The Lower Sagehen Creek Hiking Trail follows Sagehen Creek, a tributary of the Truckee River on the east slope of the central Sierra Nevada in the western United States. The stream lies north of Lake Tahoe and the town of Truckee, California, and near the California/Nevada border.
The headwaters and upper watershed of the creek west of California State Route 89 comprise the 9,000-acre (3,600 ha) Sagehen Experimental Forest and Sagehen Creek Field Station, a research and education facility of the University of California, Berkeley.
Below (east of) Highway 89, the Lower Sagehen Creek Hiking Trail follows the creek to its terminus at Stampede Reservoir.
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Trail Creek Campground on the Boise National Forest in Idaho
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Transcription
Today we will be traveling about one to three hours from Boise, Idaho north along Highway 55 to the very small community of Banks. Turning east at Banks, we will then follow Highway 17, also known as the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway, 9 miles to the turnoff of the Middle Fork of the Payette River road heading to Crouch. From Crouch we travel north along Forest road 698 known as the Middle Fork Payette River Road, and discover seven campgrounds and one cabin all located within a beautiful forest canopy. Many of the campsites are nestled next to a creek or river providing optimal trout fishing opportunities. Trail Creek Campground is just a short 4 miles from Rattlesnake Campground. With 11 sites and RV access of 35 feet, this campground lies at the intersection of Forest road 698 and 671. It is not on the reservation system and is first come, first served. There are lots of birds, chipmunks and butterflies to enjoy watching. Further information is available by calling Boise National Forest at area code 208-373-4007.
Wildflowers
The trail is famous for wildflowers, especially in late May to early June, when fields of camas lilies bloom en masse, creating the illusion of a purple haze lying on the meadow. But the lilies are not the only attraction, with a wide variety of blossoms appearing in both shaded and sunny habitats along the way. Mule's ears, buttercups, purshia, bistort, various penstemons, mahala mat, and shooting stars are common.
Hiking the trail
The hike is relatively flat and easy, running about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to the lake through shady forest and open meadows. It is typically done as an out-and-back, though it is possible to combine the trail with others in the area for a longer outing. In early season, the area can be marshy and wet, requiring appropriate footwear and mosquito protection.
Access
The trailhead lies at 39°26′03″N 120°12′17″W / 39.4341°N 120.2047°W, outside of Truckee, roughly 7.2 miles (11.6 km) north of Interstate 80 on California Highway 89. There is no signage, but there is an obvious pullout parking spot for 8-10 cars on the east (downstream) side of the road where the creek crosses beneath the highway.[1] There are no trash or restroom facilities at the trailhead, but visitors can use the Donner Picnic Area a few miles south of the trailhead on Highway 89.
Monitoring
Sagehen Creek Field Station encourages hikers to use the iNaturalist app to submit their observations of plants and animals photographed in the area. These observations are used in research and monitoring efforts in the basin to track presence/absence of species and their locations.
References
- ^ "Hike of the week: Sagehen Creek". TahoeLoco.com. 2009-04-23. Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 10:19