South Yuba River Trails

Many trails are available to the South Yuba River State Park visitor, from the wheelchair accessible Independence Trail to the more rugged fourteen mile hike along the river from the historic gold mining town of Washington to the South Yuba River Trail Camp. Most of these trails offer various accesses to the river and are very popular in the summer for hiking, swimming and picnicking. There are also many archeological sites and objects along them, mostly from the old gold mining operations and settlements.

Trails in and around Bridgeport include short (less than one half mile) easy walks that explore the covered bridge, nearby beaches, and the historic Kneebone Beach Trail. For those wishing a little more exercise, the Point Defiance Trail follows the South Yuba down to the Main Yuba (Englebright Lake) and loops around the mountain back to the Visitor's Center, about a three mile hike with some ups and downs. Still another hike takes one upriver a mile and a half around "Buttermilk Bend" past points of archeological interest including the remains of miner's camps and mining implements. This trail was once a miner's ditch and so is quite level and walkable. The beauty of the canyon with its steep walls and washed river boulders, along with the multitude of wildflowers that decorate the canyon walls in the Spring make it a hike well worth taking.

Farther up stream where California Highway 49 crosses the South Yuba, more trails are available. The Independence Trail crosses the highway on its way downstream to meet Deer Creek at Lake Wildwood. This was a major 26 mile ditch (water supply) for the early miners, and has been reworked  make1.5 miles wheelchair accessible. The old flumes have been restored and at Flume 28 there is even a ramp down to the beautiful pool of Rush Creek. A total of three and one half miles of this trail have been restored so far.

A short distance down Independence Trail a foot trail drops down the canyon wall to Jones Bar, the terminus of Rush Creek and the site of much gold mining activity. Jones Bar was also an early crossing, and is accessible by four wheel drive vehicles.

After traveling upstream on the Independence Trail for two and one half miles it crosses Augustine Road, an old road that originally dropped down to Hoyt's crossing. A foot trail drops down to the actual crossing at a large pool (swimming hole). An old miner's tunnel was cut through solid granite here to divert the river and make it accessible to gold mining. Across the river another foot trail continues back downstream to the Highway 49 bridge, a shorter route to Hoyt's crossing than the Independence Trail, about a mile.

The next crossing upstream from Highway 49 is Purdon Road. Three trails are available here. The Old Flume Trail follows the river upstream for about a mile providing access to some popular and beautiful swimming and picnicking spots. This was once a flume to a now abandoned power station. Another trail goes steeply for a mile up to the top of Round Mountain, and a third goes upstream high above the river five miles to Edward's Crossing, which is the next crossing of the South Yuba. North Bloomfield Road crosses the river on this bridge. At Edward's Crossing a trail goes downstream to Spring Creek, a short half mile walk to a sparkling mountain stream with many accesses to the river along the way.

Still farther upstream along North Bloomfield Road, a trailhead at the South Yuba campground winds down to a picnic area at still another old crossing named Illinois Crossing. At this point the trail continues up the river fourteen miles to Washington, an old gold mining town that should not be missed. As this trail continues upstream it connects with Humbug Creek to meet North Bloomfield Road at  Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, another "must see" for the SYRP visitor. Still farther along the Washington Trail connects with the Missouri Bar Trail which terminates at the North Bloomfield-Washington Road, a two mile walk.