285 mi · 8,100 ft of climbing · high point 5,482 ft · start/finish downtown Napa (First St & Main St)
Ridden Aug 10, 2026 · High Sierra
The ride
Out on Greenwood Road to I-80, and then it's the classic run to the hills: Fairfield, Vacaville, Dixon, Davis, across into Sacramento and up Highway 50 through Rancho Cordova, Folsom and Cameron Park to Placerville.
Above Placerville, 50 climbs through Cedar Grove and Pacific and up the South Fork American River canyon toward Kyburz. Alder Creek Road is the detour that makes the day, a narrow forest road that climbs away from the highway past Morrison and up to the route's 5,482 ft high point before dropping you back onto 50.
Home is straight back down 50 and across on I-80. It's about 285 mi and ~8,100 ft of climbing, a solid day that's easy to fit in. Fuel's no problem on this one, Placerville and Pollock Pines are right there. Alder Creek Road is a forest road that can be rough or closed after storms and in winter, so check conditions before you count on it.
[Steve: add your full write-up here]
Key roads and highlights
Greenwood Road, I-80 through Fairfield, Vacaville, Davis
US-50 through Sacramento, Folsom, Placerville
Cedar Grove and Pacific
South Fork American River canyon toward Kyburz
Alder Creek Road past Morrison, high point ~5,482 ft
Home via US-50 and I-80
Gallery
Ride photos coming soon
Not starting in Napa? No problem. Every Two Wheel Touring GPX is a loop that begins and ends at First & Main in downtown Napa, but you don't have to. Join the line wherever it's closest to you, ride any section you like, or flip the whole thing and run it the other way. For step-by-step help in Garmin, REVER, Calimoto, Scenic, Google My Maps, and a free GPX editor, see Riding a route from your own start.
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