South Yuba River State Park
17660 Pleasant Valley Rd
Penn Valley, CA
A Gold Rush river of emerald swimming holes and granite canyons, spanned by the longest single-span covered bridge in the world.
South Yuba River State Park protects a stretch of one of the Sierra's most beautiful rivers, a run of clear green pools, granite slides, and canyon trails cutting through the foothills of Gold Country. In summer the swimming holes draw people from all over Northern California, and in spring the canyon slopes light up with one of the region's best wildflower shows.
Its centerpiece is a piece of history. At Bridgeport, a graceful covered bridge crosses the river, and at roughly 230 feet it is the longest single-span covered wooden bridge in the world. Built in 1862 during the Gold Rush, it carried freight and travelers on the road to the Nevada silver mines, and it still stands, painstakingly restored, over the water it has watched for more than a century and a half.
What Guests Love
- The Bridgeport Covered Bridge, the longest single-span covered wooden bridge in the world
- Emerald green swimming holes and granite ledges along the river in summer
- Wildflower displays that carpet the canyon slopes in spring
- Trails along a wild river running through Gold Rush history
Worth Knowing
- The river runs cold and fast, especially during spring snowmelt, and its currents have proven dangerous, so pick your swimming spots carefully
- Summer weekends are busy and parking fills, so arrive early for the popular swimming areas
- Poison oak is common along the trails, so learn to spot it and stay on the path
- Foothill summers are hot, so bring water and sun protection
Details
Penn Valley, CA
Learn about South Yuba River State Park
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge was constructed in 1862 by the Virginia Turnpike Company as part of a toll road linking the Sacramento Valley to the mines. It is the last remaining single-span covered wooden bridge of its size in the nation, built with Douglas-fir trusses and wrought-iron rods and roofed in sugar-pine shakes to protect the timbers from the weather.
The bridge was a vital artery during the Gold Rush and the Nevada silver boom that followed, carrying wagons, freight, and travelers across the South Yuba. After years of careful engineering and restoration to save its aging timbers, it remains open to visitors, one of the most photographed structures in Gold Country.
Gold, the river, and the land it scarred
Gold was discovered near Rose's Bar, just downstream of Bridgeport, in 1848, and within two years thousands of miners swarmed the river. The Gold Rush transformed this country almost overnight, and the scars of hydraulic mining, which blasted whole hillsides apart with water cannons, are still visible upstream at places like Malakoff Diggins.
The South Yuba itself runs clear and cold out of the high Sierra, carving pools and polished granite through a steep canyon. What was once an industrial workhorse of the mining era is now valued for exactly the wildness that survived it.
The Nisenan homeland
Long before the miners, this was and remains the homeland of the Nisenan people, who lived closely with the river, fishing its salmon runs, hunting the foothills, and using native plants for food, medicine, tools, and textiles. The Gold Rush was catastrophic for them, bringing disease and violence that shattered communities.
The park formally acknowledges the Nisenan as the original and ongoing inhabitants of this land, and their descendants remain part of the region today.
Swimming, wildflowers, and when to go
In late spring the canyon slopes explode with wildflowers, one of the finest displays in the foothills, and the river runs high and cold with snowmelt. By summer the flow drops and the emerald pools warm enough for swimming, drawing crowds to spots like the Bridgeport and Highway 49 areas. Fall is quiet and golden, and winter brings a rushing, dramatic river.
The river demands respect. Its currents run strong, especially in spring, and have caused drownings, so choose calm, shallow pools and never dive into water you cannot see the bottom of. Come early on hot weekends, carry water, and watch for poison oak along the trails.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Nevada City
Nevada City
About 10 miles east
A beautifully preserved Gold Rush town of brick storefronts, Victorian homes, and a lively arts and cafe scene.
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
About 20 miles northeast
The eroded cliffs of the largest hydraulic gold mine in the world, plus the preserved mining town of North Bloomfield.
Empire Mine State Historic Park
About 15 miles southeast
One of the oldest and richest hardrock gold mines in California, with its stone mine buildings and a lavish owner's cottage in Grass Valley.