Scenic Trail to Connect Capital Cities of 2 States

People may soon be able to hike, bike or ride horseback on a new scenic trail connecting the capital cities of California and Nevada.

Placer County officials are planning a trail that would cover about 100 miles along the north fork of the American River, stretching from the American River Parkway in Sacramento to Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe. From there, it would connect to the Tahoe Rim Trail and then the Ash Canyon Trail, ending up in Carson City.

The result is what officials plan to call the “Capital to Capital Regional Trail System.” The project would be carried out in three phases and could take 10 years to complete. So far, only a portion of the $2 million needed to complete the first phase, from Lake Clementine in Auburn to Ponderosa Bridge in Colfax, has been acquired. Planners hope to create a multipurpose trail that would also include beaches for fishing, boating and other water recreation.