The City owns approximately 300 acres of open space properties. There are trails on many of these properties, so the public can easily enjoy the great outdoors.

Environs Property & Deer Creek Tribute Trail System

The City owns 40 acres of land along Deer Creek. The Tribute Trail extends along both sides of the creek on these properties. The trail on this property incorporates the Nisenan Bridge Section of the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System and is called the Nisenan Trail. A map and information about this trail can be found on the Bear Yuba Land Trust website. The Nisenan suspension bridge over Deer Creek connects the two City owned properties and connects with other sections of the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System.

Hirschman's Pond and Diggins and Hirschman Trail

The City of Nevada City purchased this property with intentions of preserving the historic integrity of the area and preserving open space surrounding the city limits. The City has created a Vision and Planning Study to establish the purpose, goals and vision for this pristine property.

Vision and Planning Study
Attachments

The City partnered with the Bear Yuba Land Trust to construct a trail on the Hirschman's Pond property. A map and information about the trail is available on the Land Trust website.

Sierra Streams Institute wrote a Land Management Plan for the Hirschman Property.  This was completed in 2019.

Miner's Trail

The Miner's Trail is a nice way to connect from the bottom of Broad St. to Cabin St. The trail begins at the Hwy 49 exit onto Broad St., runs along Deer Creek for a short distance, goes under Hwy 49 and will bring you out at Cabin St. where you can continue to walk across the Pine St. bridge or up onto Spring St.  This trail is included in the Downtown Historical Section of the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System.

Prospect Stairs

Although not technically a trail, the stairs are a great connector from Sacramento St. to Prospect St. This is a short cut towards Pioneer Park or the surrounding neighborhoods.

Stiles Mill

Under the Pine St. bridge is property owned by the City where a mine and stamp mill were once located. The property sits along the edge of Deer Creek and although located directly downtown, it is a beautiful location to sit and enjoy nature. To access this area, pedestrians may walk onto City property at the corner of Sacramento St. and Clark St.

Sugarloaf Mountain
The City purchased the property known as Sugarloaf Mountain in January 2011. With the adoption of the 1985 General Plan for the City, it was noted that the City wanted to acquire this property to preserve as an open space parcel for current and future residents and visitors.

The City Council adopted the following Master Plan on February 10, 2016.
Sugarloaf Mountain Master Plan
Appendix A-G
Appendix H

The City continues to work on a grant application to build a trail that will connect with the intersection at East Broad St. and Hwy 49, this trail would take you through easements on privately owned parcels, then onto Sugarloaf Mountain where you can access the top of the Mountain with great views of the City and surrounding areas.

Tribulation Trail

Tribulation Trail is a short stretch of trail that runs from Pine St. - at the end of the bridge - to Jordan St. If you follow this trail and continue to walk down Jordan St., you can connect with the Nisenan Bridge Section of the Deer Creek Tribute Trail System.

Nevada City Completes EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup of Abandoned Mines on City Owned Properties
The City in cooperation with Sierra Streams Institute completed several Brownfield Clean-up projects on our open space parcels.  The primary Project Coordinator from Sierra Streams Institute wrote an informational article on the projects.
Brownfield's Article