Walk With Salmon: Two Opportunities to Meet Yuba Chinook

There are two upcoming opportunities to join SYRCL staff for a Riverbank Walking Tour to see spawning Chinook salmon on the lower Yuba River.

The Tour is a 1.5-mile walk along the riverbank, starting at the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) in Browns Valley. The walk provides a rare opportunity to visit a stretch of the river that is not accessible to the general public. This area is also one of the best places to view Chinook salmon during their annual spawning season.

Get up close and personal with these amazing fish while learning about their life cycle, the challenges facing their populations, and local efforts to improve habitats and ensure their survival.

• Thursday, November 12th, 10 am to 12 pm:  Sponsored by the Yuba-Bear Watershed Council. The tour is free and open to everyone. No registration is required.
• Sunday, November 15th, 1 pm to 5 pm: Part of the California Swan Festival. $20/adult, $15/youth. Click here to register.

Please contact Chris Friedel (530-265-5961 x.211 or chris@syrcl.org) for more information.

If you are planning to attend either event, please remember to bring:

• Sun hat
• Polarized sunglasses, if available (better for salmon viewing)
• Closed-toe shoes for hiking on uneven terrain (not sandals)
• Warm layer (windbreaker or jacket)
• Sunscreen
• Refillable water bottle
• Binoculars

Tours will begin at SFREC’s Yuba River Education Center (8279 Scott Forbes Rd, Browns Valley, CA 95918). Directions are as follows.

From Nevada City/Grass Valley:

• Get onto CA-20 W/CA-49 S
• Take the exit toward Marysville (CA-20 W)
• Follow CA-20 W for about 16.5 miles
• Turn right onto Sicard Flat Rd. Turn right onto Peoria Rd.
• Continue onto Scott Forbes Rd. and follow the directions below

From Marysville:

• Get onto CA-20 E towards Grass Valley.
• About 2.5 miles after passing Marysville Rd., turn left onto Peoria Rd.
• Continue onto Scott Forbes Rd. and follow the directions below.

From Scott Forbes Rd.:
Once you are on Scott Forbes Rd., follow the signs to the Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center. Upon entering the property, you will cross over a cattle guard. The next gravel road to the right is marked at the gate with a blue sign reading “The Yuba River Education Center.” Turn here. You will travel for a little less than 1 mile, going through another open gate. Do not turn to the right on any other road. This road will dead end at the YREC Pavilion.