Dogs Off-leash
HORSES!! Be aware of equestrian staging and please respect the rules of the trail (yield to all other users)!
Overview
This trail is also known as the Cool Race Loop, which is an annual race held on this very trail. Fun race, cool organizers, and a family fun kind of atmosphere.
Need to Know
Beware of an exposed creek crossing. Additionally, there are other small areas that tend to hold water after precipitation events.
The main parking/staging area is just behind the fire station in the town of Cool. There is a parking fee, but down the road is a FREE parking area (see map).
Description
This trail is not technical AT ALL. The only difficult aspects of this trial are its distance, elevation gain and a few steep sections that tend to be rutted. The surface is mostly hard-packed doubletrack and fire road. Be forewarned however, some trails lead to nowhere, were made by cows, or lead to private property (gates and signs), so be aware.
The summer months can get hella-hot, so this trail is ideally ridden in the winter. Be prepared with a downloaded or printed map to stay on course, it's not incredibly intuitive to follow. Here's why: Any trail leading off and down to the American River drops very sharply in elevation and will require a serious repayment to get back up (1000+ feet in a bit over a mile). And, all the trails leading off on the north end that head toward the confluence, are off limits to bikes.
Contacts
Shared By:
Paul Rogers
with improvements
by Patrick Malloy
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