Comments: A very nice 4.5 mile trail that is
a popular with local hikers, runners, dog walkers, and cyclist. Just recently
declared a legal access, the entire trail passes over private property. This NID
{Nevada Irrigation District} canal is fairly flat, and wide for most of the canal
berm’s 4.5 miles. This is really a perfect trail to learn to mountain bike
or to do a family ride on. It’s forested and shady and open most of the
year, except when we get some low snows during winter. If you want to ride fast
and race then you should look for a different trail to ride on. Out and back is
9 miles with 60 ft of climb. Getting there: Access is off Red Dog Rd. and the other end is
at the intersection of Banner Lava Cap and Gracie Road. There is a spot there
for a dozen cars to park. The Trail starts on Gracie at that corner heading North
{upstream}. If you want to you can also park off Red Dog Rd. There is a road edge
on the right next to the gate that can handle 8 cars or so. If you drive or ride
up the hill on Red Dog Rd. you will pass the DS Canal first before coming to the
Cascade Canal. If you are riding from Nevada City it’s a good hill climb.
Banner Lava Cap Rd. is the least steep and Gracie Rd. has the least auto traffic.
If you are coming off Hwy 49 at the Bunswick exit {coming from Grass Valley or
Auburn} take a right onto Brunswick Road and after a stop light and the Lucky
Shopping Center take a left onto Old Tunnel Rd. Follow that and take a right at
the stop on Banner Lava Cap Rd. Stay on that till you see Gracie on the left and
park on the corner. On The Trail: Well if you start at Banner Lava Cap and Gracie
Roads then you will see the canal at the top of Gracie Rd. Hop onto the berm of
the canal and head north {upstream}. The trail is dirt and about 4 ft wide in
the beginning and widens to 6 to 8 ft for most the way . Continue upstream on
the canal and in .3 mile you will pass through a gate that has a walking access
that’s too tight to get handle bars through. At .7 miles you come to another
gate that has a trail around it on the left. A short distance later you come to
a view spot with great views of Nevada City and the surrounding hills. Continuing
on at 1.7 miles you come to a pipe across a ravine. Hikers walk across the pipe
but biker’s will want to continue up the trail around to the other side
of the Banner Ravine instead, to ride around the pipe. {This is the Banner Mountain
Trail Rd. and is another access point.} After passing that pipe you come to another
pipe at 2.5 miles. You can either cross the pipe or drop down and cross the Little
Deer Creek. The catwalk across the pipe is narrow and you will need to walk your
bike upright on its back tire to walk across. After the last pipe there is a few
more miles before you come to the access gate on Red Dog Rd. It’s time to
turn around unless you are dropping down to Nevada City. If you do a round trip
on the canal you will have had a 9 mile ride.
Enjoy The Fish
