Best local hike

As you walk along the path leading up the middle fork of the American River, a few things might catch your eye. The flutter of a bird. The rush of swirling rapids down below. The judgmental stares of enormous rocky cliffsides, scarred by zealous miners ages ago.

Once a prime spot for digging up gold and limestone, the area surrounding Quarry Trail in Auburn has since become a hybrid environment where nature has slowly reclaimed human history. Remnants of quarry architecture jut out of hills and peek through foliage. A trail by some picnic tables leads off towards a climbing area, where jagged walls of stone greet you solemnly. Whispers echo in your head, and a chill runs down your spine. You slowly approach the bluffs, then stop suddenly. Unable to move, you stand still for all eternity, transfixed by the harsh beauty of those strong, commanding cliffs.

Quarry Trail, 150 CA-193, Auburn; (530) 885-4527.