• Auburn Journal Report
• Report from Placer County Land Trust 3/11:

We thank all of you who supported this project, from the original landowners who had a vision for conservation and recreation to those who recently shared their wishes with the County Supervisors. One of those supporters, John Taylor, expressed his excitement about the future of this project: “Fourteen years ago, my family sold the Taylor Ranch to Placer Land Trust for the specific purpose of providing public recreational access to the property. The public is now on the cusp of reaching that goal: access to a fabulous recreation area that will be an outstanding resource for Placer County.”

The next step of this project will be to create public access to Placer Land Trust’s Big Hill Preserves. The County has recently been awarded more than $3M in State grant funds to build a parking lot and trailhead off Bell Road. The County estimates this will take 2-3 years to build. In the meantime, we will continue with our current activities (within our COVID-safety protocol) that allow the public to visit these beautiful lands— stay tuned for more guided hikes, family-friendly events, volunteer days, and more.

We hope that everyone will rest assured that Placer Land Trust’s lands will always be subject to conservation goals and restrictions, including continued agricultural use and habitat protection. In line with that vision, we plan to continue grazing on the preserves for land management; the trail system on our lands north of Hidden Falls will be much less dense than at Hidden Falls Regional Park; and recreation on our lands will retain a “backcountry” feel. As in nature, balance is the key to any successful community. We are optimistic that we can find balance in the use of these lands — including the protection of natural habitats and wildlife; agricultural uses that benefit ranchers, our local economy, and forest health; and meeting the needs of people to get outdoors for their physical and mental health. Planning for the future isn’t always easy, but we think future generations will be very glad we did!

Save the date and time: Monday, March 8, 3pm to attend the Placer Co. Supervisors’ Special Meeting concerning the Hidden Falls Expansion Project. You may also participate and/or contribute your views electronically prior to the meeting. The agenda has not yet been posted on the Sups web page, but thanks to or friends at PlacerTrails.org, you may view the details on their website: 

https://www.placertrails.org

The Supervisors’ approval is the final step needed to movr forward with this expansion project, which was reduced from the original proposal and finalized in late 2020. The Placer County Planning Commission approved it at the January 28, 2021 meeting.