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Western States Trail Michigan Bluff to Deadwood

This small portion of the Western States Trail brings you from Michigan Bluff over to Deadwood and is a difficult 12.8-mile out-and-back trail that leads to the ghost town of Deadwood.

The hike begins by heading down El Dorado Canyon along moderate grade trail. At the bottom of El Dorado Canyon is footbridge that crosses El Dorado Creek. Immediately after the footbridge crossing, the trail ascends once again at a similar grade toward Deadwood.

Upon reaching Deadwood, the trail will flatten out a bit and shortly after hikers will reach an old Deadwood cemetery sign. The town of Deadwood was founded in 1852 after gold was discovered nearby. After all of the gold dried up, everyone moved out of the area, and now all that's left is the Deadwood cemetery.

Pets
Dogs are allowed if leashed and their waste must be carried out by the hiker.

Parking
Hikers can find parking at the coordinates provided. The lot is not very large, but this is not a very popular hiking destination.

For more trip details, check out this NorCal Hiker blog post.
Explore 2 trails near Foresthill, CA

Know Before You Go

  • This 12.8-mile out-and-back hike on the Western States Trail leads to the ghost town of Deadwood, known for its gold rush history and remaining cemetery.
  • The trail involves a descent into El Dorado Canyon, a crossing of El Dorado Creek via footbridge, and a subsequent ascent to Deadwood, with moderate grades.
  • Dogs are permitted on leash, with a requirement to pack out their waste, and parking is available at the provided coordinates, though the lot is small.
Interactive topographic map for Western States Trail Michigan Bluff to Deadwood located in Foresthill, CA. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
12.8 mi
Difficulty
Hard
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
6.4 hrs
Elev. Gain
4,101'
Rating
0.0
Added
August 22, 2017
Updated
February 06, 2020

Weather Forecast

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Total Change
2,169'
Ascent
4,101'
Descent
4,107'
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Download Western States Trail Michigan Bluff to Deadwood GPX Data to the MyHikes Mobile App

Features

Dogs
Water Source

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    39.041491, -120.733999
  2. Main Trailhead

    39.041821, -120.732951

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Snakes (Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, others)
Poison Ivy or Poison Oak

Availability

Spring

Surface type

Dirt

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