Independence Flat Trail Loop

Please note: A permit is required to use this trail. Permits can be purchased online on the East Bay Municipal Utility District website for $10 a year or $20 for three years. Sign in is required at the trailhead to monitor use and rangers will check permits.The trailhead is at the Middle Bar Take Out. From Jackson, drive south on Hwy 49 for a half mile beyond Broadway, turn west (right) on Middle Bar Road, and continue 2.7 miles to the parking lot. From Hwy 26, drive to Paloma, turn north onto Gwinn Mine Road (this is a narrow rough road), drive down the canyon to the Mokelumne River and cross the Middle Bar Bridge, a distance of 3.3 miles. This beautiful and lightly-trafficked trail is best done clockwise, following the first two forks left up Jackass Gulch. The first 1.7 miles parallel the river and are mostly shaded. Then the trail gradually climbs the foothills, until reaching Independence Flat, and then descending a steep hill back towards the river. Follow the Coast to Crest Trail signs and you'll be fine.

The area has been, and still is, used by ranchers since the 1850s. It was also an area of mining activity.