Loyalton is surrounded by beautiful public lands with trails and dirt roads galore, but finding your way can be tough.
Most of the land immediately around Loyalton and Sierra Brooks is State Wildlife land, which allows but does not prioritize human use. We are welcome to hike and bike and ski there, they just aren't going to provide parking spots or trail signs. But with a little information we can get you, the public, out on your land!
Trail Guides
Smithneck Creek Wildlife Area Vista
Hike
Trailhead 7 minutes from the Inn
1.5 Mile Loop (Steep though!)
From the Inn turn right on Smithneck Rd., Right on Antelope Valley Road, Park .8 miles past the welcome sign and cattle guard.
There is no designated parking so pull off the road the best you can. Look for the dirt road on your left heading up the hill, after a minute it intersects a smaller but better defined trail, take a right to follow the trail that runs parallel to Antelope Valley Road.
5 minutes in, start watching for a cairn (pile of rocks) marking a trail on your left that will head straight up the mountain. Its a clear trail after a few feet, only the intersection is faint. Follow the trail up to the top then look for a fainter trail leaving the main one to head up over the rocks to the peak on your left.
Enjoy the views of Sierra Brooks/Smithneck, Sierra Valley, Antelope Valley and Bear Valley! You can hike back the way you came up or take the shorter but steeper trail straight down the mountain towards your car (which you can see teeny-tiny down below you).
Half way down you’ll see a rope swing on a big pine. There is a technique to avoid hitting the tree but I haven’t found it.
🐾Dog friendly trail!
🌲 🌲 If you have backpacking hammocks, bring them! There are some lovely big trees with great views along the way
Badnough Canyon Waterfall Hike
Hike/Bike/Snowshoe/XC Ski
Trailhead 10 minutes from the Inn
3 miles Out and Back
.
.
Turn right on Hwy 49/Main Street
Turn right on Smithneck Road
After 3.6 miles park at *unmarked* Forest Rte 02, a dirt turn out with a green vehicle gate and stole for hikers to walk through. Park to the right of the gate.
.
.
Walk on the dirt road 1.25 miles to reach the beautiful 10’ falls.
🐾Dog friendly trail!
****Take a slight detour 3 minutes from the trail head by veering off to your right to see Native American petroglyphs on a large boulder. The Sierra Valley was a seasonal home for several tribes including the Miwok and Washoe people prior to the Gold Rush. Few monuments of their lives here remain, please treat this one with reverence 💜
Castle Rock Trail
Hike/Bike/Snowshoe/XC Ski
Trailhead 3 minutes from the Inn
5 miles out and back
Turn right on Hwy 49/Main St.
Turn right on Garbage Pit Road
Park in the large turnout/lot on the right. Trail access is across the street, through gate with no signs
Go through the unmarked game (not the one that is for the actual dump straight ahead on Garbage Pit Rd). If the gate is closed please make sure to close it behind you. Head up the dirt road 2 miles, when the road forks take the rougher path up to the right. When alongside the Castle Rock formation take one of the paths headed towards the back of it. There are several places to (carefully) climb the back of the Castle to get a breathtaking view of the Sierra Valley!
🐾Dog friendly trail!
Bear Valley Meadow Loop
Hike/Snowshoe
Trailhead 10 Minutes from the Inn
Bear Valley Meadow Loop is an easy 1 mile loop without hills. This is a great one for little kids as the route is short and the creek is infinitely entertaining.
Turn Right on Hwy 49 from the Inn. Take Smithneck Rd. to Bear Valley Rd., after the neighborhood the road turns to gravel. You'll see the big turnout about 1/3 mile up the gravel with a yellow State Forest sign on the tree. Park there, the dirt trail from the parking lot is actually the Prairie Lane on Maps apps.
The gravel road portion of this loop goes through some of the best wildflower fields in town so make sure to look around. Just watch out for speeding ATVs while you're on the road.
🐾Dog friendly trail!
More to come!
Have Fun!
Please leave our forests better than when you found them.