Auburn & the Foresthill Divide
American River canyons · near Auburn / Foresthill · Sierra Nevada / Yosemite
Gravel & Bikepacking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- advanced
- Best season
- Spring & fall (very hot in summer canyons)
What is here
- Terrain
- foothills
- Amenities
- Auburn State Recreation Area · Western States trail country · Foresthill Divide forest roads · American River canyon scenery
- Best for
- Big-canyon climbing and remote Divide exploration
- Features
- Legendary American River canyons · Western States endurance country · Long climbs & deep gorges · Foresthill Divide backcountry
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Extreme canyon heat in summer · Big sustained climbs · Remote sections, limited water · Shared trails/traffic near town
- Good for a first timer
- No
Gravel & Bikepacking detail
- Ride types
- day-gravel · adventure
- Surface
- mixed
- Remoteness
- 3
- Riding
- Big-canyon riding above the forks of the American River — legendary Western States trail country, with long climbs, deep gorges, and remote forest roads off the Foresthill Divide
- Terrain note
- 1,000–5,000 ft; deep river canyons; big climbs; hot below, cooler on the Divide
- Camping
- Yes
- Intl tip
- Gateway to the American River canyons — legendary Western States/Tevis endurance country. Deep gorges, long sustained climbs, and remote forest roads along the Foresthill Divide. Big terrain for a hard day or an overnight. WARNING: canyon heat is dangerous in summer (spring/fall best); little water on remote stretches. Auburn State Rec Area base, hour from Sacramento. Dramatic, storied, demanding foothill gravel.
- Trip lengths
- day
The guide
Auburn sits at the gateway to the American River canyons — a place woven into endurance-sports legend as the home of the Wester…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Auburn & the Foresthill Divide — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 39.02, -120.82