placer County, California USA.

Multiuse trails near Auburn, CA for hiking, mountainbiking, horseback riding and dog walking.


Jim & I went hiking at Hidden Falls Regional Park to see what this little local park has to offer. (Map, driving directions, driving time.) (Hiking map.) The trails were well designed and well maintained except for a few mushy spots that need some regrading to drain water off the trail more efficiently. The trails are multiuse and on this weekday we saw one horse and a few dogs taking their owners out for walks, but no mountainbikers. The trail system winds and loops throughout the property with signs and maps posted at every junction. There are enough ups and downs to make the trails interesting, but nothing was more than moderately strenuous.

Hiking & Driving Map - Hidden Falls Regional Park.

• The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user FAQ.
• Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo. Topo=topographic map.
Full-Screen Road and Hiking Map: Hidden Falls Regional Park.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 38.95826 W 121.16620 - Trailhead (elevation 1080 ft)
N 38.96438 W 121.16871 - Dead Man Creek bridge (elevation 690 ft)
N 38.96602 W 121.17804 - Hidden Falls (elevation 580 ft)
N 38.96919 W 121.16549 - Seven Pools vista point (elevation 740 ft)

After a period of rain the plants were green with new growth, wildflowers were blooming and the creeks were flowing nicely. We found edible plants such as miner's lettuce and manzanita blossoms.

Doubleclick on the photos to see the large version; use the back button to return.

Hidden Falls Regional Park wildflowers

• Wildflowers along the trail.

Hidden Falls waterfall on Dead Man Creek is the main attraction !!




Coon Creek Seven Pools Area

• Hiking along Coon Creek near the Seven Pools Area was also very nice.

More photos:
2011-03-29 Hidden Falls Regional Park photos by BRT & JH.
GPS track, photos and trip report from Hidden Falls Regional Park by JH.

My new hiking boots were cheap on sale at Big 5 Sporting Goods. They passed the day 1 test, but only time will tell if they last long enough to make the cheap price really a bargain.

On the way home we stopped for some good food & drink at Auburn Alehouse in the old town section of Auburn, CA. We got glasses of Imperial IPA and Irish Dry Stout, both excellent and unique beers!

Auburn Alehouse

For more information:
Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

 

Return to North Table Mountain to see Coal Canyon Falls, Butte County, California USA.

Coal Canyon is gorgeous and the waterfall is breathtaking!!


(27feb2011) It was necessary to go right back! We were on a mission because our previous hike to Table Mountain was cut short by the shocking failure of my not-so-old hiking boots.

Hiking Map - North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, near Oroville, California.

Map user instructions. The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map.
• Point on the red markers to see their names. Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo. Topo=topographic map.
Full-Screen Map: North Table Mountain access road and hiking area.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 39.52409 W 121.55865 - Cherokee Rd, Oroville, California (elevation 342 ft) (A)
N 39.59555 W 121.54164 - DFG Public Parking (elevation 1320 ft) (B)
N 39.60379 W 121.55756 - Ravine Twin Falls (C)
N 39.61055 W 121.56067 - Coal Canyon Fall (D)
N 39.60870 W 121.56115 - Little Coal Canyon Falls (E)

N 39.20582 W 121.82057 - Sutter Buttes (elevation 2117 ft) (F)
N 39.38334 W 122.75213 - Snow Mountain (elevation 7056 ft) (G)
N 39.43447 W 122.69347 - St John Mountain (elevation 6746 ft) (H)
N 40.18611 W 121.37556 - Ruffa Ridge (elevation 7000 ft) (I)

There were noticeably more wildflowers blooming than we had seen at
Table Mountain the previous week.

Coal Canyon, North Table Mountain
• JimH at Coal Canyon. View of Snow Mountain and St John Mountain to the west.

Coal Canyon Falls is the star attraction !!


Coal Canyon Falls, North Table Mountain
• To better appreciate the size of the waterfall notice the hikers on the rim to the right of the falls. (DoubleClick on the photo to see the large version - use the back button to return.)



More photos, map and video:
Table Mountain 2 - Hiking trip - EveryTrail - ElRemaro 27feb2011.
2011-02-27 Table Mountain photos by BRT.
Coal Canyon Falls, Table Mountain video.

The high-top gym shoes that I wore as temporary replacements for hiking boots felt fine at the start of the day, but my feet were suffering long before the end of our hike on this rocky, rugged terrain.

On the way home we stopped in Marysville, CA to eat. The dashboard navigation failed to hook us up with any good looking restaurants. We ended up making a quick stop at Jimboy's Tacos. The food there was pretty good, pretty fast and we got back on the road.

For more information:
Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California - book report.
Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, CA.
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 20feb2011.
Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

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Monday, March 28, 2011

 

Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California - book report.

Samantha Mackey and Albin Bills describe the wildflowers and waterfalls that make North Table Mountain such a special place!


"Table Mountain is a prominent landmark in Butte County, located on the eastern margin of the Sacramento Valley between the towns of Oroville to the south, and Chico to the north. Its distinctive form catches the eye - and elevated tabletop with steep cliffs, set against the rounded hills of the northern Sierra Nevada".

"To the uninitiated, a flower walk on Table Mountain can be an overwhelming experience. There are so many flowers! We seek to ease the burden by profiling approximately 60 of the common, showy species in bloom during the popular springtime viewing season. To broaden your view, we also describe the mountain's geologic and cultural history, ecology, and wildlife you might encounter along the way."
Wildflowers of Table Mountain book cover picture


Wildflowers of Table Mountain
is a great little book to increase your enjoyment of any trip to North Table Mountain (near Oroville, CA). Brief descriptions of the geology and ecology help explain why North Table Mountain is so great for viewing waterfalls and wildflowers. The wildflower identification main section of the is divided by blossom color, but the illustrations are in black and white. This keeps down the cost of the book, but I'll have to see if the b-w drawings are sufficient for flower identification on my next trip there. The book shows locations of three main waterfalls at Table Mountain. Coal Canyon Falls is especially awesome, so be sure to see it!!

There are no trails, so bring your map, compass and cross-country hiking skills. The rolling hills and valleys that cut into the top of Table Mountain provide lots of opportunites to get temporarily lost and bewildered if you don't pay attention to where you are and where you are going.

Wildflowers of Table Mountain book - csuchico.edu. Order the book directly from Herbarium, California State University, Chico or from local booksellers.

North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 23feb2011.
Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve 26feb2011.

See also:
Return to North Table Mountain to see Coal Canyon Falls 27feb2011.
Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, CA.
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 20feb2011.
Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
Hiking to Waterfalls in California - books.
Waterfall Trails in Northern California USA.
Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.

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