Explore Outdoors: 'Culvert Trail' offers thrilling mountain bike ride in Auburn State Recreation Area

PARTNERSHIP THAT MADE IT ALL HAPPEN. THE CULVERT TRAIL IS A SCULPTED, WINDING ROLLERCOASTER DESCENT FOR MOUNTAIN BIKERS AND HIKERS IN THE HEART OF THE AUBURN STATE RECREATION AREA. THIS TRAIL WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT BY SOME, UM MOTORCYCLISTS BACK IN THE 80S, AND THEN SLOWLY HAS GONE THROUGH A COUPLE MORPHS THIS SPRING, A PROFESSIONAL TRAIL BUILDING CREW CALLED THE FREE RADICALS REWORKED THE POPULAR TRAIL THAT WAS ALREADY RATED A TEN OUT OF TEN, HOPING IT’S 11. AFTER THIS, THE FOLSOM AUBURN TRAIL RIDERS ACTION COALITION OR FAT TRAC, SPEARHEADED THE EFFORT WITH APPROVAL FROM THE STATE PARKS. WHILE SPECIALIZED BIKES PROVIDED FUNDING AND TRAIL BUILDERS, THE FREE RADICALS CAME OUT WITH FAT TRAC AND WALKED THE TRAIL WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS AND OUR CULTURAL TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE REPAIRS WERE GOING TO BE DONE WITHIN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT. SO I’M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS COME TOGETHER, THE FINAL PRODUCT IS A HIGH BANKED, TWISTING AND EXHILARATING FLOW TRAIL FROM LAKE CLEMENTINE TO OLD FORESTHILL ROAD. AMONG THE COOLEST FEATURES ON THE TRAIL ARE THESE PERFECTLY SCULPTED BERMS. THEY’RE BUILT TO, YOU KNOW, GET YOUR BIKE LEANED WAY OVER, DRAG YOUR BARS ON THE ON THE GROUND. IF YOU’RE GOOD ENOUGH TO DO THAT. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A BLAST. THE TRAIL GETS ITS NAME FROM A LARGE CULVERT THAT TAKES RIDERS UNDER FORESTHILL ROAD FOR A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT IS OPEN TO ALL ABILITIES. THAT’S KIND OF THE BEAUTY OF FLOW TRAILS IS, FOR THE MOST PART, THERE’S ALWAYS A FLAT BOTTOM TO THE TRAIL, SO IT’S EASY TO NOT RIDE REAL FAST DOWN IT. WHILE SPRING RAIN DELAYED THE REOPENING, THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CULVERT TRAIL AND THE ADVOCATES THAT HELPED BUILD IT BY CHECKING OUT FAT TRACK’S WEBSITE, FAT TRACK.ORG. WE WILL HAVE A LINK SET UP IN EXPLORE OUTDOORS SECTION OF KCRA.COM. I STILL NEED TO WRITE THAT PART OF THE STORY. YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN THOUGH TO BE TAKEN TO ALL OF THE EXPLORE OUTDOORS STORIES AND FAT TRAC IS VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE PARKS AND COMPANIES LIKE SPECIALIZE TO AGAIN BRING MORE TRAILS TO THE AREA. I MEAN, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GETTING THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER. WHEN YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE CULVERT, THOUGH, I COULD FEEL LIKE MY HEART DROPPED. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, YOUR EYES ARE ADJUSTED TO THE SUN, YOU’VE GOT SUNGLASSES ON. SO I’M NOT GONNA LIE, HALFWAY THROUGH THE CULVERT YOU CAN’T SEE A THING AND YOU’RE JUST SLOWING DOWN A LITTLE. YEAH. IF SOMEBODY IS JUST GETTING STARTED, COULD THEY HANDLE THIS TRAIL? THEY CAN. BECAUSE THAT’S. IT’S CALLED A FLOW TRAIL. SO YOU CAN HIT THE BURM. BUT NEXT TO THE BURM IS A FLAT SPOT. SO YOU CAN JUST TAKE THE EASY WAY DOWN AS WELL. AND THEN WHEREVER YOU WHERE THERE’S A JUMP OR A ROCK DROP, TH