Early in the morning, the American River Parkway Bike Trail looks quite different (photo below) from appearances later in the day. 

After crossing the Hazel Avenue Bridge and passing Nimbus Dam, you will bike along Lake Natoma - always a visual treat.

After passing Lake Natoma, make a right turn onto the historic Folsom Truss Bridge (photo below) and navigate up to Natoma Street.

Passage through Folsom is easy.  Then start the 18 mile journey along Green Valley Road.  This road requires an almost continuous (but gentle) climb until its termination, where a steep - but not excessively long - section leads you onto Ray Lawyer Drive and into historic Placerville - aka Hangtown - (photo below).

Whether your destination is Placerville - or South Lake Tahoe -- you will want to refuel here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARNING:  if you're proceeding on to South Lake Tahoe, Placerville will be your last food source for the rest of the journey (!), so bring along adequate food & fluids for the next 85 miles.

 

 

On to South Lake Tahoe! 

Take Broadway and Newtown Road eastward out of Placerville.

 

 

 

In no time you will find tall pine trees lining both sides of Newtown Road; pine forests will be omnipresent throughout the day. 

 

Fort Jim Road is pleasantly vertical and leads back to Newtown Road.

 

The section of Newtown Road between Fort Jim and Starkes Grade Roads is narrow and curvy:  be alert! 

 

 

Starkes Grade Road (photo above) feels secluded:  quiet, narrow, forested, more like a bike trail than a road.  More often than not I view wild turkeys on this road (photo right). 

Gear-down when you turn right onto Five Spot Road:  the next (mercifully short) section comprises the steepest climb of the day. 

The next few miles will take you up and down through the Sierra Springs development. 

CAUTION:  watch for loose gravel (!) as you round curves on Sierra Springs Drive. 

Turn left onto Sly Park Road; take care the next 1.8 miles, as traffic can be heavy.

Mormon Emigrant Trail (Forest Service Road # 4) is a great road:  good pavement, relatively little traffic, wide shoulder, nicely forested, a slow and steady climb.  Once on it, almost immediately you will ride over the first and second (photo below) Jenkinson Reservoir dam crossings.

The Mormon Emigrant Trail offers 25 miles of beauty and relative solitude.

At mile 78 pass the intersection of Silver Fork Road, which leads to US 50 at Kyburz.  Consider (another day!) making this road part of a separate ride.

Eventually turn left onto Hwy 88.  You soon will be treated to some spectacular scenery (photos below).

As you progress east you will bike past Silver Lake (photo below).

At length you will reach Carson Pass (photo below), which, at 8,574', is the high point of the trip.

  Descending Carson Pass you quickly will cruise by Red Lake (photo below) - another alpine gem.

A nice descent now will reward you for the day's considerable climbing.  Turn left on Hwy 89 and cross the west fork of the Carson River (photo below).

One last climb up to the summit of Luther Pass (7,740') will complete the day's climbing.  Then coast down to South Lake Tahoe (photos below) and journey's end.  (If you wish to go to Stateline, turn right at mile 120.4 onto Pioneer Trail.)