Hidden Falls

Gathering under overcast skies, we concurred that the high country would be out for the day. It was decided that Hidden Falls, over beautiful country roads near Auburn, would be the ideal hike of the day. According to my CA Native Plant Society's fabulous Wildflowers of Nevada and Placer County book (available at Bookseller), the regional park is fairly new (2006) with more acreage created from 2 adjacent ranches, making it one of largest such parks in the state.

The group consisted of 19 with 2 hikers who could not stay for the piece de resistance: the Falls. Kim, Karen, Laurie, Stan, Becky, both Marilyns, Barbara G., Mary, Grace, Jim, Maureen, Priscilla, Tami, Clarence, John and Elly plus Terry and Nancy (for a part of the time) followed Jim on his circuitous 5 mile hike that followed the wide switch backs down to Coon Creek. The air was pleasantly muggy - not too hot - quite remindful of eastern and mid-western summers.

Hiking up to where foresters were working on removing and grinding wood, we asked one of them how to get to the falls. This was the big surprise: all kinds of work had been done since the few months some of the group had been there before: new benches, steps, and a large, boat-shaped platform for viewing. I couldn't get the whole falls with my camera but there is a real good picture of it in my book. Deadman's Creek was rushing over huge falls that went down to Coon Creek (I think). Retracing our steps on the trail, we went down the rock steps to the creek for lunch.

Wildflowers were plentiful, mostly members of the Clarkia genus which is in the Evening Primrose family. Even the purple flowers that we thought were a Brodiaea seem to be Winecup Clarkias. Lovely Maidenhair ferns and some kind of onions were growing among the poison oak.

So NEXT WEEK we will try for Sagehen in the Sierra. Remember the 8:30 start time. I hope no one got confused this time.

POTLUCK UPDATE: June 14 at 4 PM - earlier if you want to...tour and set-up help...we have somewhere over 20 coming.