(North Fork of the Middle Fork American River {N.Fk.M.Fk.Am.R.})
Hike # 20
Directions to trailhead: Follow I80 to Auburn and take the Foresthill Rd. exit. Drive 17 miles to the Mosquito Ridge Rd. junction (on the right). Set trip meter to 0.0 and continue straight on Foresthill Rd. At 16.3 miles, turn right on Deadwood Road. Drive 8.7 miles to end of road at Deadwood cemetery site (UTM 10 S 06 99 981 43 28 109).
Trailhead UTM: 10 S 06 99 555 43 27 315
Topographic map: Michigan Bluff 7.5’
Elevation: 3961’ to 2004’ (2413’ total elevation gain from Deadwood)
Distance: 3 miles round-trip from Deadwood
Difficulty: Strenuous
Jurisdiction: Tahoe National Forest
Trail description: “Bogus”…”counterfeit, false, phony.” But there is nothing phony about the Bogus Thunder trail! It leads into a remote section of the N.Fk.M.Fk.Am.R. to a historical gold camp site. The trail may have earned its name from the guttural sounds made by boulders as they grind against the rocky river bottom, driven by high water. The hike starts at the historic gold mining site of Deadwood and initially follows the Western States Trail for about 0.5 mile. Bogus Thunder trail rises sharply to the left at an indistinct fork marked by a piece of wire wrapped around an oak tree on your right. Trail climbs to a ridge, then down 1.7 miles and 1340 feet elevation loss to the river.
Campsites: There are several campsites near the river.
Get Off Your Gass 