more stats
4.6 miles
Distance
422 ft
Climb
-1,533 ft
Descent
00:39:38
Avg time
-1,111 ft
Altitude change
3,433 ft
Altitude min
4,575 ft
Altitude max
4,575 ft
Altitude start
3,465 ft
Altitude end
-4.5%
Grade
-54.3%
Grade max
31.9%
Grade min
1 mile
Distance climb
3 miles
Distance down
1,870 ft
Distance flat
00:39:38
Avg time

Second Divide Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
    • Dirtbike/Moto
  • Riding Area
    Downieville Trail Network
    Downieville, California
  • Ref Number
    #11E33
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    90 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in E-Biking
    • 100 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
    • 60 in Dirtbiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #46938 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #24310 in E-Biking
    • #35513 in Trail Running
    • #130557 in Hiking
    • #3266 in Dirtbiking
    • #1414 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 3
  • Land Owner
    USFS

Most often used as an alternate descent to Third Divide when riding the classic Downieville downhill. Slightly longer than Third Divide, it starts as a smooth and flowy downhill through an amazing old growth forest. The descent breaks up a couple of times with short climbs. After the westbound turn, the trail follows Pauley Creek and gets more technical with rolling up & down sections. There are great views and lots of exposure in spots.

Access Info

For access from Butcher Ranch trail, look for trail splitting off left, with a sign on a tree. Start looking after crossing Pauley Creek bridge and climbing uphill for a few minutes. From Lavezzola Rd, the trail entrance is marked clearly.

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 4 rides
  • 18 miles average
6 Months
  • 30 rides
  • 18 miles avg distance
All
  • 238 rides
  • Last: Sep 15, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Second Divide Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 4, 2026 @ 11:10am (America/Los_Angeles)
Sep 4, 2026
Jun 12, 2026 @ 2:17pm (America/Boise)
Jun 12, 2026
 rode it up. quite a bit of hike a bike.
Jun 12, 2026 @ 2:17pm (America/Boise)
Jun 12, 2026
 rode it up. quite a bit of hike a bike.
May 22, 2026 @ 3:43pm (America/Los_Angeles)
May 22, 2026
May 1, 2026 @ 8:40am (America/Los_Angeles)
May 1, 2026
more »
Status:
on Sep 4, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.26 (13 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,386)
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      Directions to second-divide trailhead (39.611810, -120.750630)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      14 more »
      mtb
      304 |
      Jul 26, 2019 @ 9:07pm
      Jul 26, 2019
      mtb
      497 |
      Oct 7, 2013 @ 1:29pm
      Oct 7, 2013
      mtb
      168 |
      Jul 26, 2019 @ 9:07pm
      Jul 26, 2019
      mtb
      187 |
      Jul 26, 2019 @ 9:07pm
      Jul 26, 2019

      Videos

      3 more »
      youtuber Must Ride Trail In Downiville! (Second Divide)
      mtb
      9:26 | 587 | Oct 4, 2020 , Downieville
      youtuber Second Divide (Downieville, CA) Mountain Biking
      mtb
      948 | Jul 31, 2017 , Downieville
      youtuber Downieville Classic - Second Divide
      mtb
      14:53 | 544 | Aug 20, 2023 , Downieville

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      929
      Gold Valley Rim-Pauley-2nd Divide Semi Epic
      ★ 5.0 • 20 miles • 1,836 ft • 11 • Shuttled •
      This is a pretty burly all-mountain/"down country" ride that incorporates the new (and beautiful) off of...
      869
      Yuba Expeditions: Tower To Town PLUS Big Boulder and Second Divide
      28 miles • 3,888 ft • 13 • Shuttled •
      This is the longest hardest way from the top of the mountain to town. Starting at the shuttle drop off at...
      17
      Yuba Expeditions: Packer Saddle - Butcher, Third, Second, Lower First...
      16 miles • 1,000 ft • 4 • Shuttled •
      From the Saddle down the classic singletrack with the as the option over .
      4.4 ★★★★★
      13 Ratings
      5 ★ 62%
      4 ★ 23%
      3 ★ 8%
      2 ★ 8%
      1 ★

      5 Reviews & Comments

      km27 km27
      Terrible trail. Not a great alternative to 3rd divide. Do third divide unless you like xc junk
      savesthejade savesthejade
      Pedaly XC and fun ups and downs, twists and turns, along a steep river bank as described previously. Rode up this after speeding down 3rd divide as a little add on to the classic downhill route.
      twowheeledwanderer twowheeledwanderer
      I actually enjoyed this trail but a lot of people don't. It's not nearly as fast and flowy as Third Divide, but it's more engaging and technical (and more climbing). It also has a bit of exposure above a river which is beautiful, but if you don't like narrow sidehill with a steep drop to the side it's probably not for you.

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      Nearby Trails

      Downieville Trail Network

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Second Divide located?
      Second Divide is located in Downieville Trail Network, Downieville, California, United States. It is part of the Downieville Trail Network trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 39.61181, -120.75063.
      ▼ How hard is Second Divide?
      Second Divide is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 4.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Second Divide?
      Second Divide has 422 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,533 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 3,433 ft to 4,575 ft.
      ▼ Is Second Divide a point to point trail?
      Second Divide is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Second Divide?
      Second Divide is 4.6 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Second Divide?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Second Divide. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Second Divide?
      Second Divide is best visited during: Spring, Summer, Fall.
      ▼ How do I access Second Divide? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Second Divide are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Second Divide?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 40 minutes to ride Second Divide. The trail is 4.6 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Second Divide?
      Second Divide is a very popular trail. There have been 1,420 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,386 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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