500-acre woodland preserve opens to public Nov. 4

Just over 500 acres of protected open space in North Auburn will open to the public Wednesday, Nov. 4, offering some nine miles of trails for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. Placer County and Placer Land Trust last Thursday celebrated the upcoming opening of Big Hill Preserve with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of a new trailhead, parking area and restroom facility at 5349 Bell Road. "It really, really is an honor to welcome the public out here. This is about our investment into our environment, our communities and our future generations," said Placer County supervisor Cindy Gustafson, whose sprawling District 5 includes Auburn. "This will be a special place for eternity now." The project reflects years of partnership between the county and Placer Land Trust, which have worked together since the early 2000s to protect the Big Hill area and expand opportunities for the public to enjoy its oak woodlands and scenic views. "Big Hill Preserve is a great example of what we can accomplish when we invest in both conservation and public access," said Josh Huntsinger, director of Placer County's Department of Agriculture, Parks and Natural Resources. "We're excited to open the gates and share this incredible piece of Placer County with the community." Improvements include a paved entrance road, parking designed to accommodate vehicles and horse trailers, equestrian and bicycle amenities, a patrol station, a well and a 12,000-gallon water tank. Two helicopter landing zones, fuel reduction work and shaded fuel breaks were also incorporated to support emergency response. Big Hill Preserve also features a dedicated vista platform that overlooks Raccoon Creek. For Placer Land Trust, the milestone represents the continuation of decades of conservation work. Since 1991, the nonprofit organization has helped permanently protect more than 22,000 acres throughout Placer County, including oak woodlands, wetlands, river corridors and working landscapes. "We acquired Big Hill Preserve to protect some of the last unfragmented oak woodland landscapes in western Placer County," said Jeff Darlington, executive director of Placer Land Trust. "We are pleased to open this permanently protected property to the community for recreation and enjoyment, and to partner with Placer County to ensure that public access is safe, responsibly managed, and aligned with the conservation values of the preserve: wildlife habitat, watershed health and working rangelands." The opening of Big Hill Preserve is the first phase of a larger effort to connect open spaces and expand recreation opportunities between the preserve and Hidden Falls Regional Park. The county recently secured a $500,000 grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to help fund a roughly three-mile, multi-use trail connecting the two properties. The planned connection will include three small bridges and is anticipated to open in late 2027. Once complete, the two areas will encompass approximately 1,800 acres of connected open space and more than 40 miles of trails for nonmotorized recreation. "Big Hill Preserve illustrates what is possible when conservation, public access and public safety are planned together from the beginning," said Gustafson. "I want to thank our team for the work they put into making sure this project was sized right and addressed the important concerns of our neighbors here in North Auburn in regard to many issues including trail use etiquette, parking reservations, and parking restrictions along the roadway." Big Hill Preserve hours of operation are one half hour before sunrise and one half hour after sunset, Wednesdays through Sundays, with parking reservations required for those driving to the park. A half-day pass is $4 and full-day and equestrian passes are $8. Visitors arriving on foot, by bicycle or on horseback do not need a parking reservation. Because the Preserve is intended to be a refuge for wildlife, dogs are not allowed. For more information about Big Hill Preserve, important "know before you go" information, printable trail maps, parking reservations and more, visit www.placer.ca.gov/bighillpreserve.