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Monroe Trail
12 miles from G.T.
3 miles easy/mod. loop
This popular trail resides within the boundaries of Gold Rush Park and
loops from the Marshall Monument, over the shoulder of Monroe Mountain,
along a ridge, and back down to the area of the west parking lot. A $5
park fee is required if you park within the state park; cheapskates,
like me, park north of the park boundary (near the flashing yellow
light). The state park allows dogs on leashes, except on trails,
I found this out the hard way!
Directions:
Take Marshall Road 9 miles down to Highway 49, turn L and proceed 3
miles to Marshall Gold Discovery State Park.
The trail
is best enjoyed by starting from the
Bedrock Mortars site, near the cedar teepee, on the west side of the
highway. This is signed as the Monument Trail and it takes you to the
James Marshall Monument (you could also drive and park there if you
prefer). Then locate the Monroe trailhead back along the access road
across from the parking lot. The easy to follow trail switchbacks gently
up to near the top of the mountain following a ridge before heading down
to Highway 49 near the Monroe Orchard. The trail offers great views of
the Lotus-Coloma areas with Mt. Murphy to the east where a cannon once
announced the daily mail stage from Placerville to the Argonauts working
the river for gold.
Of note are the alien trees found near the monument picnic area. Notice
the cypress trees and other non-native “guest” trees planted long ago.
You might expect the perpetrator of the gold rush, James Marshall, to
have a gold statue or at least a gold plated statue? What? No? In fact
he didn’t even get a real Bronze statue, but a “statuary bronze” statue
made of Lead, Tin, and Zinc, painted bronze!
There’s also a short trail, unsigned, that leaves from the left of the
restrooms, near the picnic area of the monument, and takes you downhill
to the Catholic cemetery and the Marshall cabin. The cabin is amazingly
preserved in its original condition. The quarter mile side-trip is worth
the effort.
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