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California State Parks

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USA Parks
California
Gold Country & High Sierra Region
Mount Zion State Forest
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Valley Quail
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It is always a great day for a picnic in the park.
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MOUNT ZION STATE FOREST
MOUNT ZION STATE FOREST
Pine Grove, California   95665
(lat:38.3924 lon:-120.6533) map location
Mount Zion Demonstration State Forest is located in the town of Pine Grove, Amador County, California, United States. It features a ranger lookout station and microwave tower atop Mount Zion, which is accessed via Mount Zion Road from California State Route 88.
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Location
Mount Zion State Forest is located near Ione, Shingle Springs and Valley Springs

Trails
1. Mount Zion Loop Trail: This is a 4.5-mile moderately trafficked loop trail that offers scenic views and wildflower sightings during springtime.

2. East Fork to Bridge To Nowhere via Heaton Flat Trail: A challenging, 9 mile out-and-back trail featuring river crossings and the famous "Bridge to Nowhere.".

3. Upper Monroe Truck Trail: An easy-to-moderate difficulty level, this truck trail spans approximately six miles with beautiful forest scenery throughout.

4. Lower Clamshell Road Hike: It's an old fire road turned hiking path offering panoramic vistas of San Gabriel Valley over its length of about five miles.

5. Mt Wilson Toll Road (Pasadena): The historic toll road provides hikers with stunning cityscape views on clear days across its ten-mile stretch.

6. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trails: At around five miles long, it features remnants from the bygone era like ruins of White City resort along with breathtaking valley sights.

7. Bailey Canyon Park to Jones Peak: Known for steep inclines but rewarding summit view; roughly seven miles in total distance covered.

8. Eaton Saddle Short Cut/Mt Lowe Fire Rd.: Offers spectacular mountainous landscapes within four or so mile hike up towards Markham saddle then down through Mueller tunnel into Grand canyon area before looping back again at start point near Red Box picnic site parking lot off Angeles Crest Highway Route-2.

9. Icehouse Canyon/Saddle/Cucamonga peak trails: Popular among experienced trekkers due their high elevation gains reaching upto nearly nine thousand feet above sea-level providing unobstructed panoramas stretching far beyond Inland Empire region till Mojave desert lands lying eastwards under favorable weather conditions.

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Area Campgrounds
Jellystone Park at Pine Grove
13026 Tabeau Road
Pine Grove, CA
Far Horizons 49er Village RV Resort
18265 Highway 49
Plymouth, CA
Gold Strike Village
1925 Gold Strike Road Box 658
San Andreas, CA
209-754-3180

Directions
1. Start by heading onto the I:5 freeway.
2. Take exit 678 for CA:299 E toward Redding/Alturas.
3. Merge onto CA:299 E and continue driving for approximately 30 miles.
4. Turn left onto Montgomery Creek Rd (signs for Round Mountain/Montgomery Creek).
5. Continue on Montgomery Creek Rd for about 8 miles until you reach a T:intersection with Oak Run Road.
6. Make a right turn onto Oak Run Road and drive straight ahead for around 7 miles.

At this point, there are two entrances to Mount Zion State Forest:

For the North Entrance:
7a) Look out on your right side after passing Bear Gulch Road; you will see an entrance sign indicating "Mount Zion" along with parking facilities nearby.

For the South Entrance:
7b) Keep going straight on Oak Run road until it intersects with Whitmore/Oak run road.
8b) At that intersection make a slight left towards whitmore/oakrun rd.
9b) Drive another mile or so till u come across south mount zion state forest.

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California
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California State Parks

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