Fiske Creek Trail

The Hike:

The Fiske Creek Trail is one of the best undiscovered gems in Yolo County.  Breathtaking views of Blue Ridge, a cool creek, and expansive glades of Blue oak make this a pleasure to hike.

Starting from Rayhouse road, the trail starts off fairly level, then begins to drop down to the creek.  The creek is about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, mostly downhill (remember that you have to climb up this hill on your way back, however!).  It is 4 miles to the end of the trail at Fiske Creek Road.

Once you reach the creek after 1.5 miles from Rayhouse, you never really leave it.  You cross the creek at least half a dozen times, and there are plenty of opportunities to splash in the water!

Distance: The trailhead for Fiske Creek trail is 2.5 miles up rayhouse road. You can drive or hike this, depending on if the road is open. The Fiske Creek Trail is 4 miles, one way, from the trailhead off of Rayhouse road to the end of the trail at Fiske Creek road. The trail starts at elevation 1540 at Rayhouse road, drops to 1200, and slowly rises to 1740 at Fiske Creek Road.

How to Get There:

NOTE: As of March, 2009, the low-water bridge over Cache Creek on Road 40 (Rayhouse Road) in Yolo County is closed to vehicle traffic due to the piers being undermined. To get to this trailhead you will need to hike, bike, or horseback ride in. I do not know if the access from the Napa/Lake County side is passable.

From Yolo county, Woodland and Davis, take Highway 16 up the Capay valley.  Once you pass the town of Rumsey, you begin to enter the Cache Creek Canyon.  The road will narrow and you will be driving with the creek on one side and the canyon walls on the other.  When you see the Cache Creek regional park sign on your left, turn into the parking area.  This is the lower park site of three that Yolo county runs as park of Cache Creek Regional park.  You can park in the parking area, or at a number of pullouts on Rayhouse road, before the gate.  Walk down Rayhouse road, past the gate, down to the low water bridge.  If Rayhouse Road is open, you can drive the three miles along Rayhouse road to the Fiske Creek trailhead off of Rayhouse road.  The trailhead has a sign, and the best way to make sure you don't miss it is to look for the rusty metal cylinder (the old Sulphur Spring) on the right-hand side of the road, at about the three mile mark.  The trailhead will be on your left.