California History Folsom CA (part 2)

The undulating 75 mile shoreline of Folsom Lake is located

25 miles northeast of Sacramento and is one of the

most visited parks in the California State Park System.

Son Eric snaps a selfie with

the 1400 foot wide dam in the background.  It is 340 feet high

concrete structure with approximately 9 miles of earth

fill wing dams and dikes supporting its surrounding area.

This is about as close as you can get now.

You can't go to the dam or drive or 

walk over it any more (not since 9-11)

It was built in 1955 to control and retain the

American River.  When it was built it was designed

to hold 976,000 acre-feet of water.

Two major freeways provide access to the

 Folsom State Recreation area, Interstate 80 

and Highway 50.   We started walking at the very south

end of the map at the red dot on E Natoma Street and went

left, no trail, just wandering...    Later I'll refer you back  

to this map when we head up Salmon Falls Rd shown along the

right edge of this map.

After a short while we saw all these funny light blue plastic

tubes so we walked over to see what was going on.  Little

California Oak Trees had been planted in hundreds

of these colorful tubes.   (Unfortunately my photo looking

inside turned out very blurry so you'll just have to believe me!!!)

The Johnny Cash trail crosses the American River hear Folsom

Lake.  Folsom Prison Blues was one of his signature songs

when Johnny Cash  held his concert at Folsom Prison in 1968. 

Eric said, "why won't you hike down there and I'll take

a picture of you on that land bridge".

Yep, that's me.  (Remember to click on any photo for a

larger view.)

The fall colored low growing vegetation inspired me to 

take yet another photograph, as did

the high and dry ramp at the boat launch!!! 

Then we drove up the right side of the lake to the Salmon Falls

Bridge.  (Scroll back 8 photos, to the map, to get the lay of the land.)

As you can tell the water is pretty low,

but a few "rapids" appeared here and there.

We drove across the bridge and then turned around to

take a closer look.  When Eric was about 18 he was came

out here with some friends and jumped off that bridge.

Fortunately the water was much higher in 1962.

While we were standing there Eric spotted a Bald Eagle.

which appears in the upper right corner of the photo below!!!

What a nice surprise... Pays to have eagle eyes when you're

out walking.  You don't have to click on the photo to see

a larger view, I did it for you in the photo below.

Pretty cool...

FYI  During the CA drought of 2013 the town known as Mormon Island

reappeared 58 years after being submerged under Folsom Lake. 

When the town was at its hay day it had 2500 residents,
4 Motels, 7 Saloons a School and a post office. 

  In the 1950's the town had dropped to just a few residents

 and in 1955 when Folsom Lake  was filled  

Mormon Island was covered with water.