Trail Manager: Trail operated by Bear Yuba Land Trust | Contact info@bylt.org / (530) 272-5994
Length: Wildflower Ridge Trail: 0.9 mile. Connects to Rough & Ready Ditch Trail: 1.0 mile. Full loop using both trails and connecting links: 2.6 miles
Altitude Change: 114′
Trail Surface: Natural Earth
Rules: No motorized vehicles, dogs on leash
Trailheads: The Wildflower Ridge Trail is part of the Wildflower Ridge Preserve trail system, located at 13167 Ridge Road in Grass Valley. From the top of Mill Street in downtown Grass Valley go 1.4 miles west out of town on West Main Street (becomes Rough & Ready Highway) to the intersection of Rough & Ready Highway and Ridge Road. The east end trailhead is at the dirt parking area next to the A to Z Supply “Garden Center” on Ridge Road. (N39.22928 W121.07946). When church is not in service, you can use the parking lot at Twin Cities Church to access the trails.
Wildflower Ridge Trail Facts: Wildflower Ridge Trail winds through Wildflower Ridge Preserve just west of Grass Valley. This area boasts open meadows and is on a forested hillside that drops down toward Deer Creek. Wildflower Ridge Trail is characterized by its thin soil, caused from an ancient volcanic mud flow. This unusual geology supports a rare concentration of native plants. According to the Redbud Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, over 100 plant species have been identified on just 25 acres. April through May are the prime months for seeing the brilliant displays of wildflowers.
Wildflower Ridge Trail connects to Rough & Ready Ditch Trail. Hidden away on a peaceful wooded slope within Wildflower Ridge Preserve, the Rough & Ready Ditch Trail follows the historic canal quietly shuttling water from Nevada City to Rough & Ready — as it has been doing since 1854; this ditch was the first attempt to build a large scale mining ditch in California.
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