One of the biggest perks of living in Northern California is that there’s ALWAYS an adventure waiting to be had—no matter what time of year it may be. In fact, there are tons of year-round hiking trails that offer beautiful views and stunning landscapes that you can hop on regardless of the season. Stevens Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails located along the North Fork American River, and for good reason. Taking you far above the treetops, you’ll be treated to outstanding views that are well worth the climb!
The popular Stevens Trail near Colfax has a little bit of everything including breathtaking scenery, jaw-dropping views, and fascinating history. Better yet, it's open year-round and there's absolutely no bad time to visit it.
You'll find the trailhead and parking area at the headwaters of the Slaughter Ravine in Placer County. From here, the trail extends for 4.5-miles along the northwestern slope of the canyon, treating you to spectacular views of the famous American River and taking you past several historical spots.
In fact, the entirety of the trail is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built by Truman A. Stevens and used as a toll road for miners from 1870 until 1895, hikers are bound to spot several mine shafts, the China Wall built by Chinese laborers, and other signs of early mining.
The history behind this trail is no doubt one of the things that make it so unique. However, the scenery is just as impressive! The trail stretches north before making a gradual descent in elevation. At the higher elevation points, you'll witness outstanding views that seem to go on forever.
It's amazing to think that this gorgeous hiking trail was once solely trafficked by miners in search of gold. A lot has definitely changed about our state over the past 150 years, but you can bet those miners enjoyed these views just as much as we do today.
As mentioned, this trail is open to hikers year-round. The spring months are an especially popular time to accomplish Stevens Trail since that's when the area explodes with beautiful displays of wildflowers. However, there's definitely no bad time to treat yourself to rewarding views and incredible Gold Country scenery.
The next time you find yourself itching for an adventure, be sure to hop on the utterly amazing Stevens Trail. This year-round hiking trail has it all, and then some.
