NEVADA
CITY
TO SACRAMENTO
72 MILES / 3,120 FEET
SACRAMENTO TO
NEVADA CITY / DOWNIEVILLE
/
GRAEAGLE - PORTOLA
159 MILES / 13,860 FEET
GRAEAGLE
- PORTOLA
TO
DOWNIEVILLE
/
NEVADA
CITY
/
SACRAMENTO
163 MILES / 10,145 FEET
Travel between Sacramento, Nevada City,
Downieville, and Graeagle/Portola, passing through Folsom and Auburn.
Eastern Sacramento Valley, Sierra
Nevada foothills and mountains - generally along very quiet roads.
Sacramento: mile 13.5 of the American River Bike Trail, William Pond Recreation Area, Carmichael, CA
Travel to the intersection of Arden Way and Fair
Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, CA (immediately east of Sacramento).
Park in the Five Points
parking lot (SE corner of Arden Way & Fair Oaks Blvd, away from
retail outlets) or on Arden Way, west of restricted parking. Mile 13.5 is at the intersection
of the American River Pkwy Bike Trail and the Arden Way access path.
Nevada City: Intersection Broad Street & S Pine Street, Nevada City, CA
This intersection is in the heart of downtown
Nevada City.
Graeagle: Graeagle Store
Located in
central Graeagle. This community is tiny: you can't miss it.
Portola:
intersection Sierra Avenue & S Gulling Street
Climbing: 3,120 - 13,860 feet. From Sacramento to Nevada City, climbing is relatively gradual and not remarkably difficult. From Nevada City to Graeagle climbing never is unusually difficult, but it is constant and unremitting.
Difficulty: moderate to marked.
The potential difficulties in this ride are its length (up to 163 miles) and its climbing (up to 13,860 feet).
I strongly advise against attempting the full Sacramento to Graeagle route in one day. When I rode the course, on day one our group biked from Sacramento to Downieville (spending the night in a lovely motel next to the North Yuba River), on day two biked a loop from Downieville to Graeagle via the Gold Lake Hwy back to Downieville, and on day three biked from Downieville back to Sacramento.
Risks:
Urban cycling in Folsom, Auburn, and Grass Valley / Nevada City
Weather always is a risk in the high Sierras: be prepared for anything.
Unlike other Here To There rides, the courses are not identical; all courses may be ridden in either direction.
The courses differ in the section between Folsom and Auburn.
Sacramento to Nevada City: Folsom to Auburn via Auburn-Folsom Road.
Nevada City to Sacramento: Auburn to Folsom via multiple, quiet, rural roads in the Loomis Basin.
Auburn-Folsom Road is shorter but busier and less scenic than the Loomis Basin route.
