North San Juan

North San Juan is a rural community located on Hwy 49 about 20 minutes out of Nevada City on the way to Downieville. It hosts a post office & a small commercial center. It is also home to many former urban dwellers seeking the solitude & clean air offered here in great abundance. Painters , sculptors, writers, poets & many other talented persons have settled in the area. The south Yuba River & the Middle Fork of the Yuba River flank North San Juan. The elevation is approximately 2100 ft., with good sun exposure making the area ideal for vegetation.
French Corral, another small community nearby is known as having the first long distance telephone service.
There are many hiking trails in the Yuba River area. One of the better known is the Independence Trail which offers a 4.3 mile loop along what is called a swimming trail. 1.5 miles in each direction from the trailhead on Hwy 49, the trail is wheel chair accessible. The trail follows the Excelsior Canal built during the Gold Rush times with wood flumes that now carry people instead of water.
Just out of North San Juan is the Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Many historical building can be seen in the historical spot where Hydraulic Mining was extensively used from 1855 until 1884. Highly pressurized water was used to move the earth, leaving an open pit more that a mile long and 600ft. deep. This stark wall stands in memory of hydraulic mining. Views of the hydraulic diggins can be seen from various hiking trails in the area.
Bullards Bar Reservoir located just beyond North San Juan in the Tahoe & Plumas National Forest is a popular lake for boaters, anglers, swimmers, water skiers, windsurfers, campers & hikers. Endless amounts of perfectly smooth water for the skier accompanied by outstanding fishing makes for a recreational experience unparalleled. It is 3 miles west of Hwy 49 on Marysville Road. Located at the 2,000-ft elevation, Bullards Bar is surrounded by a greenbelt filled with pine, fir, oak, madrone & dogwood trees. Bullards Bar Dam is the second tallest dam in California & its pristine beauty is something to behold.