Cronan Ranch (South Fork American River)
Pilot Hill (near Coloma) · near Coloma / Auburn · Gold Country & Central Valley
Trail Running
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Distance
- 8 miles
- Elevation gain
- 900 ft
- Best season
- Oct–May (green & cool) · wildflowers spring · hot summer
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No permit. BLM Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park — free. Popular with runners, riders, and cyclists. Trailhead off Hwy 49.
What is here
- Features
- Rolling ranchland above the South Fork American · Gold-country river & wildflower scenery · Western States & Canyons training grounds · Filmed as many a movie ranch
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Trail Running detail
- Surface
- fire-road
- Intl tip
- The trailhead is on Hwy 49 between Pilot Hill and Coloma. Combine with Marshall Gold Discovery State Park (Sutter's Mill) and the South Fork rafting (rivers guide). Connects to the Magnolia Ranch and Dave Moore trails for more mileage. Spring wildflowers and the green river are the highlights; run early in warm months.
The guide
Cronan Ranch is a favorite training ground of the gold-country ultra scene — rolling former ranchland above the South Fork of t…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Cronan Ranch (South Fork American River) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 38.81, -120.977