Quick Facts:
- 40 acres on the North Fork American River at Long Point
- Prime habitat for foothill wildlife species
- Protected in 2011 by donation from Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust
Protecting Canyon Lands
Placer Land Trust’s acquisition and protection of the 40-acre Long Point North Fork Preserve, along with other PLT preserves, ensures that a significant stretch of the North Fork American River will be permanently protected and remain natural. The property contains approximately a half mile of the North Fork American River and provides prime habitat for many foothill species. The Preserve lies between two popular recreation areas – Lake Clementine to the south and Codfish Falls to the north. 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.
River Recreation
The Long Point North Fork Preserve is within the Auburn State Recreation Area above Lake Clementine. Due to the topography of the land, there is no public access other than via the American River by rafters or kayakers.
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 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. The high diversity of native vegetation and steep slopes of the site play a large role in preserving high water quality in the area.
Wildlife & Scenery
The Long Point North Fork Preserve straddles both sides of the American River at a river bend with gravel bars along a large portion of the shoreline. The surrounding topography is steep canyon land dense with vegetation. Due in part to its seclusion from human activity, 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.
