Temperatures in the high thirties greeted our group of six (plus one dog) as we began our trek on this trail, which mostly parallels Clear Creek. Midway through our four-mile out-and-back hike we were shedding jackets and sweaters while enjoying the bright morning sunshine.
Gold was discovered at nearby Reading’s Bar in 1848, and the subsequent devastation of the area, caused by mining operations, is very apparent wherever one looks. Hydraulic mining with water cannons and, later, dredging stripped this area of much of its topsoil, leaving behind huge piles of rocks.
The resiliency of nature is very evident here. Gray pines, ponderosa pines, and several species of oak are thriving in this rock-strewn landscape. The understory consists mainly of manzanita shrubs (both white-leaf and green-leaf), buckbrush, and Himalayan blackberry bushes. Closer to the river where topsoil remains, alders, willows, cottonwoods, and valley oaks are numerous.
We enjoyed the color provided by the red berries of the toyon shrubs and noted the alders’ new catkins, as well as the new leaves being pushed up by the soap plants. Spring is on its way and another hike on this trail will be in order. -Chris Harvey
