Coloma – A 25-mile trail along the South Fork American River will open Friday (October 1), according to a regional organization. The American River Conservancy announced last week that the trail would be open.
Noël Robinson, of the ARC, said the trail has three access points, located in Magnolia Ranch in Coloma; Cronan Ranch at Pilot Hill; and Salmon Falls, a newly built bridge at Acorn Creek in El Dorado Hills.
Robinson said the South Fork American River conservation initiative was launched in 1990 “to protect native fisheries, wildlife habitat and the high quality of water flowing to Sacramento and 22 million water consumers downstream.”
ARC and the Bureau of Land Management have worked together to protect the “river canyon from impacts of subdivision and development,” he said. South Fork American River is immediately above Folsom Lake and the greater Sacramento region and “is the most popular river for whitewater boating in the western United States.”
The river provides drinking water via the federal Central Valley and State Water projects. Robinson said the canyon hosts 117 bird species including bald eagle and osprey as well as black bear, bobcat, river otter, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon.
The trail will open October 1st and take hikers, fisherman, bird watchers, mountain bikers and equestrians through pine and oak landscapes to river side and scenic overlooks of the lower South Fork American River Gorge.
A ribbon cutting ceremony opens the trail on 10 am to noon Thursday, September 30th at Salmon Falls.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
