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Features: This trail decends the western slope of the
American River's North Fork. It is one of the most beautiful in the region and
also 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 curves 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.
Trail Description:
Overview: This trail decends from the Boole Road
trailhead into the canyon, ending on a wide sandy beach just upstream from the
upper end of Lake Clementine. It is a wide trail, starting as a graded road and
becoming more of a wagon road farther down.
Availability: Upper Clementine Trail is multi-use. The
upper section is also legitimately used by trail bikes and other motorized
off-highway vehicles. To avoid causing erosion, this and adjoining trails
should be used only by hikers during the rainy season (usually mid-November
thru mid-April.)
Difficulty: The trail covers about two and a half miles
in all, one way. The route is generally easy to hike or ride, keeping a gentle,
constant slope as it drops about 1,150 feet to the river. The footing is even
and mostly free of rocks.
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.
The fifth trail is a single track that departs the trailhead
to the northeast, (known locally as the Assassin's
Trail.) It follows the contour of the upper canyonside and connects with
the Heather Glen trail network.
Trail Course: Follow the graded roadway for about two
miles. Partway, there is a natural year-round spring at the side of the trail,
denoted on the map by the circle-w symbol. (The water is suitable for pets and
stock animals only.) You will next reach a junction area where, in 2005, Parks
& Rec placed a number of toyota-size cement blocks across the trail to
prevent vehicle traffic from reaching the river. There is ample space between
the blocks for hikers, riders and cyclists to pass through.
Straight ahead is a spur trail that leads out to a beautiful
viewpoint at the end of Long Point. To the right is a wide trail that angles
down toward an old mine area. Also to the right, but back up trail several
yards, is the turnoff to the Boole Training Hill trail.
From the junction area, Upper Clementine Trail is becomes more
like the Gold Rush wagon road that this trail originaly was and becomes
somewhat steeper, but it is still easy going. It rounds the end of Long Point
and continues its decent toward river level. It narrows to single track in one
place, about 300 yards from the river, where past efforts to discourage 4WD
traffic have caved away the downhill shoulder. It then comes out onto the wide
sandy edge of the North Fork.
Beside the beach, the river forms a large slow pool that is
safe for swimming. At the downstream end of the beach the river enters a
section of mild rapids before entering the upper end of Lake Clementine. Across
the river is the Upper Clementine picnic area, accessible by vehicle from
Foresthill Road. Use caution in crossing the river, especially during
the period of Spring runoff.
Alternate Routes:
- It is possible to ford the river (in summer, after the
heavy spring runoff) just above where the rapids begin and continue up the
gravel access road on the other side to reach the Foresthill Divide Road and to
access other trails in the Drivers Flat area.
- From the Long Point area, near the cement blocks, there is
a trail out onto the point, with a superb view of the canyon below -- well
worth the side trip.
- Also from Long Point, a side trail decends slowly toward
upper Lake Clementine for about a mile, passing an old mining claim with its
brick furnace building largely intact.
- Also from Long Point, a steep trail out to the ridge is
available, making a loop available for the stout of heart. It joins up with the
Cerro Vista Ridgeline trail near the canyon rim,
leading back toward the Boole Road trailhead and parking areas.
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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