Have now done this hike/loop a few times now and it's definitely worth the drive and parking…read morefiasco. The trail is about 4 miles long and takes just a couple hours to do at a slow/medium pace. The trail is pretty wide, there were people with their dogs, a few little kids, and lots of groups enjoying the beautiful day. The majority of the trail is shady and covered by beautiful trees, some spots are under the direct sun so bring a hat or sunnies. You'll see tons of butterflies, wild flowers, birds, and of course will see the spillway. Parking is $10 cash paid to the park. This most recent time that I came it was very difficult to find parking, so if you plan to come on a weekend plan ahead and come early. I would also recommend bringing bus spray and being cautious of the poison ivy along the sides of the trail. Overall it's a beautiful hike and I'd recommend it!

Beautiful hike!! Highly recommend! There is a $10 parking fee. The fee grants you access to…read moreMULTIPLE trails for the ENTIRE day, take advantage and check out different areas to explore the scenery. More info on their website! The hike was moderate. Pretty straight forward, some steep elevation here and there. But worth the experience! As we hiked I was greeted by the buzzing bees at work, different species of butterflies, and watched the birds glide above me. The trail is filled with trees that provided shade, accompanied by drafts of wind. Hearing the water crash as we got closer to the dam was the best motivation to quicken our pace. So stunning! There's a small bench where you can sit to enjoy the view before your hike back. We were wiped because we went at peak heat level, rookie mistake. So definitely check the weather to go at a cooler time to thoroughly enjoy this wonderful scenic hike!

Pretty nice camp ground. The water was nice but the bathrooms smelled so bad. I have been camping…read morein places with restrooms like this for my whole life and I can't remember any smelling quite so horrific. Other than that it's a great place.

Amazing experience beautiful place, the bathrooms definitely stink and have a lot of spiders but…read morethat to be expected considering we are in the woods

On a recent mild sunny winter weekend afternoon, I visited the Halsey Forebay fishing access area…read more It's a water reservoir that's occasionally stocked with trout and crawfish. It's managed by PG&E. The reservoir is a lake with shallow rocky edges. It's just for casting fishing, no humans or animals should go into the water. The access and parking is FREE. And as always, anglers 16 and older need a CA fishing license to fish. I didn't fish here. I looked about and soaked in the sights though. It was rusticly beautiful. However the perimeter doesn't have any shade trees. But vibes were super quiet, I call it library fishing. Shhhh. As I walked about the perimeter of the lake, I noticed folks were quiet even amongst their own groups. Even the elementary school age children there were super quiet. An incredible feat. QuietPlace. And about the fishing situation, not much luck with the anglers that day. Stock was low. Near the parking lot is a short concrete pier with fishing rod holders. This is closest to the water shed. The picnic area is across the watershed. To get to the area from the parking lot, you will have to walk, on a narrow steel grate walkway, over the watershed. The rushing water provides for a dizzying visual effect. The picnic area is set back enough from the lake so if you bring the kiddos, this is the area where they can go about hooting n hollering. The area has 3-4 concrete picnic tables and a several bbq pits. It's first come, first serve. This area is not paved, dirt packed; shaded with big growth trees. Plus let me tell you I learned the hard way that the walking path doesn't connect fully around the lake. I don't recommend attempting the mythical loop. The path is mostly gravel with the other parts being dirt. Watch where you step; there was a lot of poop along the trail. There is a stretch of the path that ends and funnels you out to the narrow bike lane on Christian Valley Road near Bancroft Road. There is no adjacent room to the side of the bike lane, only a chain link fence. Cars are going 50plus miles a hour inches away from you; and they are on a curve. So wait until traffic clears for a significant distance to hightail yourself across that stretch which runs about 50 feet. Don't try to walk with cars coming at you; don't risk getting impaled by a side view mirror or worse. There is a paved parking lot and a public restrooms with vault toilets. Sorry ladies, I can't provide any additional info about the restrooms. As always, I try my best to avoid public park restrooms. But at least they have a restrooms. And to add the landscape of area doesn't provide for any natural discrete spots to answer the call of nature.

It's gorgeous out here…read more.. We've been fishing at Halsey Forebay Picnic Area quite a few times now. We've caught trout and crawfish! Along with some gnarly mosquito bites. You can pull in and park in a parking space where it leads right up some picnic benches. Just beyond that, a l is a fence with holders for your pole. About 10-12 of them lined up. If you are fishing here, this is where having a 2nd and 3rd pole comes in handy - just be sure to get your license for that!! The water current starts off strong over here and, depending on what you are using, could float downward towards our into the next person's line, so use wisely! Figure it out! On this cool evening, we were catching them left and right. Everyone fishing here is so friendly. It's fun to meet people and see what they're using. When the sun goes down, and most of the heat goes away, Halsey Forebay becomes a sight for sore eyes... as I said... so gorgeous

On AllTrails app search "Western States Trail to Calcutta Falls". Parallel Parking on the street…read moreClose to the trailhead - get here early otherwise your parking will be part of your hike. It's early spring. There is lots of wildflowers - lots and lots of butterflies to see. Got to see many reptiles - skinks and a variety of lizards. Many hawks flying overhead. Lots of amazing views of the river. And a couple of small waterfalls. Walked further than the posted trail on All Trails just to add some extra mileage.

We stopped by on a Friday afternoon and the sun was peaking in and out from the clouds. The…read moreopening to the trail can be easily missed so just pay attention to the signs. The address on Yelp is not accurate so I would suggest using Google for directions. Parking is limited so if you don't get lucky with snagging one of the parking spots in the front then just park down the corridor and make the walk back up. The entire trail itself is flat with very little to no incline. We had my three younger nieces with us and they were able to physically complete the hike with no complaints. As you reach the bridge, walk across it and keep going to see the end prize of a gorgeous waterfall. The hike will amaze you with some scenic views of beautiful mountain backdrops with clear waters roaming down the stream. It was a very peaceful and therapeutic experience. We were able to have conversations without the disruptions of life, and we had a chance to soak in nature without the nuances of digital connectivity. So -- bring some water, snacks, and maybe a light lunch to enjoy the short and yet breathtaking experience with your loved ones. P.S. you will pass a few mini waterfalls before getting to the grand prize. Even if you don't see or hear anything for a while, just keep going because once you turn the corner -- it will all have been worth it. Although I'm an avid hiker and have walked through many trails throughout the state, this trail will remain my favorite trail in all of California.

We kicked off our 4th of July bright and early with a fishing trip to Rollins Lake before heading…read moreto Ripley to catch the parade--and it couldn't have started the day off better! The whole fam-bam was out there by 7 a.m., lines in the water as soon as we could get them in. About 30 minutes in, our middle child--who ALWAYS seems to be the first to catch something--reeled in the first fish. Not long after, our youngest caught one too, literally right after releasing the first! Then I got in on the action, followed by my husband. Our oldest was getting tons of bites but just couldn't land one. With only about 30 minutes left before we had to pack up for the parade, my husband gave him a tip and sent him to his go-to spot. Boom--fish on the line right away! He let that one go, cast again, and caught another within minutes. It was a perfect ending to our morning. Rollins Lake is such a fun spot to fish as a family. Bring chairs, sunscreen, hats, and don't forget snacks and drinks. The port-o-potties weren't bad at all, and there was plenty of parking too. We had a blast and will absolutely be coming back soon!

100% not the lakes fault but the way this lake is described in a paddling California book is almost…read moreexactly opposite of what it really is. Idyllic paddling and nice beach shores-no Abundant wildlife-no Loud music-yes Loud Harley like speed boats-yes Even louder jet skis-yes Overly crowded shores-yes Tons of wake making kayaking next to impossible-yes Do I think it's worth going? Sure but go as early as possible

The campground looks like it is permanently closed. They put huge boulders in the campground…read moreentrance area. The day use parking lot is open. The river is very pretty here, and clean, and there's a big gravel bar. We did not have to pay to park. We went gold panning and found zero gold flakes or nuggets. It was a weekday and there were only 4 cars in the parking lot.

Beautiful and I had a great time. We had 17 people a group and it was the best Camp Grounds we've…read moreever been to.

Gorgeous landscape! I recently completed the Quarry trail and it was a beautiful walk. The entire…read morepark is great for enjoying nature and exploring the outdoors for various levels of activity. For the Quarry trail, I recommend parking along the main road if you find a parking spot. The parking lot at the trailhead is tiny, and always full. This trail has plenty of portable bathroom stalls and is paved.

So lucky to have such a great outdoor recreation area near home…read more Numerous trails along the North Fork of the American River. From easy short walks to all day of hiking, it's all here. Free parking along Highway 49 at the American River and a large and free parking area at the American River Overlook Park across from Railhead Park in Auburn. Perfect access point to the Western States Trail that takes you down to the American River as well as a large assortment of trails that cover the north side of the American River Canyon. Paved as well as natural trails for every skill level. Bikes are welcome on several of the trails as well as horses. The Western States Trailhead at the Overlook has a staging and parking area for horse vans. Regular parking for about 150 cars at the Overlook and no charge for parking. For the advanced hiker you have a well marked trail that will take you from Overlook Park all the way to Folsom. In the late afternoon you might catch deer roaming the hillside. A couple of waterfalls in the area that are worth a visit. Beautiful views of the American River as you hike along the canyon trails. Most trails are well marked. The free app. "All Trails" provides a detailed map of the trail system in Auburn and makes it easy to determine the length of time it will take to hike to most scenic spots.

Good amount of campsites with great proximity to the river. Be warned it is very dusty and every…read moretime a car drives past your site you'll have a mouth full of sand. We had a great time chilling by the camp fire and playing in the river with the pup. This is a very local spot, not a lot of out-of-towners seem to know about it. Be sure to grab a spot Friday night for the weekend or max out the 2 week limit! Also the rangers were awesome, super friendly and helpful. Fun spot! Took one star off for the how dry and dusty the campsite was and the fact that there was no access to water other than the river. Be sure to bring your own bottles

Made reservation for campsite 16 for 5/26-5/28. Was a little bummed that the weather was going to…read morebe shoddy (raining the whole time), but I was still stoked to be able to spend a couple nights solo camping. Night one went fine, lots of rain but kept a nice fire in the provided fire pit where I was able to stay warm and mostly dry. However, a Ranger showed up on 5/27 around 2pm and told me there was a fire ban in effect and I needed to extinguish my fire. In the rain. In the provided fire pit. I went to the Mineral Bar website- nothing but instructions to use provided pits. Went to Reserve California- ditto. Decided I couldn't make a mid 40 degree night with no fire in the pouring rain so I quickly packed up and left- but not before being absolutely drenched in the DOWNPOUR. I called Reserve California and she said "there's a ban every year 6/16-10/15" to which I said "great! It's May" Finally googled "fire ban mineral bar campground" when I got home and they posted a ban 5/26 (the day I got there). No notices displayed at campsite. No information given but ruining a camp trip I so desperately needed for my mental health. Will never return, even for day camping. This was a favorite spot before that.

really nice area, no issues with any staff, clean bathrooms. Lake was a great temp and fire wood…read morewas a good price! Loved the scenery !

I brought family here recently and was disappointed to see that the double unit that we booked had…read moreno grill on the campfire. I do all my cooking that way (www.cookingwithcampfire.com) and planned all our meals that way. Thankfully my family rented a RV otherwise we would have starved. The site was #14. They should REALLY call that out on the website! Otherwise a great trip. One note, sadly the drought has really dried up the lake. You have to walk about a half mile in to get to it and the beach is not where it was a year ago. We even could see where the water receded in one day. So sad!