One of Northern California’s busiest summer river destinations is taking new steps to manage crowds and improve safety, launching a $2 shuttle service aimed at easing years of traffic congestion, illegal parking, pedestrian hazards and overcrowding.
The South Yuba River, long popular for swimming, floating, cliff jumping and sunbathing, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually during warm-weather months.
That surge in visitors has also brought recurring safety concerns, with vehicles crowding narrow roads, people walking near fast-moving traffic and well-known recreation spots filling beyond capacity, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
Beginning over the Fourth of July weekend and continuing through Labor Day, Nevada County will test a new shuttle route serving the Highway 49 crossing near Hoyt’s Crossing, one of the river’s most heavily used entry points.
The 14-passenger shuttles are scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with departures every 30 minutes from the Nevada City Government Center.
Fares will be $2 per ride, and passengers can pay by credit card or other electronic payment methods.
County officials say the pilot program is intended to cut down on hazardous roadside parking, preserve access for emergency vehicles and reduce the number of visitors walking along narrow highway shoulders next to speeding cars.
“It creates a real safety hazard and limits emergency access for accidents and fires,” Nevada County Supervisor Sue Hoek said in a statement.
More than half of the river’s visitors come from the Bay Area, according to a 2024 county survey, and officials hope the new service will ease growing congestion along the scenic 39-mile river corridor.
“We want to test and see what people think, what people do,” said Shavati Karki-Pearl, recreation economy program manager for Nevada County’s Community Development Agency.
“Will it mitigate traffic and unsafe parking? Will it stop people from walking on a narrow shoulder with speeding cars going by? It’s a safety concern.”
The shuttle is the latest effort to address longstanding problems tied to overcrowding, partying and unsafe behavior along the river.
Authorities — including California State Parks, the California Highway Patrol, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and local fire agencies — have stepped up enforcement against alcohol consumption and illegal fires and barbecues. They installed additional no-parking signs and five emergency call boxes in areas with spotty cell service, handed out free life jackets, and deployed “river ambassadors” to pick up litter and educate visitors about safe recreation.
Despite those efforts, officials said the river’s busiest swimming holes can still become chaotic, with high water in some years contributing to drownings and swift-water rescue calls.
“There’s a definite draw here, and unfortunately, I think we’ve gone over what our parks can handle,” Sgt. Ryan Randar, a peace officer supervisor with California State Parks’ Sierra District, said.
Randar said traffic backups and parking issues have also sparked clashes between residents and out-of-town visitors.
“People get aggravated. There have been fistfights. We’ve had a few pedestrians get run over on the highway.”
Drivers who park illegally can face citations ranging from $162 to $321, and some vehicles may also be towed and impounded.
“Two dollars per person on the (shuttle) bus is nothing compared to getting a citation,” Randar said. “Using that service will make this a safer place to recreate.”
Officials said this year’s lower-than-normal water levels have kept crowds lighter than usual so far, but visitation traditionally surges beginning with the Fourth of July holiday.
