SACRAMENTO TO PLACERVILLE
40 MILES / 3,175 FEET

PLACERVILLE TO SACRAMENTO
40 MILES / 1,505 FEET

SACRAMENTO TO SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
124 MILES / 12,780 FEET

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE TO SACRAMENTO
124 MILES / 6,960 FEET

• Travel between Sacramento/Placerville and Sacramento/South Lake Tahoe.

• SETTING

  •  Eastern Sacramento Valley, Sierra Foothills, Sierra Nevada Mountains.

• START / END

  • Sacramento:  mile 13.5 of the American River Bike Trail, William Pond Recreation Area, Carmichael, CA

    • Travel to the intersection of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, CA (immediately east of Sacramento).  Park in the Five Points parking lot (SE corner of Arden Way & Fair Oaks Blvd, away from retail outlets) or on Arden Way, west of restricted parking.  Mile 13.5 is at the intersection of the American River Pkwy Bike Trail and the Arden Way access path.
       

  • Placerville:  intersection Broadway & Schnell School Road, Placerville, CA.

    • This intersection is near the eastern limit of Placerville.
       

  • South Lake Tahoe:  intersection Hwy 50 & Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA.

• RIDE CHARACTERISTICS

  • Climbing

    • Sacramento to Placerville:  3,175 feet:  climbing generally is gradual.

    • Placerville to Sacramento:  1,505 feet.

    • Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe:  12,780 feet.  Although there is no climbing which is both lengthy and steep, total climbing is substantial and should be attempted only by strong and experienced riders.

    • South Lake Tahoe to Sacramento:  6,960 feet. 
       

  • Difficulty

    • Sacramento/Placerville:  mild to moderate. 

    • Sacramento/South Lake Tahoe:  this is a long ride with considerable climbing.  I recommend it only for strong, experienced riders. 
       

  • Risks

    • Mormon Emigrant Trail, maintained by the Forest Service, is unplowed and closed in the winter (except in emergencies when US 50 suffers a prolonged closure).  Depending upon the amount of winter snowfall, it may not open until July!

    • Sacramento/Placerville

      • Green Valley Road:  generally ok, but some narrow and rough sections; traffic usually is mild to moderate but occasionally can be somewhat heavy.

      • Urban cycling:  easy in Folsom; congested in Placerville and in South Lake Tahoe.

    • Placerville/South Lake Tahoe

      • Hwy 88 can be busy, but I generally have found traffic to be light.

      • Highway 50 traffic in South Lake Tahoe gets busy toward ride's end.

    • Weather:  Sierra weather can be both unpredictable and severe.  Be prepared for wet, possibly cold riding.

    • Food/Fluids:  As food and liquids are unavailable between Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, you must carry adequate quantities of both.