Type: Preserves - Owned and Managed by BYLT

128 Acres, Established 2023. Public access allowed. Located a couple of miles outside of downtown Grass Valley, Wildflower Ridge Preserve offers a unique mix of hardwood and conifer forest with a rare concentration of native plants and beautiful wildflower meadows on lava cap soils. The Preserve also boasts two popular hiking trails.

37 acres, Established 2020. Access: No public access. Conservation Values: Agricultural land, open space, wildlife and plant habitats, water resources and farmworker housing. c’oom pe Preserve is located on the San Juan Ridge and is home to Mountain Bounty Farm.

2.25 Acres, Established 2017. Access: No Public Access. Conservation Values:  Bear River Recreation and Park District donated 1.23 acres of open space known as Higgins Pond Preserve to BYLT in 2017. Located at Higgins Corner, east of Highway 49 near Lake of the Pines, the preserve is considered sensitive habitat in an area that is designated for high density development.

28 Acres, Established 1999. Public access allowed. Old snags provide good wildlife habitat for bugs, birds and mammals on this preserve featuring a mixed forest dominated by ponderosa pine, incense cedar, sugar pine, Douglas fir, maple, black oak, dogwood and madrone. Hikers come to enjoy the Cascade Canal Trail and Orene Wetherall Trail.

207 Acres, Established 2012. Public access allowed. On Highway 49 just five miles north of Nevada City near the South Yuba River bridge, the wheelchair accessible Independence Trail was built from an historic abandoned miner’s ditch, known as Excelsior Canal. BYLT’s intent is to one day transfer both the land and trail to California State Parks.

2,707 acres, Established 2014. Public access allowed. Spanning 2,707 acres and six miles of river frontage in the watershed of the North and Middle Yuba River, the Rice’s Crossing Preserve promises miles of new trails, sweeping vistas, new river access, and restoration of wildlife corridors and important fish habitat in coming years.

1.5 acres, Established 1992. Public access allowed. The Ray and Helen Mathis donated this pond in Alta Sierra to the Land Trust because they wanted it preserved and available for use by area residents. Today families enjoy a nice trail, benches, picnic tables and a fishing spot while the pond provides habitat for western pond turtles, egrets and ducks.

652 Acres, Established 2013. Limited public access. A 652-acre working cattle ranch located in South Nevada County showcases oak woodlands, grasslands, over two miles of Bear River frontage and two miles of interior creeks. Garden Bar Preserve connects a 9,000-acre conserved landscape on both sides of the Bear River.

35 Acres, Established 2014. Private property. Public access allowed. Bordering the community of Alta Sierra on 35 acres off of Brewer Road, Clover Valley Preserve is a lovely example of an oak and mixed conifer forest. South Wolf Creek bisects the length of the landscape, providing habitat for aquatic and terrestrial life.

37 Acres, Established 1999. Public access allowed. A beautiful meadow and forest landscape, Adam Ryan Wildlife Preserve is located along Dog Bar Road and Alta Sierra Drive near Mathis Pond, another public-access preserve owned by BYLT. The preserve provides a low-impact trail and natural habitat for area wildlife.