Black Hole of Calcutta Falls Trailhead

• Teamagic Rock
  
  
  (July 10, 2023, 10:55 pm)

  Great place to take a hike, have a picnic and just hang out!

• David V
  
  
  (June 11, 2023, 5:54 pm)

  It's beautiful up there if you love the outdoors you will love it here. Sorry I don't have more pictures to show my phone died right after these.

• Oscar Barragan
  
  
  (February 28, 2023, 7:30 am)

  This is a hidden gem. You learn a little history on the tour and you see some really interesting structures inside the cave. Overall I thought it was worth it just for the science and the geological rarity of the place.

• Donovan Hughes
  
  
  (September 1, 2022, 2:34 pm)

  What a great hiking trail! What better way to get in shape than to venture out in the great outdoors with a refreshing beverage, a backpack, and comfortable hiking shoes! This takes me to the Auburn, California area where I had the opportunity of visiting "Black Hole of Calcutta Falls" aka "Western States Trail".
  
  In the 20+ years that I have lived in the greater Sacramento area, I have yet to take advantage of how much nature there actually is in the surrounding areas. I came across this particular trail using the AllTrails app on my phone. And as soon as I saw it having quite a few above average Yelp reviews, I am sold! Immediately, I was very curious to see what this place was all about.
  
  Getting here is quite simple. From Sacramento, simply take I-80 eastbound, Highway 49 east towards Placerville, and right after you cross the North Fork of the American River, the trailhead is located on the right hand side. Parking though can be very challenging as you have to make a sudden turn since the small gravel spaces to park is adjacent to the highway. Fortunately, my friend and I arrived at around 5:30pm on the afternoon of 5/22/2021 so there wasn't too many vehicles during our arrival.
  
  Once entering the actual trail, you will see several public porta-potties as well as a generous amount of life jackets. I highly recommend to NOT swim in this river as the currents can be very dangerous during any time of day. There are also signs warning visitors NOT to dive as there has been fatalities and drownings on past occasions. And with the river levels dangerously low due to the drought, it can be a recipe for disaster. Once you get past these signs, you will come across a very large bridge overlooking the American River. This bridge itself is very safe, wide, and has a high barbed-wire fence.
  
  As far as the trail itself, it spans 2.2 miles one way (which eventually comes to a dead-end) and 4.4 miles total. This particular trail is on the much easier level and is great for beginner hikers. I do recommend bringing insect repellent spray as there there can be unexpected guests during your hike. We didn't notice any other wildlife except for a deer that was spotted quite far away and well as frogs croaking by a small stream. As I mentioned, this place is great for beginners but I don't recommend strollers as some of it involves a little muscle going down some bumpy rocks.
  
  Overall, "Black Hole of Calcutta Falls" is a wonderful trail worth checking out and just a quick 30-minute drive from Sacramento. I recommend visiting here in the spring before the uncomfortably hot weather kicks in (from June through September). Be sure to take lots of pictures since everywhere around here as well as the bridge can be quite picturesque. My rating, a perfect five stars.

• james f
  
  
  (June 5, 2022, 4:51 pm)

  Nice easy hike to the shady little bridge at the falls. Pool under the falls is fine for kids to wade into unless the water is really rushing.
  Walk over the bridge at the start and get a great view of the river. Probably 80% of the trail is wide and easy although not shady. The last bit is a typical winding trail.
  Took about 20 minutes each way.

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