Coloma - Georgetown - Cool Loop


Level of Difficulty:  Difficult 
(3300' total climbing) 
Riding Time: 3-4 hours  Printable Area Map:  Coloma-Georgetown-Cool_Loop  (Adobe Acrobat required)
Season to Ride:  Year round - except coldest Winter days.

Description:  This ride is also known as the "Georgetown Grunt", but don't let the name discourage you.  It's a beautiful ride, and the most difficult climbing is completed in the first 3 miles.  After that, it's mostly rolling hills - with one moderate climb the last mile to Georgetown.  If riding during the hot summer months, best to start the ride in the morning - as Prospectors Road has very little shade - and very few breaks during the climb.

The town of Georgetown is absolutely delightful and well worth the time to explore.  From Georgetown a wonderful descent brings you quickly down to Greenwood Road, then follows with rolling hills all the way to Cool.  The town of Cool has restaurants, a deli and a grocery store... a good place to stop before the final 10 miles on Highway 49 back to the starting point. 

An alternate ride exists here.  This saves you about 4 miles of riding, 400' of climbing, but bypasses Georgetown. 

Traffic notes: Highway 49 and 193 can have moderate to heavy traffic. On our last ride, we noticed an increase of traffic as we neared the town of Garden Valley.  Once past Garden Valley, the traffic dropped off considerably until Georgetown.  Highway 193 is broader once past Greenwood with periodic shoulders on the road.  Highway 49 has moderate to heavy traffic - especially on weekends.  Fortunately the road here is relatively wide, and is mostly downhill back to the starting point.

Miles

 Directions

0.0

Start at Lotus Post Office.  Turn Left onto Highway 49 (uphill).
(Parking is available nearby.  Far back of Post Office parking lot is usually free – or nearby businesses may have parking free – if all are busy, parking is available on other side of river)
0.4 Turn Right on Marshall Rd.
1.0 Intersection with Prospectors Rd.  Turn Left onto Prospectors Rd.  Begin steep 2.1 mile climb.
3.5 Prospectors Road ends.  Turn Left onto Marshall Rd.
5.4 Pass Greenwood Rd (alternate starts here).  Continue straight on Marshall Rd.
5.8 Town of Garden Valley (groceries, supplies).
8.0 Climb gets steeper as you ascend to Georgetown.
9.2 “T” intersection.  Turn Right at stop sign.
9.3 Enter town of Georgetown.  Turn Left on Highway 193.
Highly recommended to take a brief tour through main town before continuing on Highway 193. 
14.5 Pass Greenwood Rd (alternate rejoins main route here).  Rolling hills next 7 miles.
21.5 Town of Cool (groceries, restaurants, supplies).  Turn Left onto Highway 49.
24.9 Pilot Hill (limited groceries).  Highway 49 starts to descend to American River canyon.
31.4 Pass Marshall Road (continue straight).
31.8 Ride ends at Post Office.

Alternate Ride (bypasses Georgetown):

5.4 Turn Left onto Greenwood Rd
10.5 Greenwood Rd ends at Highway 193.  Turn Left onto Highway 193 (traffic increases here).
Rolling hills next 7 miles.
17.5 Town of Cool (groceries, restaurants, supplies).  Turn Left onto Highway 49.
20.9 Pilot Hill (limited groceries).  Highway 49 starts to descend to American River canyon.
27.4 Pass Marshall Road (continue straight).
27.8 Ride ends at Post Office.