California's Beloved Trail Starts In Downtown Nevada City With A Suspension Bridge Surrounded By Fall Colors

The South Yuba River is a glimmering, deep blue-green waterway rushing down from the base of the mighty Sierra Nevadas and through California's Tahoe National Forest. This mighty river branches and becomes other flowing streams, including Deer Creek, a wild rushing brook that tumbles over the rocks and between trees. Deer Creek flows through Nevada City, a picturesque Victorian-era town surrounded by wilderness, and the area surrounding it is packed with beautiful hiking trails to admire stunning fall foliage. One of the easiest, most convenient, and most meaningful might be the Deer Creek Tribute Trail.

The trail begins within Nevada City itself, California's historic "Queen City," with a lively art scene and live theater. After a few turns, the sounds of cars will give way to birdsong and the sound of Deer Creek rushing by. You will find yourself immersed in nature on a twisting road through the woods until you reach the Deer Creek Tribute Trail. Whether you're taking this journey to get away from civilization on a quiet solo hike to retreat into nature or to learn more about the fascinating history of this region, you won't be disappointed.

The views in the lush woods are beautiful, especially when the leaves change in the autumn, usually in late October and early November. These particular trails lend themselves to quiet reflection — which is exactly what they are for. There are two bridges over the creek within the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System, and both are dedicated to communities that left their mark on this beautiful place. The Angkula Seo Suspension Bridge, a gorgeous walkway amidst the branches stretching across the water below, honors the Nisenan people, whose ancestral homelands include what is now known as Nevada City. The other equally serene Chinese Bridge pays tribute to the community that built Nevada City's Chinese Quarter.

There are multiple routes to hike through the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System. Not only is it a fantastic place to see fall foliage in the U.S. and a haven for local wildlife from rattlesnakes to bobcats, but this clearly marked, 3.4-mile trail through the wilderness is the perfect place to learn more about the complex history of the Nevada City area. A visit to the Angkula Seo Suspension Bridge is worth taking a two-hour trek into the wilderness by itself, and as you hike this Nisenan Bridge section, you will see a series of signs telling the story of the Nisenan people in the region and how they were pushed off of their land during the California Gold Rush of 1849, when settlers, enticed by the possibility of finding gold, flooded into the area. If you keep your eyes open along the trail, you will also see the ruins of some of the mines that sprang up around Nevada City (some of which produced gold).

Don't miss the shorter Chinese Bridge section of the trail. This route has some of the best spots along the trail to stop, relax, and even have a picnic along the way. Like the Nisenan Bridge, the Chinese Bridge (pictured) stretches over Deer Creek, but this structure is red, featuring a Chinese architecture-inspired wooden arch and an excellent view of a waterfall. This section also has interpretive signs, and the most interesting may be the plaque by the bridge, which discusses Nevada City's 1860s Chinese Quarter, a neighborhood established by Chinese-Americans that thrived despite persecution and attempts to force them out of the town.