Nevada County Parks & Recreation Digest

As human life has evolved, so have trail networks, with game trails to access hunting grounds giving way to trade routes, and then to roads. In modern times, trails provide an equally essential purpose: a place to exercise and experience the outdoors.

Community members were given the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed Cascade to Meeks Trail, which would run from Cascade Lake to Meeks Bay. As a part of a feasibility study, several trail alignments were presented during three different Zoom workshops.

As temperatures climb and drought-stricken vegetation gets baked in the summer heat, TNF has implemented restrictions limiting smoking and campfires.

Senate Bill 1012, a law that will require California State Parks to restrict open fires, has been unanimously passed through the Committee of Water, Parks, and Wildlife. The bill instructs parks to work with the guidelines of local fire departments. The bill could appear before the full assembly in August.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is reaching out to both the general community and fellow agencies to seek input on the environmental review of the Meeks Bay Restoration Project. The goal is to return the area into a more natural state while still accommodating recreation.

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking nominations for positions on its California Desert District Advisory Council, Central California Resource Advisory Council, and Northern California District RAC.

The Sierra Tahoe region is rich in history, and it is about to become more accessible as the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship comes closer to the goal of connecting 15 northern Sierra towns through a trail system.

A dozen years after it first broke ground, the final phase of the 11-acre Truckee Bike Park will soon be completed—a surreal moment for its planners and supporters.

Land managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is an ideal solution for allowing easier access to the Truckee River.

Truckee Town Council unanimously voiced support for Measure U, which will be on the ballot on June 7. The measure would generate roughly $3 million annually for building and maintaining the area’s trails.

The fourth phase of the Truckee River Legacy Trail is moving ahead after the town of Truckee and the Truckee Donner Land Trust, bridged a $3.3 million gap in funding. The project consists of a trailhead parking lot, trails, wetland restoration, and a bridge over the Truckee River.

Due to continued low water levels, the Sand Harbor boat ramp will remain closed for the summer. Beginning on May 27, the parking lot will be opened to provide limited parking for vehicles with kayaks and paddleboards.

For the past 20 years, Ed Heneveld has been one of the many locals and visitors who have accessed the Truckee River from the Hirschdale community. Jennifer Freeman, meanwhile, is a Hirschdale resident on the receiving end of such recreators.

Residents can now use their library cards to check out day passes for free access to more than 200 state parks. The move is part of a collaboration between California State Parks and the California State Library to provide more equitable outdoor access for all Californians.

As part of its Reexamining Our Past Initiative, California State Parks is seeking input on a proposal to change the way history is interpreted at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. The effort will provide visitors with more inclusive and historically accurate information.

A recommendation by the Nevada County Planning Commission could result in fines for those who camp in unapproved areas. The commission voted 4 to 1 to send its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

The Auburn Area Recreation and Parks District is asking the public for suggestions on names for the “24 Acre” property and associated Regional “C” baseball field as it begins the process of improving the property.

The Tahoe National Forest is seeking public input on its proposed Pines to Mines project: a multi-use trail that would run 68 miles in length and would connect Nevada City to Truckee.

Members of the Truckee Town Council approved a sales tax increase in 2014, and they are now considering another hike. A decision will be made in the new year.

For decades, local groups have worked to protect and preserve Canyon Springs. Now thanks to a gargantuan funding campaign and community partnerships, Canyon Springs has a safer future.

When Memorial Park was built in 1921, it was funded primarily by Grass Valley residents willing to give what they could out of their own pockets.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has begun the annual process of closing recreational facilities for the winter season. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and beach facilities will close at the end of the day on Oct. 17.

Over the past year, various “keep out” signs have appeared near the Hirschdale Bridge, causing concerns for Truckee River users. Those concerns led to a meeting last week attended by Nevada County Community Development Director Trisha Tillotson.

The Caldor Fire spared many homes and buildings in the Tahoe basin, but several recreation areas were hit hard. Groups such as the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association and Tahoe Rim Trail Association are getting ready to repair damaged trails.

Though much of the U.S. Forest Service lands have reopened, the Eldorado National Forest emergency closure will continue due to ongoing hazards associated with the Caldor Fire.

The Caldor Fire pushed deeper into the Lake Tahoe basin Tuesday, as firefighters worked to protect structures and control the mega-fire. New evacuation order were issued for Alpine County and Nevada’s Douglas County.

With fires roaring across California, the USDA Forest Service is closing all 20 million acres of the state’s national forests to public access for two weeks. The Forest Service said the closure will extend through at least Sept. 17.

After completing the California State Route 89 Corridor Management Plan, officials identified the creation of a multi-use trail along the lake’s southwest shoreline as a high priority need. The planning process has now begun, kicking off with an informational webinar at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14.

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $100,000 to fund the Pines to Mines trail project environmental assessment. The trail, in the works for over six years, is a multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bicyclists and equestrians.

Those who walk on local trails enjoy the fruits of labor from many who walked before. Despite setbacks and delays, new and updated projects are moving forward that will link Tahoe/Truckee to hundreds of miles of trails in every direction.

Crowds in the Tahoe/Truckee outdoors create traffic, erosion, and pollution. Would the problems disappear if visitor numbers were limited? Or can they be solved by other means? Groups tackling these questions use the term “sustainable recreation.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is requesting that anglers voluntarily avoid fishing during the hotter hours of the day because of drought conditions that have increased fish mortality and disease.