Day Hiker: Quarry Road Trail – a great place to pop the question

The Quarry Road Trail never struck me as being very romantic, perhaps because I walk or run (more like jog) this trail. So for me, it's about exercise, solitude, a time for thought and reflection. One day in the park, I happened to meet a young man who proposed to his bride on the Quarry Road Trail. He told me why he chose this trail. He said there is something about the idea of two rivers beginning life's journey on the peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, finding their way from the thin needles of a pine tree or dripping from granite boulders to creeks and streams and eventually to the river. And right here in Auburn those two rivers meet and continue together, forever to the ocean. I carry this idea with me as I appreciate the view of the middle fork of the American River leading to the Confluence with the North fork. My eyes taking in the Foresthill Bridge, California's tallest at 730 feet. The trail itself only begins with this view. The pleasure is in the fact you walk along the middle fork for more than a mile. There are picnic tables and chemical toilets along the way. You can see where the kids have scrambled down to get closer to the water or even in the refreshing flow when the summer heat takes its toll. The middle fork is significantly colder than the north fork, as the water for the middle fork comes from the bottom of the reservoir upstream, whereas the water for the North fork has been exposed to the sunshine of Lake Clementine and over the dam. Quarry Road Trail is popular with all user groups, and I find myself often stopping to say hello to friends and neighbors along the way. At the 1.25-mile point of this wide, flat trail, you come to a staging area where you can turn around. Several picnic tables and chemical toilets are located here along with mining artifacts from days gone by. I prefer to walk up the small hill past the ruins, past the switchbacks that lead to the climbing area, past the Hawver Mine entrance. Just past the split for the Western States trail on your right, about 2 miles from the trailhead, look to your left for a small rock outcropping. If you look closely, you will see the wear marks from climbing up these rocks that lead to an amazing view of the Murderer's Bar Rapid. Be careful, there is a steep drop on the other side. Early morning is my favorite time, as I can watch the sun light the canyon. There is room for two at this unique spot, a great place to pop the question. You can continue the trail out to Maine Bar, 5.5 miles out. Many other trails take off from here. To get to the Quarry Road Trail, take Highway 49 into the Confluence and over the Highway 49 Bridge, which crosses the American River just below the Confluence. Just over the bridge on the left is the entrance to the parking area. There is a $10 State Park fee for day use. One of the great things about this old mining road is that it is now ADA accessible. Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide I, II and III (2nd edition available on Amazon). The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California's Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the series – Day Hiker Gold Country Trail Guide – by the Outdoor Writers of California. You can follow West on Facebook and Instagram.