Major construction to start at Hidden Falls park in Auburn. Here’s what changes — and when
Hidden Falls Regional Park received a stamp of approval this week from the Placer County Board of Supervisors to begin construction on a multi-million dollar effort to expand park facilities in Auburn.
According to a Thursday statement from Placer County, the first phase and “major” component of the Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails Expansion Project is a new trailhead and parking lot.
The development will be focused on the parking lot northeast of the main park entrance at 5345 Bell Road in Auburn, allowing access to roughly 8 miles of existing trails within the 481-acre Taylor Ranch and Kotomyan preserves. It will also include a combination of 74 parking spots for both cars and horse trailers.
Location: 5345 Bell Road, Auburn
Tip for visitors: Parking reservations are required at the Bell Road entrance
A watering station, mounting blocks and hitching posts for horse riders will also be built in the first phase of construction.
The new trailhead is slated to open between late 2024 and early 2025, according to the statement.
The roughly $5.9 million project is funded in part by Proposition 68 grant program, according to the statement. Nearly $3 million of that budget is allocated from Placer County general funds and local park dedication fees.
As construction moves forward, the entire trail system within Hidden Falls Regional Park will be connected to include “approximately 60 miles of trails and more than 4,000 acres of open space.” With it, visitors will have access to a variety of new facilities including a restroom, drinking fountain, ranger station, informational kiosks, more signage and picnic tables.
“We cannot wait for park visitors to experience what will be one of the largest parks in the region,” said parks administrator Andy Fisher with Placer County.
“The new property will offer great views from the Sierra snowcaps all the way to the coast range.”
The project was approved by the board of supervisors in March 2021.
This story was originally published July 14, 2023 at 12:06 PM.