Falcon Crest Trail Around Folsom Lake – El Dorado Hills, CA
Great Walking, Running and Horse Trail around Folsom Lake in El Dorado Hills, CA off Salmon Falls Road
- Walking Trail Article written by: Brenan Greene
This post is the first of many to come in a series of walking, jogging, biking, hiking and horse trails around Folsom Lake. We wanted to start with a beginner level trail (Falcon Crest/ Monte Vista) that nearly any age level can navigate. Lets dive right in!
Falcon Crest Walking Trail is located just 3.1 miles down Salmon Falls Rd. from Green Valley and El Dorado Hills, Blvd. Falcon Crest (aka: Monte Vista) is a walking trail and horse trail that is excellent for all ages. From 4 years old and up, this is a great local walking trail near the Folsom/ El Dorado Hills area to take the family. There are also many local horse stables and tours that you can go on, and you can request that they take you here.
Monte Vista Trail Head – Folsom Lake
Falcon Crest is located in El Dorado County and part of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Lets get into the details of this amazing walking, running and horse trail. Sorry, no bikes allowed… we still see some out there from time to time. It’s OK, we will not tell anyone.
- Location: El Dorado Hills, CA (Salmon Falls Rd.)
- Phone: District Office 916-988-0205
- Web Site: Map of the trail http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/21299/files/Trails_FolsomLake_Alt2.pdf
- Dogs: Allowed on leashed
- Snakes: Watch out for Rattlesnakes in this area (We saw a king snake today! – it was fast!)
- Fees: None
- Water: Potable water is available a short distance
- Restrooms: 2 port a pottys
- Picnic Tables: Multiple tables throughout the trail (heavy in one area where the water is located)
- The Views: AMAZING!!
Directions to Falcon Crest from Folsom, CA (18-20 min)
- From Folsom, take Green Valley road towards El Dorado Hills
- Go past the Waterfall intersection (Cross over Francisco Dr.)
- Take a left on Salmon Falls Rd. (3.1 Miles down on Left)
Salmon Falls Rd is a narrow and windy road, always drive safe and watch out for bikes, bicyclists love Salmon Falls Rd.
The Falcon Crest Trails
Most of the trails (there are many) are single lanes that are considered moderate to easy. There are no huge drop-offs or cliffs on the trail; however, there are some areas that are somewhat steep (strollers will make it though – expect a workout). I would have to say kids around 3-4 years of age can make it through the trail. It all depends on how much your child likes the outdoors, if they do, they will have a blast!
Falcon Crest Trails are well Marked
The trail will lead you all the way to Brown’s Ravine (10 miles to Brown’s Ravine) has some great lake views. There are some additional routs that range from .5 miles and all the way up to 10 miles. There is something on the Falcon Crest Trail for every outdoor enthusiast. About 5-10 minutes from the trail head on the Monte Vista Trail North, there is a water trough and a drinking fountain. Sometimes it is clean, sometimes it is not. Use at your own risk.
We came across some bottles and trash, we just packed it up with us. Please be courteous and always pack your belongings so other people can enjoy the nature.
One of many local Trails around Folsom Lake
This walking trail is one of many in El Dorado County, Sacramento County and Placer County that have amazing views of Folsom Lake. If you are on a mission to hit every walking/ running trail like this one, you will be busy for awhile. Being an avid trail runner in El Dorado County gives you so much opportunity in finding something new for years to come in this area. If you have any questions about this trail, please leave your comments below and we will do our best to answer your questions. In future posts, we will be covering many other local trails in Folsom, Granite Bay, El Dorado Hills and many other cities in our amazing community.
Step by Step Around the Falcon Crest Walking Trail
Once you pull into the parking lot, you will see a gate on your left hand side and then an entrance to the Monte Vista Trail Head.
About 5 minutes into the trail, you can either take a left or right. Take a right at the fork that says “Portable Water”. This will take you to the top of the hill where you will come to a white fence line. Take a left at the white fence line, this will bring you to the portable water.
Once you have reached the top of the hill, you will start to see amazing lake views, park benches and the water fountains. : )
Continue down the trail (this is the hardest part of the trail) – not very hard. This is a great trail for everyone in the family!
Once you start to get towards the bottom of the hill, you want to continue down to the lake (Take a right and go into the woods). It starts to get very pretty from here on out. : )
Throughout the trail, you will see amazing lake views. You can also hear the sounds of boats zooming along and waves crashing against the shore. It is really cool! I will leave you with all the pictures below.
Again, this trail is a great local walking trail near Folsom (just a 20 minute drive up to Salmon Falls Road). This trail will actually take you all the way over to browns ravine if you are up for the hike but it is 10 miles. This is better on a bike; however, bikes are not technically allowed on this trail but you will see them from time to time.
This trail is walked, ran and loved by many local residents of Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay and beyond. On this particular day it was walked by local web designer and internet marketer, Brenan Greene who runs a web development company and photography business in El Dorado Hills; Front Street Media. If you have any questions about the trail, how to access the trail or where the best spots are throughout the trail, give him a call anytime. You can reach Brenan through his website FrontStreetMedia.com.