Yuba Pass is a

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration t ...

on State Route 49 in Sierra County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The pass lies at an elevation of about 3.4 air miles west of Sattley, on the divide between the

North Yuba River The North Yuba River (also called the North Fork Yuba River) is the main tributary of the Yuba River in northern California in the United States. The river is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

and the

Middle Fork Feather River The Middle Fork Feather River is a major river in Plumas and Butte Counties in the U.S. state of California. Nearly long, it drains about of the rugged northern Sierra Nevada range. Geography Its headwaters are located near Beckwourth in the ...

(

Sierra Valley Sierra Valley is a large mountain valley located east of the crest of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range in Plumas and Sierra Counties, north of Interstate 80. Geography An intermontane valley at approximately elevation, Sierra Va ...

). Thus, unlike most of the well-known

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

passes, including the much lower

Beckwourth Pass Beckwourth Pass is the lowest mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range at an elevation of . Geography Beckwourth Pass is located at the north eastern edge of Sierra Valley at Chilcoot-Vinton, California near the border between Pl ...

on the east edge of the Sierra Valley, Yuba Pass does not lie on the

Great Basin Divide The Great Basin Divide in the western United States is the ridgeline that separates the Great Basin from the Pacific Ocean watershed, which completely surrounds it. The Great Basin is the largest set of contiguous endorheic watersheds of No ...

. This Yuba Pass should not be confused with Yuba Gap, a minor mountain pass along

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...

on the

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

- Placer county line.

History

Winter Recreation Hub

Within the Tahoe National Forest, Yuba Pass serves as a year-round hub for outdoor recreation. During winter, the area is renowned for its Yuba Pass Sno-Park, a facility that provides plowed parking and access to a vast network of over 100 miles of groomed trails designated for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and even dog sledding.

Summer Camping and Wildlife

As the snow recedes, the landscape transforms, revealing prime opportunities for different pursuits. The Yuba Pass Campground, typically open from June to October, offers 19 single-family campsites that serve as a base for exploration. The pass area is particularly celebrated among birding enthusiasts. It is recognized as a key birding site where one might spot species such as the Williamson’s Sapsucker, Black-backed Woodpecker, and various nesting warblers and finches, especially during the late spring and summer months.

Historic Route and Travel

The route itself, Highway 49, is steeped in history, tracing the path of the "49ers" and linking the historic mining communities of the California Gold Rush. While the pass provides stunning views of the surrounding Sierra, its gentle grades make it a reliable and generally open all-season route for travelers. However, Caltrans advises all winter travelers to carry chains, as conditions can change rapidly. This combination of accessible history and diverse, season-specific recreation makes Yuba Pass a significant destination beyond its geographical stats.

Gallery

File:SR49 east of Yuba Pass.png, SR49 east of

Yuba Pass Yuba Pass is a mountain pass on State Route 49 in Sierra County in the U.S. state of California. The pass lies at an elevation of about 3.4 air miles west of Sattley, on the divide between the North Yuba River and the Middle Fork Feather Riv ...

References