Placer County just scored a $500,000 state grant that will stitch together two of its most popular wild escapes, funding roughly three miles of new multi-use trail and three small bridges to physically connect Hidden Falls Regional Park with the Big Hill Preserve. Announced June 11, 2026, the award is the first major construction funding for the Hidden Falls Trails Expansion and is expected to unlock hundreds of acres of contiguous trail access for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. County officials say the project will ultimately knit together about 1,800 acres and more than 41 miles of linked trails once construction wraps.
More room to roam: a new state grant will fund three miles of multi-use trail and three bridges connecting Hidden Falls Regional Park and the 600-acre Big Hill Preserve. #PlacerCounty #OutdoorRecreation
— Placer County (@placerca) June 11, 2026
Grant specifics and partners
According to Placer County, the $500,000 comes from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and will be paired with local funds to build natural-surface, multi-use trail alignments, three small bridges and amenities such as benches and interpretive panels. County staff say the new infrastructure is designed to offer a safe, non-motorized route between the two preserves and to cut down on unofficial “social” trails that chew up hillsides and sensitive habitat. Officials note that construction will roll out in phases, with the Big Hill segment expected to open to the public later this fall and the full connectivity trail anticipated by late 2027.
State funding and competition
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy board signed off on the grant during its early June funding round as part of roughly $3.15 million in awards intended to boost recreation and public access throughout the Sierra-Cascade region, according to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. The agency reports that the money comes from Proposition 68 funds and that about $20 million in requests were chasing only a few million dollars, a sign of how many foothill communities are clamoring for trail and outdoor access projects.
Local partners and schedule
Placer Land Trust, which owns large swaths of the Big Hill Preserve, says county-led road and trail upgrades at Big Hill started in 2025, and its team expects to open the preserve to public access by the end of 2026. The land trust also notes that the county is building a new trailhead and parking lot off Bell Road to serve both preserves and to provide a staging area for the final work on the connecting trail.
What visitors will see
Once the dust from construction settles, visitors can look for a new trailhead off Bell Road and upgraded parking that will plug directly into the expanded trail network. Placer County already requires vehicle reservations on popular days to keep traffic and parking from overrunning nearby neighborhoods, and that system is expected to remain in place. For up-to-date information on hours, closures and the reservation system, visit Hidden Falls Regional Park.
Environment and wildfire benefits
County and land-trust partners say the trail layout is meant to strike a balance between getting people outside and protecting the landscape, and it will also support fuels-management work such as targeted grazing and shaded fuel breaks that lower wildfire risk, Placer Land Trust noted in a project update. Local conservation staff add that funneling hikers, bikers and riders onto durable, well-designed routes helps shield oak woodlands and creek corridors from erosion and off-trail trampling.
Next steps and how to follow progress
Placer County officials say they will formally accept the Sierra Nevada Conservancy award and fold it into the overall Hidden Falls Trails Expansion budget as crews move deeper into construction. Staff expect the Big Hill trailhead to open this year, with the full connecting route phasing in through 2027. For updates on construction timelines, temporary closures and parking reservations, keep an eye on Placer Land Trust’s project page and the county’s Hidden Falls information portal.
