fstshrk

Is there a recommend (safe) route to ride from Folsom to South Lake Tahoe. I know highway 50 exists but I don't find it safe to ride on especially after it drops to 2 total lanes.

Thank you

terrymorse 

Highway 50 is doable by bicycle, but it's not very pleasant east of Strawberry.

A longer but much nicer route is taking Highway 88 through Kirkwood. Sutter Creek to South Lake Tahoe is about 85 miles and 11,000 feet of climbing.



ridewithgps: Sutter Creek-South Lake Tahoe

caloso

Agreed. This was basically Stage 2 of the ToC this year.

fstshrk

Thanks

I think I need to train a bit harder to be able to do this ride. The gradients don't look too bad, but that is a lot of total climbing in the first 50-60 miles.

caloso

It looks like a grind.

Reynolds 531 

Send me a pm, or join "Classic and Vintage Bicycle Club" on Strava, and I will send you the link to this route I made. I know all of these roads, and this is the only safe route.

Darth Lefty 

I can't recall ever seeing a cyclist on 50, but a few people did Echo Summit two years ago to commemorate the 100th anniversary of a 1917 ride from Sacramento to South Lake and back that made the papers. They mostly stuck to bike routes, mtb and back roads when they could. They did ARBT -> El Dorado Trail -> Pony Express
https://adventuresportsjournal.com/centennialride/
https://forums.mtbr.com/california-n...l#post13381845
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26274365

tallbikeman

Going east on Hwy 50 take the Sly Park exit and turn right heading toward Jenkinson Lake. Go past the entrance to Jenkinson Lake to Mormon Immigrant Trail. Turn left on Mormon Immigrant Trail. Go 26 miles until Mormon Immigrant Trail deadends into Hwy.88. Turn left on Hwy 88 and go over Carson Pass. The route is the same as mentioned above once on Hwy 88. This route has the decided advantage of no traffic on a very good road when on Mormon Immigrant Trail. The ride from Hwy 50 to Mormon Immigrant Trail is a narrow 2 lane twisty road for 10 miles or so but is downhill to Mormon Immigrant Trail and car speeds are slower. I've never tried the Pleasant Valley road that also goes to Mormon Immigrant Trail.

Leinster

Could a (confident, competent, experienced) cyclist descend 50? You wouldn’t be going AS fast as the car traffic, but at 35-40 mph, you’d sure be causing less of a tailback than going up at 5-10.

Darth Lefty 

Traffic is heavy, it’s steep and twisty. It doesn’t sound fun

cp88mb1

Yeah, I even hate going down 50 in a car. A lot of folks, rushing from SLT back to the Bay Area take it way too fast. I can't imagine doing it on a bike.

Lidatation

Second the 88. Yeah the 50 is too dangerous.

gw_12

I've ridden 50 over Echo Summit between Strawberry and Meyers several times in both directions. I don't remember it ever being exceptionally hairy, but I agree that 88 would be a more pleasant route. If you do decide on 50, a cool little alternate to to 50 at Echo Summit is to take the Old Lincoln Highway over Johnson Pass.