In the heart of the gold country, the Auburn State Recreation Area (Auburn SRA) covers over 35,000 acres along 40-miles of the North and Middle Forks of the American river. Once teeming with thousands of gold miners, the area is now a natural area offering a wide variety of recreation opportunities to over 500,000 visitors a year.

Major recreational uses include hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, camping, mountain biking, gold panning, equestrian/horseback riding trails and off-highway motorcycle riding.

Whitewater recreation is also very popular on both forks of the river, with Class II, III and IV runs. Over 30 -private outfitters are licensed to offer whitewater trips in Auburn SRA.