Northern California is known for the unique nature it has to offer. Scenic views can be found practically anywhere, especially in the Placer, Sacramento area. I visited two places in the local area which were no more than 20 minutes away from the general Rocklin area.
The first place I visited was one that is popular among Rocklin Students, Boulder Ridge Park. It is located in Rocklin and has a gorgeous, view of the sunset especially during the summer. You can see the whole city on the horizon and the beautiful mountains in the distance. Many people go there for the sunset to hang out and watch, but there is actually a small trail area that some people may not know about. If you go past the fence, there will be a road that goes to the end into a neighborhood. While you’re walking on the path you’ll see a lot of beautiful houses in the distance and a gorgeous field. There is a point where there is a barrier that you can walk around and you have a choice to continue into the neighborhood or turn right to go into a trail. If you go into the neighborhood you can enjoy the scenery of the houses as well as the forest and nature that surrounds the area. If you take the trail you will be led to see the peaceful hills and other plants that are native to the NorCal area. In the springtime, it is especially beautiful since it is filled with indigo flowers as well as other varieties of flowers. From the initial fence to the trail and back, it took me about 45 minutes to walk, so it is a nice short trail in the local area.
I give the trail a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its scenic beauty and peaceful atmosphere, making it a worthwhile visit for anyone in the Rocklin area.
The other trail I visited was in Dry Creek Community Park located in the Antelope area. When you first enter there is a playground, softball field, and other things made for the community. There are two different paths you can take when you finish walking on the main sidewalk but the main one people take is the one on the right.
The main path on the right is a regular concrete road, but is surrounded by a forest, and interestingly enough someone owns land in the middle of the park so there is a house when you walk by. The main road crosses a multitude of different areas, houses, forests, and golf courses. Along the way, there are also some workout spots which I thought were pretty cool. The main trail took about 30 minutes to get to the end at a regular walking pace. However, the more beautiful spots in my opinion were the smaller trails. Instead of taking the concrete road, you could take the smaller dirt trails right next to it. There you will be walking alongside a river with blackberries that you could pick off the side. Some people were even swimming in the river. If you keep going straight you will get a lot of different types of plants and small rolling hills. Being under the trees and seeing small animals like birds and chipmunks was a pleasant sight to see. On your way back instead of taking the sidewalk back to the playground area, you can continue to go straight and take the path there, which you will be taken under a bridge. There you will see a river and a beautiful field that you can walk alongside. I spent about 2 hours going through all of the areas on this trail and my favorite area was the smaller trails where you walk through the forest and alongside a river.
The Dry Creek Community Park trails offered an enjoyable experience. I highly recommend exploring both the main path and the smaller trails to fully appreciate what the park has to offer. I give Dry Creek Community Park trails a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
