Visitors & Conventions
> Recreational Activities

Recreational Activities

Whatever your age, stamina or interest, when it comes to active recreation, Grass Valley and Nevada County has something for everyone!  With four brilliantly colorful seasons, the show at our door step is continually changing.

Want to explore the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada?  Our forested mountains offer extensive scenic trails for hiking, biking, horse back riding, and all-terrain-vehicles.  Follow cascading rivers through national forests, old flumes into historic mining sites, or the original immigrant trail to California.  You can even try your luck panning for gold along with the old timers! Planning a backcountry expedition?  Highland Llama Trekkers and other purveyors can provide llamas for wilderness pack trips.

The federally designated “Wild and Scenic” South Yuba River has four dozen state and national historical sites, including the Bridgeport Covered Bridge and others listed in the National Register of Historical Places. It also features the 2,200-acre South Yuba River State Park and the Independence Trail which is the longest wheelchair-accessible wilderness trail in the country.

Prefer boating and water sports?  The Yuba and other local rivers offer
world-class kayaking and rafting.  Natural lakes and reservoirs are
favorites for boating, sailing, swimming, water skiing, and camping.
 

Prefer the sculpted greens of a golf course?  The Alta Sierra Country Club, Nevada County Country Club, Darkhorse Golf Course, and Quail Valley Golf Course provide for excellent golfing.  If you are a Frisbee buff, both Grass Valley and Penn Valley have courses for disc golf.

For the truly active young person, check out Grass Valley’s skateboard park at Condon Park!  Swimming is available at pools in both Grass Valley’s Memorial Park and Nevada City’s Pioneer Park.  

Winter brings a wonderland of snow.  Less than an hour’s drive from Grass Valley and Nevada City, you will find world class runs for Nordic skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing.  Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe basin ski grounds are an easy commute.

For those who prefer staying in shape through an indoor fitness center, South Yuba Club, Curves for Women, and the Courthouse Athletic Club, are among the health clubs in the area. 

For more specifics, peruse the Membership Directory by category or by business name.