Scotts Drop Trail

Scotts Drop Trail is a popular loop with a 10-mile route and 1000 ft. of elevation change. Half the route is single-track and most of the accent is an easy climb on pavement. The Drop is rather steep but very doable. I recommend this trail for intermediate to advanced riders. Beginners who don't mind walking down the steeper sections might enjoy this trail too.
There are great views of the lake and canyon. The lakeside trail has a number of spots to picnic and swim. There is also drinking water available in the campgrounds. If you are camping at Scotts Flat Reservoir this trail is a great way to drop into camp after riding the Pioneer Trail. Check out the Gold Country Map for instructions on how to get to the Nevada City area.
On the trail: I like to start at the Harmony Ridge Store. There are plenty of parking spots here and the store welcomes mountain bikers. The Lone Grave Trail is rather new and is on U.S.F.S. land. It starts right past the 5-mile house. It's rather easy to find. The single-track trail runs parallel with the highway and heads east on the south side of HWY 20.
Follow the Lone Grave Trail for about 1.9 miles where you will see a dirt road cross the trail at an angle from the highway. There is a big no littering {or else} sign on the highway here too, look for that if you aren't sure. {You are .4-mile from the Lone Grave at this point.}
Take a right {south} on this dirt road. In a .1-mile you will pass through a forestry green gate. Another .1-mile brings you to a road clearing that was just riped up {old log landing}. After the road clearing and less than .1-mile look for a cedar tree {picture}on the left with a orange paint spot on it and a few faded ribbons. The trailhead is hard to see...but there is a narrow single-track starting here…Scotts Drop Trail. This is the newer section that was built after the logging made the other access rather difficult to find.{Its is on my map and still there but the new trail is better.}
The first part of Scotts Drop Trail is rolling and after you intersect with the old access trail {dropping in on the right at .2 miles} it becomes much steeper. There are 7 or more switch-backs with tight turns and sharp drops. Its not real rocky but there are a lot of exposed roots and it can get muddy in the rainy months. You get treated to some lake vista views [picture}as you descend into a heavily forested canyon. After descending for .7-miles you cross a ravine and climb a .1-mile. {Where you cross the ravine don't take the right downhill trail.} The trail splits at the top of the hill, keep to the right here. You pop out of the forest at the end of Scotts Flat Pines Rd. Take a left here and drop down to the lake on this paved road.
At the intersection of Casci Ranch Rd. look for a single-track on the other side of the road…the lake side. Jump on this single-track and it becomes the Snow Mountain Ditch that you are riding on. This trail will bring you into the camping area. The trail kinda wanders here and can be confusing, you will end up on the campground road at some point. Ride the road and look for the ditch trail to continue where the upper parking lot is.{If you don't see the trail try looking up the hill, the ditch trail can be hard to see if you are below it. The trail runs next to the lake so if you don't see it just look around.}The Snow Mountain Ditch parallels the lake and is within 60 ft of the lake for most of the 2-mile lakeside trail. The Azalias bloom in early June on the Snow Mtn. Ditch and are very fragrant.
After crossing the boat launch road look for the ditch trail to continue along the shoreline. It's another mile to the end of this trail at the Scotts Flat Reservoir Dam site and access road. You can check out the reservoir dam here {picture}.
Take a right {north} off the trail and head up the hill through the camping area. It's a 4-mile pavement climb back to Highway 20. As you climb out of the camping area you come to a campers tollbooth. Take a left here as you climb a gentle paved grade, with vista views, out of the canyon on Scotts Flat Road
This is a great little loop and I hope you enjoy it. thefish@mtbsingletrack.com