Winter may bring a quieter pace to the landscape, but recreation in Nevada County remains vibrant and active. We’re fortunate to live in a region where winter activities and events thrive—from Nevada City’s Victorian Christmas and scenic winter trails, to Grass Valley’s Cornish Christmas, to Truckee’s world-class snow sports, trail networks, and winter festivals.
Each summer, Nevada County proudly supports the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL) River Ambassador Program, an initiative dedicated to protecting one of our region’s most cherished recreation destinations. For the past two years, the South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort has approved financial support for this program, recognizing its essential role in promoting visitor safety and environmental stewardship. SYRCL has been an active member of the Cohort since its inception, helping to strengthen coordination among local, state, and federal partners who manage recreation along the river. Each summer, SYRCL also joins Nevada County, the Consolidated Fire District, the Sheriff’s Office, CHP, and State Parks in coordinating unified safety messaging during the peak river season.
In 2025, River Ambassadors once again delivered a successful season of outreach and education—engaging thousands of visitors at the Bridgeport and Highway 49 crossings. Their team provided information on river safety, wildfire prevention, responsible parking, and environmental protection, while collecting thousands of pieces of litter and preventing unsafe behaviors.
This ongoing partnership reflects Nevada County’s continued commitment to sustainable recreation, safety, and collaboration, ensuring that the South Yuba River remains safe, clean, and accessible for all who visit.
As the seasons shift and Nevada County eases into fall, we’re reminded of the simple joys of cooler days, vibrant landscapes and time spent together in community.
From trails to events, fall recreation offers countless ways to explore and connect as we look ahead to winter sports.
August Adventures: Learn, Explore & Care for Nevada County
As summer reaches its peak, Nevada County invites residents and visitors alike to embrace the season safely and responsibly. This month, we’re focusing on river safety, trail etiquette and stewardship—because enjoying our incredible natural spaces goes hand-in-hand with protecting them.
Summer is in full swing, and there’s no better time to get outside and enjoy the trails, rivers and parks that make Nevada County so special. While the fun happens in front of us, a lot is happening behind the scenes to make recreation safer and more accessible for everyone.
The Board of Supervisors approved today a $1.1 million gap loan to the Western Gateway Park District to make several repairs, including repairing a critical creek crossing that was damaged in recent storms.
The creek crossing is needed to provide access to baseball fields. The loan will also be used to improve the ball fields, fix parking areas and build a new RV Park which will provide an opportunity for tourists to stay and spend their tax dollars with local businesses. Construction is scheduled to start in June after the threat of winter storms is over.
The park district is already approved for a $1.1 million state grant through the California State Parks’ Rural Recreation and Tourism Program; the County helped the district write the grant application. But the funds are only available on a reimbursement basis. The small park district does not have enough reserves to front the money on its own. “There’s no way we can do this project without the loan,” said Brandon Linsden, chair of the park district.
Supervisor Sue Hoek, who represents the Penn Valley area, said Western Gateway Park is important to her constituents. “Ensuring our children have safe and accessible places to play is a priority for our community,” she said. “By providing this loan to the park district, we are investing in both our infrastructure and the well-being of local families.”
The district is asking the state to advance 80% of the funds for the project. If that happens, the district will only request a county loan of 20% to make up the gap.
The damaged creek crossing has forced the Penn Valley Little League to move to other baseball fields in the region this season because the Western Gateway fields aren’t accessible. "Western Gateway Park is everything to Penn Valley Little League and the 175 kids who participate. There is nowhere else for us to place teams in Penn Valley," added Chris Potter, Penn Valley little league president and a board member of the park district.
The park district is operated and funded independently of the County as a special district and has operated off of a $12.94-per-year-per-parcel fee since 1998.
