Hit this trail on a Saturday and started out from the car park at the dam. Our family of four cycled along the trail for just under 4 miles. Great lake views, smooth trail, and polite trail users. Good number of stopping places with lake views. Highly recommend.

Review of the 1st 4 miles coming east from Discovery Park. All four of us started our from Discovery Park and headed east along the trail. The trail itself is very easy and the surface is very smooth. 99% of the faster cyclists were polite and gave us adequate warning of their presence. Alas the first few miles are not very scenic. A lot of litter on the sides of the trail and many tents. Not an area we'd care to cycle in again as a family at the current time.

Experience walking/biking under the canopy of thousands of oak trees on a flat, winding asphalt trail for all ages. I have always passed friendly folks and random bicycle police. (Thank you)

Asphalt, clean benches, landscaping, and lights make this Modesto’s “go to” trail. Lots of folks walk, run and bike here. Just like anywhere, carry a whistle in case you need help.

Trail surface is good, but most of trail is amid homeless encampments with accompanying refuse. Most folk were friendly, but definitely not a scenic route.As previous reviewer stated, east end is very busy road with no bike lane or shoulder. Not for the faint of heart!

Definitely a cool trail. Goes over the freeway with its own bridge, shady, good path across town!

When you experience this trail you first need to realize it is actually about 37 miles long but is longer than that to Folsom or to Tahoe (Epic Trail System). That said, the El Dorado Trail is a "trifecta of trails" with rail, earthen trail and Class I bike path under construction. This is the goal of the entire corridor to the El Dorado County line BECAUSE it is the goal of the organization that manages it, the SPTC JPA.

The El Dorado Trail or Gem of the Western Sierras, is a rough, somewhat untamed trail testament to the folks who built it and many with legacy family members in the area. In fact, many with less than 75 years in the are do not know about the EDT. Come out and ride the rail now in Shingle Springs in the depot at Sam's Town Cyclery or rent bikes to ride the earthen trail. You can also ride the rail in El Dorado and soon they will have a Class I (ADA approved) bike path along with improved earthen trail.

The Placerville Trail (Missouri Flat to Camino) is great with some nice views and the tressle bridge over Weber Creek. However, watch out for cars and homeless in Placerville. Making way out of Placerville you can get to Camino with a little bit of a climb (estimate 600').

In the next few years projects will start to build the Class I trail next to the rail and hopefully we will see connects to Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills and Folsom.

Oh yeah, wildlife are plenty on the EDT having seen over the years many deer, fox, skunk and even a mountain lion!

Started 7:00am on trail and it was a challenge through some of the obstacles... freeway construction zone, Saturday Farmers Market, Gold Rush festival but that was the easy stuff. Problematic areas began after Missouri Flat Road / Walmart. Here the trail was either rocky, on an edge next to tracks or on the tracks. At least the worst was riding on tracks which is ok if you have good dual suspension and are dialed in. Views were awesome, no loose dogs, trails were challenging at times. We eventually abandoned the rails due to low air and low water I’d do it again but start in Camino and end in Walmart.

The main problem with the trail are the folks that cannot figure out the little stick figures (and text) painted on the pavement surface at most major crossings.

The pedestrian figure and the bicyclist figure are obviously travelling in the same direction of travel---pedestrian limbs and leaning into the walk, bicycle sitting on the bicycle facing forward. Pedestrian is on the left side of the trail as you read the right-side up text, "Left", and the bicyclist is on the right side of the trail as you read the "Right" text.

All the clues are there, but so many people don't seem to figure it out, so it is a bit annoying to have to go around them as they walk towards you on the trail.

I hope this helps.