Quick Facts
- 10 acres along Lake Clementine and the North Fork American River near Foresthill
- Protected in 2022 by Placer Land Trust and transferred in 2026 to California State Parks
- Oak woodland and riparian habitat for foothill wildlife species
- Protected to ensure water quality and continued public access to the lake and river via Upper Lake Clementine Road
Protected by Placer Land Trust in 2022, Clementine Beach Preserve is important for its strategic location, preserving public access to Lake Clementine and ensuring that a significant stretch of the North Fork American River canyon land will remain accessible and undeveloped. Placer Land Trust purchased the land with the mutual intent with California State Parks to sell it to State Parks at a later time. Now, we are pleased to announce that we have sold Clementine Beach Preserve to State Parks to own and manage within the Auburn State Recreation Area.
“The Clementine Beach property was an inholding of the Auburn State Recreation Area, and the only the only road to the Upper Lake Clementine beach was through this property,” said Karen Bearson, Department of Parks & Recreation. “This acquisition protects and expands the park and connects that part of the North Fork of the American River within it.”
Placer Land Trust will pay forward the proceeds from this sale to new land conservation projects in Placer County.
Protecting Canyon Lands
Clementine Beach Preserve is situated on the beach where the North Fork American River enters Lake Clementine. The topography of the Preserve and surrounding lands is varied with steep canyon land consisting of mixed conifer and hardwood forest. This preserve contains a section of Upper Lake Clementine Road, which leads to the Upper Lake Clementine Day Use Area, as well as a stretch of beach and gravel bars where the North Fork American River enters the lake.
Placer Land Trust’s acquisition and protection of Clementine Beach Preserve, along with our other preserves in the area, ensures that a significant stretch of the North Fork American River canyon land will be permanently protected and remain natural. No subdivision or residential development will ever occur on the Preserve.
Recreation
The Preserve overlooks and contains part of the Upper Lake Clementine Day Use Area, one of the more popular destinations in the Auburn State Recreation Area. The Preserve is surrounded by federally owned land; Placer Land Trust will work with the Auburn State Recreation Area to manage the Preserve and ensure it stays open and accessible as part of the Day Use Area.
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. Placer Land Trust accomplishes this by working with willing landowners and conservation partners to prevent development, and other harmful land uses in the canyon, to minimize pollution in the local waterways.
Placer Land Trust purchased Clementine Beach Preserve from a willing seller. Funding for the acquisition and protection of the Preserve was provided to Placer Land Trust by the Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust, and the purchase price was generously discounted by the seller.
