Description: This ride is affectionately referred to as the "Once around the Block" ride.
It covers a wide variation of terrain, starting at relatively low elevations in
Placerville (1900 ft) then climbing up to over 4200'. The ride covers the
entire range from warmer Oak covered hills to cool Pine forests. Along the
way you'll pass Apple Hill (popular in the Fall season) and Sly Park - a popular
Summer recreation area. The ride listed below is only a suggestion.
If you'd like to expand this ride, you can incorporate the Mace Road Loop
(exiting on Mace Road to Pony Express Trail to continue this ride), or exit from
Sly Park Rd to Starks Grade for a quieter detour down to Pleasant Valley
Rd. Several combinations exist, and the options are as varied as your
imagination. For the first time rider unfamiliar with the roads in El
Dorado county, the ride below is given as a basic ride. It's best to do
this ride during the morning before Summer traffic at Sly Park increases.
This is a good long ride, and grocery stores can be found at Placerville,
Camino, Pollock Pines, near Sly Park entrance, and Pleasant Valley.
| Miles |
Directions |
| 0.0 |
Start on Bike Path |
| 1.8 |
Bike Path ends. Turn Left on Jacquier Rd |
| 2.7 |
Jacquier Rd ends. Turn Right on Carson Rd |
| 7.6 |
Enter town of Camino |
| 8.1 |
Road approaches Highway 50. Turn Left on Pony Express
Trail (before road goes under bridge) |
| 11.2 |
Turn Right at Snowline Gas Station and go under Highway 50. |
| 11.3 |
Turn Left on Frontage Rd |
| 13.9 |
Frontage Rd ends at Sly Park Rd. Turn Right onto Sly
Park Rd. Traffic increases here.
(If needed, groceries can be purchased about 200 yards to
left in Pollock Pines) |
| 15.4 |
Reach top of hill |
| 16.6 |
Pass Starks Grade
(Alternate route: If Sly Park Rd is too busy, exit on
Starks Grade, take it downhill to the end, then turn Left on Newtown Rd,
then Right on Pleasant Valley Rd. This will put you back on Pleasant
Valley Rd just after the town of Pleasant Valley) |
| 17.9 |
Pass Sly Park Store (groceries) |
| 18.4 |
Pass Sly Park Dam Rd (1/2 mile detour gives great view of
Lake and Mountains) |
| 25.0 |
Enter Pleasant Valley (groceries available at corner of E16
and Sly Park Rd). Continue straight. Road becomes Pleasant
Valley Rd. |
| 29.8 |
Stop sign at Bucks Bar Rd. Continue straight. |
| 30.0 |
Turn Right on Cedar Ravine Rd. |
| 31.4 |
Turn Left on Quarry Rd. |
| 33.0 |
Quarry Rd ends. Turn Right on Big Cut Rd. |
| 33.8 |
Cross Weber Creek. |
| 35.7 |
Top of hill. Road "T". Go towards Left
and descend to Placerville. |
| 36.1 |
Turn Left on Pacific St. Then turn an immediate Right
on Sacramento St. |
| 36.2 |
Turn Right onto Main St. |
| 37.0 |
Main St veers to Left. At stop sign, go straight under
Highway 50 (don't go on Broadway) |
| 37.1 |
Turn Left onto Mosquito Rd just before entering Highway
50. Start of Bike Path is 100 yards away. |
| 37.2 |
End ride at Bike Path parking lot. |
