Museums and Parks / South Yuba River SP
 South Yuba River State Park: |
| Kneebone Beach Trail
The Kneebone Beach trail begins at the upstream end of the Visitor's Center, goes under the new bridge, and continues upstream along a roadway which terminates at a major swimhole. Poison oak is abundant on either side of this trail, so one would be well advised to stray from it with caution. Along the right side of this trail/road one can observe what appears to be old stone foundations, but which upon closer examination prove to be part of a ditch that probably fed the Kneebone farm or was perhaps used even earlier by gold miners. Another ditch parallels the trail about thirty feet higher up the hill that continues upstream until it is lost in the rocks. A flume probably skirted these rocks and water was ultimately drawn from the South Yuba somewhere near Buttermilk Bend. We are told by Kneebone descendants that this is an old miner's ditch. At one time there were some cabins along this path, and even a dance floor where music and refreshments were available. Notice a concrete blockhouse just at the beginning of the beach. This, believe it or not, was a cooler where ice cream and other perishables were kept. At the beach area a large boulder rests in midstream where there was once a diving board. This is not a particularly good practice as the river bottom changes each year with the winter rains. For the adventurous, there is an interesting side trip. As you head back to the Visitor's Center, about 100 yards down the trail past the concrete cooler an old road branches off to the left uphill. Follow the road up around a curve to the right, and at the top of the curve just past a gully or drain go directly left off the road up the hill for about 50 feet. You will find yourself standing old damn. This probably was a holding pond for water that fed the area at one time via the ditch. This road does not return to the Visitor's Center, so you must backtrack to the main trail. Total hike round trip is .7 miles, an easy walk except for a moderately steep climb to the dam. |
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