Current Trail Projects
Late winter and early spring have been very wet, delaying much of the trail work that we have under way. Between storms, volunteers have been working on the trails along Rattlesnake Road and at the Kenny Ranch property.
Hirschman Pond Trail
Contracts for the construction of the Hirschman Pond Trail project are ready for bidding. The City of Nevada City will be issuing the contract soon, with the hope that the trail can be built this spring and ready for use this summer.
Deer Creek Tribute Trail
Work is under way on the Deer Creek Tribute Trail, a project NCLT is working on in cooperation with The Sierra Fund, Friends of Deer Creek, the City of Nevada City, the Tsi-Akim Maidu Tribe, the Natural Heritage Institute, the Bureau of Land Management, American Rivers Foundation, Greater Champion Neighborhood Association, the Chinese Quarter Society and Save Our Historic Canals. The goal of the nine-mile Tribute Trail Project is to directly improve the quality of life for Nevada County citizens and visitors by providing recreational, open space, wildlife, flood management, and water quality benefits in the Deer Creek Watershed. For more information about the Tribute Trail project, or to volunteer to help, please contact Kelly at Friends of Deer Creek 530-265-6090, or visit their website or me at
Orene Wetherall Loop Trail on Banner Mountain Opens
Residents in the Banner Mountain area now have a new neighborhood trail thanks to the volunteer work parties and the many donations made to the 2009 Nevada County Land Trust Trails Appeal. Against a rugged backdrop of soaring pines and fir trees, the new mile-long Orene Wetherall Loop Trail ventures through the 28-acre Woodpecker Preserve. This open space preserve has mixed conifer woodlands as well as wetland areas that together make this a prime wildlife habitat.
Work on the trail began last fall and was funded through a substantial matching grant provided by Holger and Tacy Hahn, who matched the $7,400 raised for trails. Funds in the amount of $1,000 were graciously donated by the Banner Mountain Homeowners’ Association while other funds were donated by individuals in the community through the Land Trust Annual Trails Appeal. No tax or other public funding was contributed to this project.
The trail has been named after Orene Wetherall who passed away in 2003. She was born in 1913, she married William B. "Bill" Wetherall, and they moved their family to Grass Valley in 1955. Bill Wetherall established an endowment in her name with Nevada County Land Trust, for the creation and maintenance of trails in our community.
The trail is currently an in-and-out trail, meaning when you reach the end you must retrace your steps back to the trailhead. The next phase of trail construction includes a loop through other areas of the Preserve. Neighbors along the trail route would like to remind hikers to use the trail with care and respect. Unfortunately an issue has surfaced: neighbors are concerned about hikers and bikers leaving the trail, especially for access via adjacent private roads. While it's tempting to park one car at the trailhead on Grace Road and hike to a second car parked on private property, it is the worst thing hikers can do. Private roads are for use only by residents, who carry the full burden of road maintenance and very limited traffic volume.