#folsom lake

Springtime in Gold Country is just gorgeous. Bright green grass everywhere, oak trees starting to turn bright green, and lots of wildflowers. And while we now may be in the middle of an extremely dry year and a hot summer, these memories from hiking at Folsom Lake this spring are so lovely to look back on. Red Bank Trail is a place I found last year and have posted a little about from my adventures in the late fall. It was pretty then, but the spring time is just something else. 

Early morning hikes around Folsom Lake are such a treat. Last October I took my puppy for a quick hike around the Granite Bay side of the lake for some fantastic exploring. We loved seeing a new side of the lake with it’s gorgeous oak trees and grassy golden fields. Exploring the lake in the late autumn and winter really allows you to see the beauty of the structure of the trees and landscape. The leaves have all fallen away and what is left brings a distinctive gentleness that I love and appreciate.

Summer has arrived at Folsom Lake in Gold Country. The grass is turning gold and the lake is bright blue and nice and low due to the drought. Last weekend we took a hike around Brown’s Ravine which takes you along where Folsom Lake meets the South Fork of the American River. I hadn’t been to this trail for a few years and I loved being so close to the river and the lake. It was a less busy trail than many of the others in the state park and is definitely on my list to visit more often.

The middle of autumn in gold country is not necessarily very colorful in appearance. At Folsom Lake the water is low, the trees are barley green, and the grass is light brown. I went on a new hike this week from Red Bank to Brown’s Ravine which went along the southwestern part of the lake. Early in the morning, the sun was peaking through the oak and pine trees along this trail. The deer, squirrels, and birds were busy with the morning work. Winter is starting to approach at the lake and I am excited to continue exploring new parts in gold country in the upcoming months. 

Gold country in the summer is not always the most picturesque with its golden grass and lack of greenery. But there’s still something special about it. Another hike we recently did was at Folsom Lake on the Darrington Trail. While it is typically a mountain bike trail, if you go in the middle of the week in the evening it is extremely peaceful. The lake is gorgeous at sunset and dusk and we even saw a small heard of cows grazing along the trail. And while we still have many months of summer left here before the rains come and bring back the greenery, we simply get more time for evening hikes.