(New Mexico Trails, click here)
(Texas, click here)
(Montana, click here)
(Wyoming, click here)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
(Click Here)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
(Click Here)

COMPETITIVE TRAIL RIDES
(click here)

BAY AREA - OTHER COUNTIES
(click here)

OTHER STATES

Back Country Horsemen, maintaining trails Nationwide:
Click Here

Reasons of Crashes in Extensive/EnduranceTrail Riding:

1. dehydration
2. Heat Stress/Exhaustion
3. Electrolyte Depletion/electrolyte imbalance.
4. Energy Depletion

FOOD:
Should be 60-70% Forage
Any diet transition should be over
5-10 Days
 

NOTE: Trailering is proven stressful tohorses, some don't drink enough
and gives Glycogen depletion
See trailering articles here.

For Hay Analysis: See online at
Lichfield and Dairey

COOL - PILOT HILL AREA
El Dorado County, CA

South Fork of American River, Cronin Ranch Trails- Pilot Hill

This gorgeous 1,414 Acre Ranch in Pilot Hill off of Pedro Hill Rd. from Hwy 49, was acquired in 2004 for public use. This very scenic 10 mile trail meandering through gentle hills, by the American River and then around an Old Movie Set, includes 440 acres of river frontage in Pilot Hill area, off Hwy 49 and Pedro Hill Rd. Overall this is part of a 20-mile regional trails park including an eight-mile river trail from Highway 49 to the Salmon Falls Bridge at the upper ;end of Folsom Lake. Large grants from the State Wildlife Conservation Board and the State Resource4s Agency provided funding to acquire six of the eight parcels. Completed 2006.

OLMSTEAD LOOP -(Cool, El Dorado County) behind fire station in Cool, CA, Hwy 193 and possible future home of an elite Equestrian Center. The most popular trail on scenic gentle hills through the beautiful Cool countryside with picturesque large oaks, creeks, and wildlife. Was referred to as the Knickerbocker trail.

THIS COOL STAGING AREA  is a gorgeous 9-mile loop on Knickerbocker Flats with a Staging Area behind the Fire Station in Cool, off Hwy 49, crossing the Auburn-Cool Trail weaving in and out there is probably 20-25 miles of riding.

Cool - 3rd Gate Staging &Trail
 

Here is 3rd Gate of ALT, 1/4 mile off of Hwy 193 near Greenwood. You have gone 100 feet to far to stage if you reach this gate entrance.	Here is the staging area; it is big enough for about 4-5 rigs. Leads to trails around ALT and onto the Western States Trails/Tevis.

QUARRY ROAD TRAIL
5.6 mi. / 2¼ hours each way (hiking)

Horse Neighborhoods on Trails

Western States Trail - Foresthill, Auburn Areas.
(El Dorado and Placer Counties)
Part of the AMERICAN DISCOVERY TRAIL as detailed BELOW,

1. French Meadows Reservoir to Foresthill — 46 miles
2. Foresthill to Auburn — 33 miles
Auburn to Sacramento at Discovery Park — 54 miles
3. Sacramento to Antioch at Contra Loma Regional Park — 73 miles

Traylor Ranch Nature Preserve
Placer County (Penryn)

88 Acre Nature Preserve with 3.5 miles of trails, 3 picnic areas with tables and portable toilets, horse tie posts and horse watering troughs.  Previously it had been a small cattle ranch for 42 years.  Located in Penryn in Placer County. All 11 trails are marked. Some trails closed during wet times. No motorized vehicles. Trailers and cars may park at the Humphrey Road Lot near English Colony Way.

North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRA)
There are a number of competitive trail ride organizations in the United States. A competitive ride competition is not a race but more of a time trial type event. The horse is judged on condition, soundness and trail ability on natural trail obstacles. The rider is judged on presentation (not showmanship!), grooming (no artificial enhancements, polished hooves, etc.), trail equitation (not prettiness of form), trail safety/courtesy, stabling and other factors.

Cool Horse Trails in the Greater Cool, Auburn Area of Northern California

HORSE CAMPS for EQUESTRIANS
CAMPGROUNDS
(CLICK HERE)

Cool Trail Trials in September

More Great  Trails
The Auburn-Cool Trail  

SAVING THE TRAILS
WHERE TO FIND TRAIL HELP
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource -- www.elcr.org
A national voice for a united equestrian land conservation movement dedicated to promoting access to and conservation of land for equestrian and other compatible uses through education and partnerships.

WESTERN STATES TRAIL

This trail was established by the Gold Rush emigrants to California. Later it was an  historic trail route of miners from the gold mines of California to and from the silver lodes of Nevada across the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Western States Trail Foundation was established to preserve this trail.

The Western States Trail originally stretched from Sacramento to Utah.  The Sierra Crest portion of the trail, blazed by Paiute and Washoe Indians and later used by miners and Pony Express riders, is now the route of two world-famous endurance races: the Tevis Cup Ride for horses and riders, and the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run.  Both races begin before dawn at Squaw Valley in the Lake Tahoe Basin and end in Auburn after nightfall, traversing roughly one hundred miles. This part of the WST (from Ruck-A-Chucky campgrounds to the Hwy 49 crossing) is different for runners and riders.Endurance Runners hug the canyon wall on a narrow, winding trail about 600 feet above the river, while Tevis Cup riders take a wider, flatter trail closer to the river, following the route prospectors used to get from bar to bar along the river.The Quarry Road Trail joins with the lower WST from Maine Bar to Murderer’s Bar.


NO. CALIF - BAY AREA, ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC LAND
AND TRAILS

Pt Reyes and Similar Coastal rides: Enjoy rides along the beach at the coast in Pt. Reyes, Marin County which provides a combination of beautiful landscape and quality riding. The contrast of the majestic redwood forests and the long, sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean in this rural area of northern California affords some wonderful opportunities for long canters.

• Alameda County Planning www.trivalley.org - click on "ag".
• Bay Area Open Space Council www.openspacecouncil.org/
• California Department of Parks and Recreation http://cal-parks.ca.gov/
• California Department of Parks and Recreation/Statewide Trails Planning Division
(916-651-6915)

• Coastal Conservancy www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov
• East Bay Regional Parks District (Alameda/Contra Costa) www.ebparks.org/
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area www.nps.gov.goga/home.htm
• Greenbelt Alliance www.greenbelt.org/
• Marin County Open Space District www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/PK/Main/os/index.cfm
• MidPeninsula Open Space District (San Mateo/Santa Cruz) www.openspace.org/
• Point Reyes National Seashore www.nps.gov/pore/
• San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov
• San Jose City Parks Dave.Mitchell@ci.sj.ca.us
• San Mateo County Parks
• Santa Clara County Parks www.parkhere.org/
• Save Mt. Diablo www.savemountdiablo.org
• Skyline Park/Napa County www.ncfaa.com/skyline/trails.htm

• Sonoma County Regional Parks www.sonoma-county.org/parks/index.htm
• Trail Center www.trailcenter.org/calendar/calendar-6.htm
.

Pt. Reyes Natural Preserve,
Ocean Rides, 1 Hr. from San Francisco - Lots of Trails and a
Great "Horse and Bed Place."

Trail to Watch for: Bay Ridge Trail (over 1/2 completed) and will that will completely link together several hundred miles of trail around the San Francisco bay

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Hidden Valley Wildlife Preserve
11401 Arlington Avenue Riverside, California 909-785-6362 To get there from the 91 Freeway, go east to the city of Riverside. Exit on La Sierra Ave. and turn left (North). La Sierra dead-ends into Arlington. Bear left at the signal. Drive past the hills until you come to the sign that says "Hidden Valley." Take the first dirt road to the right. It’s located along the Santa Ana River just east of Norco on Arlington Avenue across from Crestlawn Cemetery, one mile west of La Sierra Avenue. Gates to the preserve are closed and locked at 4:30PM.

information@lascaballeras.com	Annual Trail Ride at Catalina Island by the Las Caballeras, a Women's Horse Club in Torrence, CA Mission:To foster and encourage horsemanship and camaraderie of the membership; to promote and preserve horse activities; to practice and promote trail etiquette and safety; to promote the spirit of helpfulness and goodwill to the community at large
	One of the views on Catalina Island

Placer County, CA
AUBURN, CA (between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento, off Hwy 80).
NEW HIDDEN FALLS
REGIONAL PARK

Nice horsy addition to the Auburn Area where you can enjoy viewing the morning and evening vistas overlooking the Sacramento Valley.
The water falls are about 30 feet high along Deadman Creek. The staging Area will fit 8-10 horse trailers and horse people share the trail with hikers and cyclists.  Presently (2007) you can enjoy about 7 miles of trails on 220 acres with many loops with plans for a larger park on adjacent county-owned property of 961 acres. The county is considering linking the two parks together with a possible 25-mile trail, skirting 3 miles of Coon Creek, which also lies on the property. Hidden Falls (add:  7587 Mears Place) is off Hwy 49; turn at the BelAire Market, go left on Atwood and then stay to left on Mt. Vernon for about 2 miles. It is shaded (very good for summer riding) and also scenic. See picture below.

Hidden Falls Park

TEVIS TRAIL/CUP

GARDEN VALLEY STAGING

Above, The Meadowbrook/Garden Valley Staging Area (off of Hwy 193, near Black Oak Mine Rd. intersection) uses the Mar-Det Trail with a 2 hour ride, about, to Camp Verner in Georgetown. For easy riding it is about 2 to 3 hour ride 
or about 12.5 miles up hill riding; somewhat rocky at the beginning; horse should be shod. Staging for about 8-10 rigs.

GEORGETOWN STAGING - DRU BARNER HORSE CAMPING & HORSE TRAILS (Click here)

DRU BARNER CAMP SITE --; HERE HORSES ARE TIED ON A HIGH-LINE USUALLY.

Dru Barner Horse Park (Horse Camping) Leads to USFS Great Trails, fairly gentle trails, scenic, Camp entrance Appx. 5.5 miles up Wentworth Springs Rd. from downtown Georgetown, (measured from corner of Hwy 193 at Main Street) down Wentworth Springs Rd. Watch for sign on left 1 mile before Camp Chaquita.

DONALDSON PARK
(A Volcanoville Area Park (15 min out of Georgetown) -- A Community Park with Equestrian Staging Area  being developed with U.S.Forest Service with the
El Dorado Equestrian Trails Association and Bear State Property Owners Assn. There is about 3.5 miles of trails at present and has a bathroom and picnic tables.

PRIVATE AUBURN LAKE TRAILS

There are 29 trails inside Auburn Lake trails (ALT) Gated Community with over 30 miles total distance for residents and guests of ALT.

More Trails with Staging Areas . . .

Directory of California Trails . . .

AMERICAN CANYON TRAIL (El Dorado Cty)
2.4 miles to river / 1 hour down, 2 hours up (hiking)

WESTERN STATES TRAIL (Placer & El Dorado county)

MORE TRAILS AT:
AUBURN STATE RECREATION DISTRICT HIKES
For a description of hikes in the Auburn State Recreation District, (some already noted above) please see the following link. Each hike listing includes the Trailhead/Parking, Distance, Difficulty, Elevation Change, Use, Description and other information.
http://www.psyber.com/~asra/guides.htm 

CALIFORNIA
COMPETITIVE RIDES:

AERC Rides (Endurance)
NATRC RIDES (Trail)

ENDURANCE RIDER: April Battles
April Battles, the saddle and training lady who advocates, "no more sore backs--go treeless"   gives candid comments on her recent 50-Mile Endurance Ride March 2007 as follows: --"long hard ride-deep sand-moguls-whoop de do's-felt more like 55 miles!!!! don't forget this same horse came in 9th last weekend at quicksilver! go dynamite horses go! April's Website:

YUBA/NEVADA COUNTY

SPENCEVILLE TAILS - WILDLIFE PRESERVE -
Check Here

HORSE CAMPING LINK
HORSE CAMPING

.
HORSE PROPERTIES FOR SALE

EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITIES - GATED

Observe Wild Mustangs
Riding Tours in California
-High Sierras

The hills north of Boundary Peak look far too barren to support any animals larger than a chipmunk. Yet, ride deep into this high desert along the Nevada/California border, and you'll find cool springs, a few emerald meadows--and the wildest mustang herd in North America.

More California Pack Trips
 

Liked this page or know of
great Trails to Add?
Send a note to Marie Griffith,
site manager. A labor of love.

Reasons of Crashes in Extensive/Endurance
Trail Riding:

1. dehydration
2. Heat Stress/Exhaustion
3. Electrolyte Depletion/electrolyte imbalance.
4. Energy Depletion

Food:
Should be 60-70% Forage
Any diet transition should be over
7-10 Days
Trailering is proven stressful to
horses, some don't drink enough
and gives Glycogen depletion

For Hay Analysis: See online at
Lichfield and Dairey