The
5-mile segment on the downhill bank of the Lower Cascade Canal
between Gracie and Red Dog Roads has been one of the most
popular trails in the area for many years. This segment of
the canal makes up the Banner Cascade Canal Trail Project.
The trail is open to non-motorized use all year long. Winters
often bring snow to the area, high water, and sometimes fallen
trees. The segments at either end are easy to use; however
the middle segment, at Little Deer Creek can be difficult
to negotiate where the canal is piped across the stream. Steep
roads provide a route around the piped crossing; however the
route can be impassible when the water in the creek is high.
The Banner Cascade Canal is operated by Nevada Irrigation
District (NID) and is used to supply water to tens of thousands
of residents. Currently, the canal is being operated at capacity
and NID has plans to replace it with a pipeline.
Maintenance operations on the canal have priority over the
use of the canal bank as a trail. When the canal bank is not
available for use as a trail, NID will sign the area with
notification of planned work.
Working with Save Our Historic Canals (SOHC), Nevada County
Land Trust (NCLT) has successfully secured easements for trail
use from a number of willing landowners. As a result, continued
trail use has been assured on over a mile of the trail. The
goal is to secure public trail easements over the nearly 4
miles of canal trail that still remain unprotected.
Parking and Access
In addition to the canal trail, NCLT has constructed a trail-users
parking area on Gracie Road. A 1,000 ft. access trail, over
public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, connects
the parking area to the canal trail. In 2004 a neighborhood
access trail was completed on Woodpecker Way |
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