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Camp 9 Road (Calaveras County)

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Camp 9 Road is an approximately 9.4-mile roadway owned and maintained by the Pacific Gas & Electricity Company in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County.  This single lane highway begins at Parrots Ferry Road near Vallecito and terminates at Clarks Flat near the former company town site of Camp 9.  Camp 9 Road was completed in 1907 by Stanislaus Electric Power Company to facilitate access to the original Stanislaus Powerhouse.  Within the vicinity of the modern Stanislaus Powerhouse the ruins of the Camp 9 Footbridge and original Stanislaus River Bridge can be found.  




Part 1; the history of Camp 9 Road

Camp 9 Road was a project of the Stanislaus Electric Power Company.  This power company would begin as an offshoot project of the San Domingo Gold Mining Company in 1897.  The mining operators gradually bought up water rights within northern Tuolumne County from the late 1890s through the early 1900s.  As proposed the Stanislaus Powerhouse would be located a short distance downstream from the confluence of the North and Middle forks of the Stanislaus River.  The project was to include a small reservoir and 14-mile-long flume which would also partially supply the San Domingo Mine.  

The Stanislaus Electric Power Company would formally incorporate out of Hartford, Connecticut in 1905.  The same year construction of Camp 9 Road and the Stanislaus Powerhouse would begin.  The company owned town of Camp 9 was constructed on the north bank of the Stanislaus River in Calaveras County whereas the Stanislaus Powerhouse was located on the south bank in Tuolumne County.  In 1907 the Camp 9 Footbridge and Truss Bridge would both be constructed over the Stanislaus River.  Camp 9 Road permitted access to Stanislaus Powerhouse site from Parrots Ferry Road near Vallecita (now Vallecito). 

The original Stanislaus Powerhouse would be completed in 1908.  The powerhouse began transmission of electricity west out of the Sierra Nevada foothills to the city of San Jose.  The Stanislaus Electric Power Company would rebrand briefly as "Sierra & San Franscisco Power Company" in 1909.  The rebranding did not last long as the company was purchased by the Pacific Gas & Electricity Company (PG&E) later the same year. 

The Stanislaus Powerhouse and Camp 9 were constructed a short distance from the Gold Rush community of Collierville.  Collierville can be seen on the northern slope of the Stanislaus River approximately a half mile from the then future site of the Stanislaus Powerhouse on the 1891 United States Geological Survey map of Big Trees.  The site of Collierville lies at Skunk Flat at the end of Skunk Flat Road east from Murphys. 


The Camp 9 Footbridge over the Stanislaus River can be seen below as it was in 1907.  This photo was posted by Donald Swanson in the Gold Country Adventure and Exploration Facebook Group on March 27, 2023.  This footbridge originally was constructed of steel and wooden trusses. 


Camp 9 Road can be seen connecting Vallecito east to the Stanislaus Powerhouse on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Calaveras County.  Above the powerhouse the Petty Reservoir and flume can be seen flanking the Middle Fork Stanislaus River. 



Camp 9 Road and the Stanislaus Powerhouse can be seen in detail on the 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Columbia.  


In 1961 PG&E began construction of the current Stanislaus Powerhouse.  The Camp 9 Footbridge was rebuilt to a higher standard as a fully steel truss span.  The structure can be seen below in a series of photos by Mark Yashinsky (of the Bridge of the Week blog) as hosted on bridgehunter.com.



The Camp 9 Road Truss Bridge was replaced by the current span over the Stanislaus River in 1973.  Replacement of the original span was necessary due to construction of New Melones Dam downstream from the Stanislaus Powerhouse.   The original bridge was removed shortly after the new span was completed.  The original Camp 9 Road Truss Bridge can be seen in a Mark Yashinsky taken prior to it being removed.  


The current Camp 9 Road Bridge over the Stanislaus River can be seen below in photos taken by Mark Yashinsky. 



A summary of a United States Bureau of Reclamation report on the Stanislaus Powerhouse can be found the Bridge of the Week blog site on the New Camp Nine Bridge.  Much of this blog would not have been possible without this report and vintage photos. 



Part 2; a drive on Camp 9 Road (First Attempt)

Camp 9 Road eastbound begins at Parrots Ferry Road (County Route E18) near Vallecito.  There is minimal signage indicating the presence of single lane Camp 9 Road turnoff.  This initial attempt to drive Camp 9 Road as made by me during May 2025. 


As Camp 9 Road begins traffic is advised the roadway is not maintained by Calaveras County.  The Stanislaus Powerhouse is signed as being 9 miles away.  


The entirety is Camp 9 Road is haggard and very worn down by paved highway standards.  Despite the wear most of the roadway is wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other slowly.  A dumped and rusting truck can be observed decaying below grade approaching Skunk Gulch Road.  











During May 2025 I encountered this sign noting the Camp 9 Road was closed to thru traffic during weekdays 7 AM-5 PM.  Given Camp 9 Road intersects numerous haggard county roadways and Stanislaus National Forest Service roads it wasn't sure how far ahead I could proceed. 


It turns out Camp 9 Road was open for approximately another three miles to a quarry at Cataract Gulch.  The PG&E worker I spoke to noted construction was ongoing ahead to the Stanislaus Powerhouse until early August.  I will be adding a Part 3 to this blog was soon as I can make way back to Calaveras County.  



















Despite the closure the drive halfway down Camp 9 Road still was worthwhile to see down Deep Gulch towards the New Melones Reservoir.  





Part 3; a drive on Camp 9 Road (Second Attempt)

During mid-August I returned to Camp 9 Road following the completion of work by PG&E below the quarry site. 


From the quarry Camp 9 Road descends to the 1973-era Stanislaus River Bridge.  The 1973-era span serves as part of Avery Ranch Road.  





























Views of the 1973 Stanislaus River Bridge from Camp 9 Road. 




Camp 9 Road passes the ruins of the original Stanislaus River Bridge.  











Camp 9 Road passes the Old Camp 9 Footbridge which is partially obstructed by brush and gating.  












Camp 9 Road terminates at the Collierville Powerhouse.  A hiking trailhead can be found a short distance from the powerhouse gate.  





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