Hike # 5
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. to Robinson Flat campground at 27.4 miles. Turn sharply to the left onto an unpaved road signed to Soda Springs. Reset trip meter to 0.0. At 4.7 miles, look for a rock sitting on a stump on the north (left) side of the road. This marks the trailhead.
Trailhead UTM: 10 S 07 20 266 43 38 993
Topographic Map: Royal Gorge 7.5’
Elevation: 6972’ to 5701’ (1416’ total elevation gain)
Distance: 3.2 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Jurisdiction: Tahoe National Forest
Trail description: Initially, the trail leads northwest along a volcanic ridge, exposing unforgettable views of Wildcat Canyon and of Snow Mountain looming 4400 feet above Royal Gorge. Mule’s Ears and rust-colored California buckwheat abound along this portion of the trail. Dropping into a mixed conifer forest, the trail eventually passes an old log cabin. Beyond the cabin, the trail skirts the Placer Queen Mine adit. Shortly beyond, a pretty waterfall and picnic spot can be enjoyed on a fork of Wildcat Canyon Creek.
Campsites: Due to the pristine nature of this area, camping is not recommended.
Get Off Your Gass 