Quick Facts:
- 160 acres on the North Fork American River north of Yankee Jim’s Bridge.
- Contains “Staircase Rapids” popular with whitewater enthusiasts.
- Protected in 2013 in partnership with Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust.
Protecting Canyon Lands
Placer Land Trust’s acquisition and protection of the 160-acre Mergen North Fork Preserve ensures that a five mile stretch of the North Fork American River will be permanently protected. This stretch of river runs from above the Colfax Iowa Hill Bridge downstream past Indian Creek and Shirttail Creek all the way down to Yankee Jim’s Bridge. The Mergen property is the last privately owned property on the river in this stretch, and Placer Land Trust’s stewardship of the property will ensure that no development occurs in this part of the canyon, keeping the river wild and scenic, forever. Primary funding was provided by Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust.
River Recreation
The Mergen North Fork Preserve is within the Auburn State Recreation Area and borders federal land. The Preserve contains both banks of the North Fork, and includes the Staircase Rapids, well known by rafters, kayakers, and other river enthusiasts.
Water Quality
The American River provides substantial domestic water for Placer County and the surrounding region, and Placer Land Trust has an interest in keeping that water clean and free from runoff, erosion, sedimentation, and pollution. The Trust does that by working with willing landowners like the Mergen family to prevent development and other harmful land uses in the canyons from polluting local waterways.
Wildlife & Scenery
The Mergen North Fork Preserve runs from the top of Gillis Hill Ridge (near Camel’s Hump) steeply down to the river. This area is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife – from large mammals (bear, deer, coyote) to reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects, and of course fish and aquatic life in the river itself. Together with the beautiful flora dominated by oaks and pines, the wildness of this area provides breathtaking scenery from up- and down-canyon.
Mergen Preserve is not open to the public. For a list of our properties that have public trails, visit our Trails page.
