City of Nevada City's Parks & Recreation department oversees public parks, trails, open spaces, and recreational programs within Nevada City.

Services include:

• Maintaining public parks, trails, and open spaces throughout Nevada City
• Coordinating seasonal programs such as youth camps, sports leagues, and community events
• Overseeing the Nevada City Swimming Pool during the summer season
• Updates on park rules, use guidelines, and seasonal closures

Additional notes:

Program offerings vary seasonally. For current schedules, pool hours, or information about volunteering, visit the Parks & Recreation webpage.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.nevadacityca.gov/
• ​Parks & Recreation - https://www.nevadacityca.gov/188/Parks-Recreation

Tahoe National Forest offers a range of recreation services for the public.

Services include:

• Hiking trails (including a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail)
• Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) roads
• Equestrian and mountain biking trails
• Access to many lakes, rivers, and mountain summits
• Campgrounds, boat ramps, and picnic areas
• Fire lookouts, which can be rented for overnight occupancy

Web pages

• Home - https://www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe/

The San Juan Ridge PARTNERS Family Resource Center (FRC) provides families in the San Juan Ridge area with information and referrals to local resources, services, and facilities on a drop-in basis for visitors of all ages.

General services include:

• Playgroups for children ages 0-5
• Weekly activities for older children
• Child development information
• Parenting support
• Counseling
• Education
• Employment tools

Specific offerings include:

• Buss passes
  • Bus passes are issued as 2 one-way trips with transfers that can be used on all routes to make a roundtrip from the San Juan Ridge.
• Laundry vouchers
  • Laundry vouchers come with one detergent pod and are good for a single wash and dry at Launderland in Grass Valley. 
  • Details for when and how to redeem is printed on the voucher. 
  • The number of laundry vouchers issued at one time will depend on family size and other factors.
• Adult yoga
  • Mon 6-7:15pm and Wed 9-10:30am
• A food pantry
  • Tue & Thu 12-3pm (for emergencies)
• A computer, phone, fax, and p…

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The Nevada County Historical Society North Star Mining Museum provides museum that houses a collection of hard rock mining equipment, including a 30-foot Pelton wheel. The site has a picnic area in the adjacent Glenn Jones Park. Outside displays include a rare operational Cornish Pump that was used to remove water from deep within mine shafts.

Web pages

• Home - https://nevadacountyhistory.org/

The City of Grass Valley Parks & Recreation department operates seven public parks and offers a variety of activities that include: recreational swimming, indoor and outdoor volleyball, tennis lessons, skate camp, open gym basketball, over-the-line softball, pitch-hit-run, punt-pass-kick, and a drop-in summer recreation program.

GVPR has over 120 acres of park space that includes trails, picnic areas, ball fields, bocce courts, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a skate park, and a disc golf course. The City also has three public assembly halls that are available for rent and collaborates with the Nevada County Historical Society to manage the Pelton Wheel Mining Museum at the former Northstar Powerhouse.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.grassvalleyca.gov/
• Parks & Recreation - https://www.cityofgrassvalley.com/parks-recreation
  
  

Nevada County Fairgrounds hosts community events and provides RV camping facilities in Nevada County.

Services include:

• Hosting the annual Nevada County Fair and seasonal events like dog shows, quilt shows, car shows, and concerts
• Offering year-round individual and group RV camping
• Providing 44 full hookup sites, 100 water and electric sites, dry camping, and an RV dump station

Web pages

• Home Page:  https://nevadacountyfair.com/

Bear Yuba Land Trust protects land, builds trails, and offers environmental education programs in Nevada and Yuba counties.

Services include:

• Maintaining public preserves and open space
• Managing conservation easements to protect natural lands
• Building and maintaining trails for public recreation
• Offering youth education programs focused on nature and stewardship
• Providing volunteer opportunities for trail work, events, and habitat restoration

Web pages

• Home - https://www.bylt.org/
• Conservation Easements - https://www.bylt.org/
• Trails - https://www.bylt.org/build-trails/
• Volunteer Opportunities - https://www.bylt.org/support/volunteer/

Western Gateway Recreation and Park District operates public recreation spaces and facilities in Penn Valley through Western Gateway Park. 

Services include:

• Maintaining sports facilities, including ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a disc golf course
• Operating an off-leash dog park
• Providing bocce ball courts and general open space
• Managing picnic areas and event rentals, including:
  • Covered Picnic Areas #1, #2, and #4
  • Picnic Area #3
  • Creek Picnic Areas #5, #6A, #6B, #7A, and #7B
  • Amphitheater
  • Buttermaker’s Cottage
  • Stage Pavilion

Park amenities are available for both informal use and formal reservation. Rental options accommodate small to large gatherings and events.

Web pages

• Home - http://westerngatewaypark.com/

Placer Nature Center  offers environmental education programs to children, families, schools, and community groups.

Services include:

• Homeschool and small group programs
• Little Tykes family nature programs
• Field trips
• Green birthday parties
• Summer camp
• Environmental science travels
• Scout projects
• Virtual learning
• Learning from the land at Traylor Ranch
• Nature bowl
• Teacher resources

Additional notes:

Placer Nature Center is open by appointment only; families and schools can reserve the center for a docent-led program.

Web pages

• Home - https://placernaturecenter.org/

Auburn State Recreation Area (Auburn SRA) covers over 35,000 acres along 40 miles of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. 

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.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=502