Carson Emigrant N.R.T
Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail is a 17.6-mile trail in Eldorado National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2 to 3, moderately developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV, 4WD over 50 inches and e-bikes. It enters Mokelumne Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Eldorado National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 38.6948° N, 120.0463° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.6362° N, 120.1551° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 24 segments.
The trail
| Length | 17.6 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | asphalt, native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 17E24 |
| Forest | Eldorado National Forest (unit 0503) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| ATV | Allowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| 4WD over 50 inches | Allowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Mokelumne WildernessFS · about 13% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedFy27 Hemlock Rx
15 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBig Trees State Park Broadcast Burn Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 170 acres
- PrescribedD51 Rx Pile Burning
46 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
The Forest Service records 17.6 miles under this name in Eldorado National Forest, the sum of 24 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV, 4WD over 50 inches and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail start?
The line begins at 38.6948° N, 120.0463° W and ends at 38.6362° N, 120.1551° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mokelumne Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Mokelumne Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
Caples Lake Campground (0.7 mi), Woods Lake (2 mi) and Kirkwood Campground (2.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
Trail class 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed to developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
Eldorado National Forest, Forest Service unit 0503. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Carson Emigrant N.R.T Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy27 Hemlock Rx at 15 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 24 segments named Carson Emigrant N.R.T in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0503. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.