The preserve opens to the public Nov. 4 and features more than 9 miles of trails, a new parking area, restrooms and amenities for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. Photo courtesy of Placer Land Trust

NORTH AUBURN, CA (MPG) - Placer County and Placer Land Trust celebrated the upcoming public opening of Big Hill Preserve today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of a new trailhead and visitor facilities on 531 acres of protected open space in North Auburn. 

The preserve opens to the public Nov. 4 and features more than 9 miles of trails, a new parking area, restrooms and amenities for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. 

“Today, we celebrate not only a new recreational destination, but a shared investment in the future of Placer County,” said Board of Supervisors Chair and District 2 Supervisor Shanti Landon. “As our communities continue to grow, protecting these natural resources remains both a responsibility and an investment in future generations.” 

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 while expanding 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.” 

Additional 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, CEO 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 3-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 District 5 Supervisor Cindy 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 opens to the public Nov. 4. Hours of operation are one half hour before sunrise and one half hour after sunset, Wednesdays through Sundays, with parking reservations required. 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.