One of the main features of the dog-friendly Dave Moore Nature Area is a loop trail about a mile long which goes from the parking lot trailhead to the South Fork American River and back again passing through several habitat types.
Nestled in the heart of Gold Rush Country, the trail is lined with remnants from nearly 150 years ago when Chinese laborers channeled creek water by hand with pick and shovel for gold mining. Tailing piles from the Gold Rush period blanket the area which lends to the characteristic landscape that makes this area so unique.
As you travel along the Dave Moore Nature Trail you will encounter several natural features – the most interesting is “Mushroom Rock” – two stacked granite boulders with a softer layer of decomposed granite in between that has been weathered by the river of the past.
The site is located approximately 2 miles west of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Park at Coloma on Highway 49 in El Dorado County, California, along the scenic and popular South Fork American River.
