2019-2020 Nevada County Gold Digital Edition

L O C A L T R A I L S
THE DIGGINS LOOP
TRAIL AND THE
MALAKOFF MINE:
YOU HAVE TO SEE IT
TO BELIEVE IT
By Hank Meals
RECREATION
Getting There: Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
and the historic town of North Bloomfield are located
26 miles northeast of Nevada City. From the Hwy. 49
and Hwy. 20 intersection in Nevada City, drive north on
Hwy. 49 towards Downieville. Ten and a half miles from
Nevada City turn right onto Tyler Foote Crossing Road
where you will see a Malakoff Diggins State Historic
Park sign. Follow Tyler Foote upslope for 15 miles. Stay
on this road even though it changes to Cruzon Grade. The paved road ends in a small saddle where there is a
State Park sign asking you to turn right on Derbec Road and descend for 1 mile to North Bloomfield Road.
Turn right on North Bloomfield and drive 1.5 miles to the town of North Bloomfield and the trailhead.
THERE ARE FEW TRAILS that offer a hiker the chance to tread
an ancient riverbed that existed 65 million to 35 million years
ago, but Diggins Trail at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
does. The trail is an easy three-mile loop which circumambulates
most of the former Malakoff Mine. It offers a good look at what was
a destructive industrial operation and to what degree nature is
reclaiming the landscape. There is an artistic dimension to this place
in the fantastic pallet of colors visible in the exposed gravel banks.
The clearly marked Diggins Trail begins in the town site of North
Bloomfield, formerly Humbug, now part of this 5,000-acre state park
located between 2,500’ to 4,000’ in elevation. Note this 19th century
town was architecturally modeled on the “proper” towns of the
American northeast.
While walking west you’ll pass through conifers and black oaks to
the local cemetery where people from all over the world were buried.
Even a cursory look reveals there were many French in the area.
Soon the trail descends into a pit with mounds of stacked gravel, or
tailings, yielding as you descend, to steep pinnacles in red, rust,
brown, cream and yellow. Off in the distance, there are acres of
willow and alder rimmed with dramatic colorful cliffs capped by pine,
fir and incense cedar. The trail runs along the base of the cliffs and
hills that define the pit, and is relatively easy with some ups and
downs, but nothing strenuous.
This landscape is unique and quite unlike the forested land that
surrounds it – you may find yourself asking what happened here? This
was the site of the Malakoff hydraulic mine which in the late 1800s
produced $3.5 million in gold. Pressurized water, delivered by cannons
known as monitors, was directed at compacted ancient river
banks to collapse them so the resulting gravel could be sluiced for gold.
The mine waste was washed downstream where it created
problems for farmers and increased the possibility of flooding. After
years of heated litigation, farmers in the Sacramento Valley successfully
prevented the North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company
and other hydraulic mines from dumping their tailings into adjacent
streams. The 1884 Sawyer Decision was landmark legislation
because it reminded industrialists that they could no longer ignore
the common good.
Between 1866 and 1883, the Malakoff operation was of epic
proportions – the excavation was about 6,800’ long, 1,000’ to
3,800’ wide and 600’ deep. The landscape today is considerably
softened by landslides and vegetation. Even now, in some places
there is over 100’ of siltation in the pit.
While hiking, remember to wear a hat, use sunscreen and drink
enough water. Be aware there are black bears, mountain lions,
rattlesnakes, coyotes, ticks and poison oak, but there’s little to fear if
you stay on the trail and are part of a group. Don’t tempt bears by
leaving food unprotected. Other mammals include black-tailed deer,
foxes and bobcats. Among the bird species are California quail,
dark-eyed junco, mountain chickadee, Steller’s jay, black-throated
gray warbler and mourning doves.
PHOTOS BY HANK MEALS
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