Placer County Board of Supervisors expands Hidden Falls Regional Park with Big Hill Preserve

Published Nov. 7, 2024

The long-awaited Hidden Falls Regional Park Expansion Project moved closer to reality Tuesday with the Placer County Board of Supervisors taking action to ensure the expansion is well managed for users and neighbors when opened to the public in 2025.

A highlight was a resolution renaming the Twilight Ride parking area and adjacent trails as Big Hill Preserve, Hidden Falls Regional Park. This addition to the park includes roughly 600 acres of new open space with 10 miles of new trails.

Adding the preserve to Hidden Falls Regional Park will put the area under the county's public safety ordinances such as smoking and fire prohibitions, and increase access to wildfire prevention programs.

Over the past three years, county staff have worked with CAL FIRE and registered foresters at the Placer Resource Conservation District to complete a comprehensive emergency response plan and update the park's vegetation and fuels management plan.

"Well-planned preparation for emergency response and wildfire risk reduction is paramount for the county. These plans give staff and first responders a clear understanding of the access network, water sources, helicopter landing zones, shaded fuel breaks, and other facilities that are available tools in an emergency," said Placer County Parks Administrator Andy Fisher. "And, they will give neighbors and visitors a good description of the lengths we go to for their protection."

The board also took the first steps in instituting parking restrictions along public roads within a mile of the entry of the new Big Hill Preserve parking lot on Bell Road and on Cramer Road a half mile east from its intersection with Bell Road.

And finally, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Placer Land Trust affirming that the county will operate trails on the Placer Land Trust property on public trail easements.

The nonprofit land trust has been a key partner in the development of Big Hill Preserve, working with the county to acquire and manage the expansion property for public trails, grazing and habitat management.

Big Hill Preserve includes the 321-acre Taylor Ranch and 160-acre Kotomyan Preserve, which are owned by the Placer Land Trust.

"The addition of new trails, improved infrastructure and enhanced safety measures will further elevate the recreational experience at Hidden Falls Park," said Fisher. "Placer County remains committed to preserving its natural beauty and providing opportunities for outdoor recreation for its residents and visitors. If you think Hidden Falls is beautiful today, we can't wait for you to experience the expansive views and remote experience of the expansion area."

"This region includes the largest remaining unfragmented oak woodlands in the county and one of the last relatively wild areas in western Placer County," said Fisher. "The Placer Land Trust deserves our thanks for their continued partnership in preserving open space."

When open, the Parks Division anticipates requiring parking reservations daily at the new parking area to ensure overcrowding does not happen.

Hidden Falls Regional Park Expansion Project Phase 2 is expected to open to the public in the second half of 2025.

For more information about Hidden Falls Regional Park, including parking reservations, please visit https://www.placer.ca.gov/6106/Hidden-Falls-Regional-Park.

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