A New Preserve Guards the River at the Foot of Green Valley Trail
Forty acres along the North Fork American River are now permanently protected as the Bailey North Fork Preserve, honoring a family whose conservation work in the canyon spanned decades.
American River Canyon Alliance
Good news has arrived for anyone who has hiked down to the water at the bottom of the Green Valley Trail.
The North Fork American River Alliance (NFARA) reports that Placer Land Trust acquired 40 acres along the North Fork American River in early April. The land sits at the bottom of the Green Valley Trail, south of Interstate 80 at Alta. It was donated by the family and heirs of Matt and Betty Bailey. It now carries the name the Bailey North Fork Preserve.
The name is fitting. Matt and Betty Bailey led a decades long effort during the 1960s and 1970s to protect the North Fork. That work helped shape the canyon many of us know today. Seeing their family complete the circle with a land donation is a reminder that conservation is often a long game, measured in generations rather than seasons.
For hikers, the Green Valley Trail is already a steep and rewarding route down to the river. Knowing that the ground at its end is now held in trust adds something to the walk. This stretch of the North Fork will stay open and undeveloped.
We celebrate this protection alongside our neighbors in the watershed. Every acre secured along these rivers strengthens the whole canyon system. Our thanks go to the Bailey family, to Placer Land Trust, and to NFARA for carrying the story forward.