Falcon Crest Sweetwater Trail, Folsom SRA
Waiver and Sign-up required.
Welcome to the new Friday Walks returning after an 18 month health recess. With the return are a few new Rules:
You MUST sign an Electronic Liability Waiver in advance for Sacramento Valley CNPS Friday Walks. This is a permanent change required by CNPS statewide. Note that this Waiver is for Sacramento Valley CNPS Friday Walks only and does not cover Sacramento Valley CNPS Field Trips nor any Events or Field Trips offered by other CNPS Chapters. The only difference with the Sacramento Valley CNPS Friday Walks Liability Waiver is that once signed it is valid through the end of the current calendar year (2022).
For now the Friday Walks will also have a limit on the number of participants. Initially the limit is 15 attendees plus 1 leader. Only 4 new to Friday Walks attendees can sign up for each walk during this initial restart of Friday Walks. If your name appears on a sign in sheet after January 1, 2013 you are not considered a new attendee.
Walks held unless there is heavy rain. Cancellation notices posted by 7PM Thursday evening if heavy rain is in the forecast.
Sweetwater Creek is a little higher from Tuesday’s rain, so walking sticks are recommended for the creek crossing.
Friday, March 18, 9:30am – 12:30pm, Falcons Crest Sweetwater Trail, Folsom SRA
Note the new State Park meeting area we’ll be using for this walk.
Sweetwater Creek Trail is off Salmon Falls Rd and heads out to the South Fork of the American River. A number of plants not seen in the valley floor will be encountered. Among the plants in bloom 10 days ago were Redbud, foothill iris, buttercups, buck brush, goldfields, blue dicks, shooting star, Sonoma sage, silver puffs, woolly paintbrush, woolly sunflower, pretty face, baby blue-eyes, Pacific sanicle, and butter ‘n’ eggs. Silk tassel is past bloom. It’s still to early for Sierra fawn lily and Meadow deathcamas given the lack of rain the last few months. The old Salmon Falls Bridge is again under water. This is a mostly level and partially shaded walk. For more information, to sign-up for this trip, or if you need a Waiver email John Schmidt or phone 916-500-8456.
Bring water, hat, sun protection and a snack. We will make 2-3 short boulder-assisted crossings of Sweetwater Creek, so a hiking stick might be very useful.
There is parking at the Old Sweetwater Assembly Area trailhead for about 20 cars.
Parking is $10 or use your State Park Pass. Click here for more info on state park passes. If you are over 62, check out the $20 Limited Use Golden Bear Pass.
Meet at the teardrop on this map or use the directions below. It’s about 30 minutes from Sunrise and Hwy 50 to the meeting area.
Driving directions from Sacramento:
– Travel east on Highway 50
– Take exit 30B -El Dorado Hills Blvd.
– Drive north on El Dorado Hills for about 3.5 miles to Green Valley Rd.
– As you cross Green Valley Rd at 3.5 miles it becomes Salmon Falls Rd.
– Follow Salmon Falls Rd. right toward Pilot Hill at the fork ¼ mile past Green Valley Rd.
– Continue on Salmon Falls Rd about 3.5 miles and at the curve at the top of the hill just past a Yellow warning sign of a 35 mph right hand curve will be Falcons Crest (mainly used as a horse assembly area) on your left. The obscure road down to the meeting area is at the northern end of this parking area. John will be at Falcons Crest by 9AM to point you towards the steep decent road to the old Sweetwater Assembly Area. (Be sure to check the linked Google map if you are not familiar with this area.) is the Falcon Crest assembly area mostly used by horse riders with their trailers.
– Turn into Falcons Crest assembly and look for John.
– If you pass it, you might need to drive over ½ miles further to find a turnaround area, so be sure to check the linked map. Street View has photos of a mostly empty Falcons Crest.
There is a rest facility available at the trailhead.
John plans to have lunch at Skunk Hollow after the walk and then go part way up the Salmon Falls Trail in the afternoon. You’re welcome to go on this walk also.