Guide to the best mountain
bike trails in the Auburn State Recreation Area
Auburn SRA Area Summary Location: Just east of Auburn Best For: Intermediate and advanced riders Suitable For: All levels Ground Cover: Oak and evergreen forests, grasslands Seasons: Year round, though extremely hot in summer
Discover the Best Mountain Biking In the California Gold Country Our 2-sided mountain biking maps include Downieville, Auburn State Recreation Area, The Cool Loop and Salmon Falls, the South Yuba Region near Nevada City, and The North Yuba Regions including Bullard's Bar.
Description:
Thirty minutes northeast of Sacramento, just off I-80, lies a premier mountain biking spot. The Auburn State Recreation Area is a huge expanse of oak and evergreen forests, grasslands, and beautiful canyons cut by two forks of the American River. If beautiful scenery isn't enough, the Auburn SRA also offers some great single-track trails that are perfect for intermediate riders. Some of the Classic rides include the Foresthill Divide Loop and the Clementine Loop.
While riding is possible year round, the Auburn State Recreation Area is particularly inviting in winter and spring, when the hillsides are green and snowpack covers many of the nearby higher-elevation trails. Summers are usually scorching. The river's many swimming holes, however, can help compensate for the heat.
While the Auburn SRA has lots of multi-use single-track, not all trails are open to bikes. The trails are used heavily by hikers, equestrians and cyclists, so please be especially courteous to help maintain the peace. Enough trails are available to make riding here a great experience, particularly for intermediate and advanced riders.
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The maptour below is a jpeg of the actual maps from our books and map-sets.
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Directions to trailhead(s):
The trailheads for the featured rides can be reached easily from the Foresthill Road exit in Auburn on I-80.
Ride 1: From the Foresthill Road exit ramp, go to the east side of the overpass before turning right on Lincoln Ave. In 0.6 miles go left on Russell Road. You'll find parking for the Stagecoach Trail in 0.5 miles.
Ride 2: From the exit ramp, follow Foresthill Road for 5 miles. Trailhead parking is on the right.
Additional trailheads for Auburn SRA are off Hwy. 49 and Old Foresthill Road near the river confluence.