Clear Creek / Shooting Star Loop

Bicycling, Wine Tasting and more in El Dorado County, California

Bike Rides

Level of Difficulty: Light to Moderate (900' total climbing)
Riding Time: 1 hour (allow more if a hot day)	Printable Area Map: Clear Creek/Shooting Star Loop (Adobe Acrobat required)
Season to Ride: Late Spring through Fall

Description: This is an excellent ride to to on a hot summer day - especially in the evening where most of the climbing will be in the shade. Clear Creek Rd is probably one of the most beautiful roads in El Dorado County. Small, quiet and follows very close to the creek through old growth forest, it's a road that even bike racers will slow down to enjoy. The canyon is definitely the coolest place in the area - on one recent hot summer day (112 in Sacramento), it was a pleasingly cool 83 degrees along Clear Creek. As you leave the canyon on Five Spot Rd, the Cedar forests give way to Oak trees, and the cool canyon temperatures disappear. Still, the climb is not long (0.7 miles), and you are rewarded with nice local views. As you turn at the top onto Shooting Star, the ride becomes more roller coaster type bicycling. Heading back on Sierra Springs, you quickly descend back down into the Clear Creek canyon where you can cool off again. The map also shows the Sierra Springs Road up to the top (part of Clear Creek / Sierra Springs Loop), in case you decide to ride further. My choice on a hot day is to head back down into the canyon and stay cool.

Miles	Directions
0.0	Start at corner of E16 and Pleasant Valley Rd. Head East on Sly Park Rd. (If you are standing on E16 looking at Pleasant Valley Rd, you would turn Right).
1.1	Turn Left on Clear Creek (before creek bridge).
3.3	Turn Left on Five Spot Rd. Begin climb out of canyon.
4.0	Top of hill (stop sign here). Turn Right onto Shooting Star Rd.
5.1	Shooting Star Rd ends. Turn Right onto Sierra Springs Rd.
6.2	Pass Five Spot Rd. Continue straight (downhill) - road is now Clear Creek Rd.
8.4	Clear Creek Rd ends. Turn Right onto Pleasant Valley Rd (traffic increases here).
9.5	Ride ends at Pleasant Valley and E16 (Mt. Aukum Rd).