4 miles from Georgetown. Easy—killer 4 mile round trip. MAP
Trail Alert: This trail is currently very difficult to access due to the rough nature of Bottle Hill Road. The trail is easy to follow once you find it!
This is one of the least known trails around Georgetown. It starts on U.S.F.S. land then goes onto Auburn State Recreation land. Before the floods of 1986/1997 there was a significant gravel bar at its river terminus. The trail may have continued across the river up along Squaw Creek to Todd Valley. The trail is at the western edge of our National Forest land.
Directions: Go towards Auburn on highway 193 for 1 block then turn R on Church St. After ½ mile stay left on Mamaluke Rd. Continue beyond the pavement down and cross the Canyon Creek bridge (another 1 ½ miles), climb up staying left and follow the main route for approx. 2 more miles. Look for a sign with 13N56H along the right side of the road. A trail post sign was installed by P.A.R.C. in Nov. 2005. The trail was also improved at that time.
This trail was almost lost from a lack of use and maintenance. Resurrected in 2003 by rogue (read unofficial) volunteer efforts, only time will tell if periodic use will keep it alive.
The trail starts on F.S. land as a logging road which becomes a narrow ridge trail through an old growth Manzanita elfin forest.
The trail turns R off the ridge, going down through conifer forest on the northerly side of what becomes another ridge-like spine that continues steeply, towards the Middle Fork of the American River. Watch for F.S. boundary markers as the trail goes onto Auburn State Rec. land from there. About 3/4 mile above the river the trail goes L, leaving the ridge-like spine to switchback obscurely down to New Orleans Creek (beautiful moss and fern laden waterway), before making a final drop to the river.
The trail has dropped almost 1800 feet in about 2 miles from its trailhead. Look for alien Hickory trees just above the creek.
Click HERE to view the Take A Hike! version of this hike.
Get Off Your Gass 