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Features: This trails follows the western slope of the
American River's North Fork a few hundred feet below the ridgeline. The trail
is one of the most beautiful in the region and is also one of the easiest to
access. Views from the trail take in breathtaking vistas of the wild and scenic
river hundreds of feet below.
Map Notes: Click on map shown to view the full-size
version. The trailhead is at map center; the parking locations are shown as
blue dots to the south and southwest of the trailhead. Access to Boole Road is
from the Applegate exit from I-80, top left.
Cautions:
 This trail traverses
Cougar Habitat. Cougar sightings are rare,
but use good sense: Do not walk or ride this trail alone. Keep small
children and pets close at hand.
Poison Oak grows along
much of this trail and hangs out into the trail in places.
Drinking Water must be carried with you. Creek and
river water are not safe for human
consumption, no matter how clean it looks. Drink it only in an emergency
and consult a doctor afterwards.
Directions to trailhead: The trailhead is located on a
saddleback about 50 yards to the side of Boole Road, a paved county road
accessible from the Applegate area. Take the I-80 Applegate exit and follow the
overpass road East to where it T's into Applegate Road. Go left; the road
passes through a narrow tunnel under the railroad. Take an immediate right
after the tunnel onto Boole Road. Boole Road is narrow and has poor shoulders,
so drive with care. The dirt access road to the trailhead is about 1.5 miles
along this road, on your left. There is no signage. Parking at the trailhead
is not available: The short graded road to the trailhead, about 50 yards
in, is generally in very poor condition. Use one of the alternatives described
next.
Recommended Parking: There are two good parking locations
nearby. Continue on Boole Road past the trailhead access road to where the
pavement forks. Boole Road continues to your right; Cerro Vista Road to your
left.
- Boole Road: About 1/2 mile down you will cross a cattle
guard. About 100 yards farther is a large triangular area between where the
roadway sweeps to the right and a dirt road continues straight. This is private
property, but the ranch owners are friendly. Horse trailers are Ok, but be sure
to cleanup and carry away any "leavings." Also, if riding horses, you will be
letting yourself through the "Portugese" gate on one side of the cattle guard
as you proceed to and from the trailhead.
- Cerro Vista Road: Less than a quarter mile up the hill, where
the road curves to the right, is a dirt area to your left. There is room for
several cars or a couple of horse trailers on the flat area. From here, you can
reach the trailhead more directly by taking the graded road that follows the
ridgeline, but it is not a pleasant route due to extensive illegal dumping of
trash.
Trail Description:
Overview: Assassin's Trail gained its name from an
unsolved murder that took place during the Cold War near the trail's course.
The victim was rumored to be a former Russian agent who had been given a new
identity. He was killed by a single shot to the head while tending a small
vegetable garden.
The trail today is better remembered for its quiet beauty and
excellent views into the canyon.
Availability: Assassin's Trail is multi-use. The
initial section of about two miles is also used by dirt bikes, but remains in
good condition. To avoid causing erosion, this and adjoining trails should not
be used during the rainy season (usually mid-November thru mid-April.)
Difficulty: The first two miles of this trail is an old
wagon road that follows the contour with only gradual changes of elevation.
This section of the route is easy to hike or ride. The footing is even and
mostly free of rocks. For those who choose to continue, though, there is a
steep uphill section of about 1/2 mile. This difficult single-track section
then joins another wagon road. From there, the going is once again easy for
about three miles, until it enters the Heather Glen area.
Trailhead:The trailhead is a saddleback area on the rim
of the canyon. There is no trail signage, so here is what to look for: From the
saddleback there are roadways/trails in five directions. A wide dirt road
follows the ridgeline uphill to the north and south; another short dirt road
connects to Boole Road about 50yds to the west; and the
Upper Clementine Trail, also widely graded, heads
directly east. Assassin's Trail is a single track trail that departs the
trailhead to the northeast and follows the contour of the upper canyon
slope, connecting with the Heather Glen and Codfish Canyon areas.
Trail Course: Follow the single track that leads to the
northeast from the trailhead. It soon widens into a wagon road and continues at
a constant elevation for about two miles, until it makes a fork.
At the fork in the trail, you can continue to the right for
about another half mile until dead ending at a point overlooking the river.
Depending on the season, vegetation may block much of the view of the canyon
from this location.
From the fork, the left branch of the trail is a single track
that proceeds steeply uphill for about a half mile to where it joins a wagon
trail. To the right of the junction, the trail continues toward the Heather
Glen and Codfish Creek area, following the contour above the canyon for about
two miles.
To the left of the junction, the trail loops back along the
ridgetop toward the trailhead. There are beautiful views across the canyon and
foothills from up on top. Due to a locked ranch gate and fencing partway along
the way, this return route (shown on the map as a dashed line) this not
passable for horses.
MVTA tries to assure the accuracy of
the trails information presented,
but can make no claims to such. Please
let us know if any entries are incorrect.
Email your comments or questions to
our webmaster.
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