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YuBarrio River Canyon Retreat

83%

· Nevada City, Nevada, California

50 acres hosted by Claire P.

2 lodging sites · 1 tent site

Perhaps the most remarkable single thing about this land is how it is so wild while being just a short trip to lively Nevada City. Wild enough that you can look into the distance without seeing lights, listen into the distance and hear the river, and walk half the day without seeing a soul. Whether you're looking for a restful place to hunker down for days with a book or a writing project, explore the landscape for a weekend without getting back in the car, gather with your people for some outdoors adventures, or just sleep in the woods each night while taking advantage of town during the day, you'll find magic here to suit. On offer is a sanctuary nestled in a very secluded expanse of land that stretches from ridgetop to river—a private wilderness just 3 miles from strange and wonderful Nevada City, an hour from Tahoe, 1.5 hours from Sacramento and 2.5 hours from the Bay Area. Here you will find. - miles of hiking and mountain biking trails on the land - 360 degree views of the Yuba watershed with epic sunsets - a year-round creek you can walk to Surrounded by oak, madrone, pine, fir and cedar forest, we are land tenders and village builders, nestled in several hundred acres of remote public and private wilds. We are in the midst of building an intentional neighborhood, so you might come upon some of our landmates as you walk around the land. Come visit us and enjoy a truly magical getaway. As you've likely heard, California has been home to many wildfires lately. It can sometimes be smokey here during fire season. We do not offer refunds for cancellations (apart from our normal cancellation policy) due to smoke or nearby fires unless there is an evacuation order. You can check the local air quality by going to airnow dot gov and entering 95959 as the zip code. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beneath our lovely local towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City lay a nearly forgotten history and a nearly forgotten people, the Nisenan Indians. The Nisenan (pronounced nee-see-nan or nee-she-nan) are the original people of this place and their story and history is ripe for the telling. Because the gold rush seems to be the “beginning” of all current history books, we find it a perfect intersectional moment to tell the story of the people and culture who were here thousands of years before they met the gold rush head on. This is a brief introductory story of the Nisenan people. At a time when the local landscape was rich with Nisenan place names; at a time when the Nisenan people themselves were thriving and plentiful upon the land; before the coming of the California gold rush, before California even became a state, the Nisenan people had lived lives that were full of unique, cultural richness and great wealth here in their ancient homelands. They lived in ancient towns named Ostomah’, Woloyu, Wakadok, Panpakan and hundreds more. This landscape was laden with clean water, delicious food, strong medicine, pure spirit, ancient burial grounds, numerous animal species that are now gone, and was abundant with Nisenan families. Today, these ancient Nisenan towns lay beneath our modern towns of Nevada City and Grass Valley. It was unfortunate for the Nisenan that their territory would become ground zero for human greed and catastrophic changes that would soon befall them at the hands of the California gold rush. Tens of thousands of immigrants from every corner of the planet descended upon Nisenan lands to make their fortunes in the gold fields. Every tree was cut down to build the new towns and hundreds of miles of flumes, the large game herds were hunted to extinction, the natural food sources were destroyed by over population and later by cattle, and the salmon and the great rivers themselves were destroyed by hydraulic mining. Everything that the Nisenan relied on for survival was gone within the first two years of the gold rush. In addition to the environmental destruction of the land, the newly formed state of California’s own governor called for the extermination of the red race. Bounties were placed on American Indian heads. Indians were violently removed from their homes and died from murder, disease and starvation. Pockets of people survived here and there, sometimes because they had found a non-native citizen to be their champion; a champion who would be their voice and help navigate the new world for them. In the case of the Nisenan who lived within the Yuba and Bear River Watersheds, Belle Douglas was one such champion. Belle Douglas was a founding member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West (NDGW). Belle saw the abuses that were put upon the Indians and stood up to be their voice. The Nisenan could not read or write. Documents penned by Belle’s caring hand are contained within the local Nevada County Historical Society that show decades of activism on her part. It was directly because of Belle’s tenacity with the Bureau of Indian Affairs that the Nevada City Rancheria became a federally recognized reservation in 1913 via an executive order from then President Woodrow Wilson. The Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe held itself as a domestic foreign nation up until it was illegally terminated in 1964 and its reservation lands were sold at auction. Today, the surviving Nisenan families are ghosts in their own homelands. Being landless is extremely detrimental for the Tribal membership and the continuance of their culture. The Nisenan are trying very hard to raise their visibility with the non-native local community. To tell the story of this place prior to the gold rush is to give the Nisenan a spotlight on their past and a new focus on their future. Not only do the Nisenan survive today, but through all the devastation of the past, many of their old landmarks remain intact. Many of their sacred sites were destroyed during the mining devastation of the gold rush. Most of their sacred burial grounds are held by private property owners. But, a few are accessible within the parameters of both cultural districts of Nevada City and Grass Valley. *Nisenan medicine rock – Broad Street, Nevada City *Old reservation land of the Nevada City Rancheria – Cement Hill, Nevada City *Nisenan Burial Grounds – Cement Hill, Nevada City *Firehouse No.1 Museum that holds Nisenan photos, baskets and regalia – 214 Main Street, Nevada City *Nisenan Tribute Site on the Deer Creek Tribute Trail that includes interpretive signage, petroglyph art and Angkula Seo suspension bridge – Champion Mine Road, Nevada City *Numerous springs that were central to Nisenan culture – located in many places (Cement Hill, Under Sierra Nevada Hospital, etc.) *Nevada County FairGrounds is an ancient trade place for the Nisenan and place for 7-year trade events – McCourtney Road, Grass Valley *Northstar House is the site of the old Chief Weimar’s main town site – Old Auburn Hwy, Grass Valley *Loma Rica was the site of an old burial ground and Nisenan town site – Brunswick Road, Grass Valley *Empire Mine State Historic Park was the site of another Nisenan town – Empire Road, Grass Valley *Sierra College Nevada County Campus sits on another Nisenan town site – Sierra College Road, Grass Valley *Site of the Holt Brother’s Saw Mill where a war happened with the Nisenan – Old Hwy 20, Grass Valley *Oustomah was placed in the sidewalk in bronze letters to solidify the name of the Indian town that Nevada City is now on top of – Broad Street, Nevada City *The old Nevada City dump site where Chief Kelly lived is now a co-housing complex – Broad Street, Nevada City Today, in 2022, the descendants of these Nisenan people continue to fight for justice, inclusion and visibility and equally important, for the justice and rights for this land. For those visiting who have the inspiration to do so, please take a minute to imagine what this place was like before the time of great destruction and then overlay that vision where you’re standing today. More info: Nisenan.org. You can also visit 'Uba Seo: Nisenan Arts and Culture in downtown Nevada City to learn more.

Activities

Biking

Boating

Fishing

Hiking

Natural features

Beach

Forest

River, stream, or creek

Swimming hole

83%

6 ratings · 5 reviews

Davis S.recommends

May 12, 2024

Milly the Magic bus

Serene, secluded, beautiful place

If you're looking for peace and seclusion yet with the possibilities and comforts of a home i.e. running water, electricity, comfy bed, plenty of space to hang out, kitchen space, all in the context of a beautiful cedar, oak and pine forest, and an experience facilitated by a caring, attentive host, you've come to the right place. Claire, the host, was very generous in allowing my traveling companion to be in direct contact with her and was able to greet her and orient her in person in a welcoming way. Long before even arriving at Milly the bus, I had a feeling of entering a more natural, more organic dimension. Just getting onto the gravel road toward the bus was a departure from the busy world of the bay area where I live. I arrived at Milly's door around sunset and was immediately reminded of coming home, all while feeling startled by the incandescent orange glow of the twilight in the distance. It was almost surreal. The inside of the bus is furnished with beautiful, woodworked drawers and a bed that fits the space perfectly. Because the bus is situated at the bottom of a hill, there's a significant sense of being apart from the other dwellings and spaces on the property, yet still a feeling of being around a gentle din of benevolent human activity. While the interior space is not ornate, it is exactly this simplicity which makes for a very pleasant place to enjoy the company of a companion or just imbibe the tranquility of the surrounding forest. Yuba close by!!!!

Reka F.

June 13, 2023

Oak•y•Doke Camp

Has potential, not worth the money for what it is, especially with a two-night minimum, and definitely not ready for prime-time. The Yubarrio operation appears extensive and admirable, with cob houses, yurts, gardens, etc. The Oakydoke camp site itself could be improved by some "grooming", removing branches and other larger objects from the ground, and some judicious pruning. A retro 70's grade school chair/desk below the oak was covered with leaf litter and branches, which honestly had a creepy vibe. Because I had no cell service, I was unable to contact the host to locate the water and toilet facility until the next day with help from residents, and it was quite a bit removed from the Oakydoke campsite. There were no details provided of this nature for the site in the host's written directions on the confirmation email, which would have helped. I ended up leaving after my first night. However, I did manage to accomplish what I wanted, which was to see the full moon rise and stunning dusk view from the hilltop, and to sleep in peace on the earth and wake up to the sound of bird song. It's my hope that with a little more investment (like more signage, a picnic table at the parking area, and better communication), Yubarrio can provide an attractive and positive experience for tent campers like me in the future.

Maya K.recommends

June 3, 2023

Oak•y•Doke Camp

The forest talks to you here

feeling the ground thump when a wild deer ran by my tent at night was my most favorite memory from here. pretty decent places to park and camp, there's a couple spaces for #vanlife or truck folks too. The road up here is pretty well maintained. passenger cars should be able to make it. The last quarter mile or so is dirt. it's pretty easy to get into town and go straight into the main drag from this property. lots of options for destinations from here very rugged territory and I loved it. exactly what I was looking for in a campsite. lots of great roads and trails to walk. lovely community of people, as well. you gotta book today!

Rachel F.recommends

September 6, 2022

Custom Tiny House on a mountainside

piece of paradise

My partner and I had an incredible time at this cute cabin. It was easy to get to but felt really remote. The views from the tiny house and around the property are beautiful -- my partner and I spent hours outside on the hammocks watching the sun go down (he brought one so we would each have our own hehe). Claire was an awesome host and responded to all of our questions quickly. When we had a bit of trouble finding the trail down to the yuba river, she helpfully talked through the directions with us in person, and as a bonus we got to meet her brand new puppy :-) the hike down was really lovely (even some little waterfalls from the creek!), and once we reached the river it was like stumbling into our own little paradise. The hike is probably about an hour and mostly incline on the way back up (a bit tough but we managed it fine by taking lots of breaks -- it was worth it). The tiny house is on an extensive property that has a few cabins in addition to the main house but feels very secluded. The ladder to the bed was easy to climb and the amount of space was comfortable for the two of us. It managed to stay cool enough during the heat wave thanks to the ceiling fan. Thanks so much Claire! We'll be back!

Kendra H.

July 25, 2022

Oak•y•Doke Camp

Not Private but Good Location

For needing a last minute campsite, Yu Barrio River Canyon Retreat worked out. Overall the tent camping there was okay. The campsites were very small and we had trouble finding a spot that our tent would fit. The campsites are not private at all. There are six small spaces surrounding one tree that are more set up for a small/one person tent. If you are looking for communal camping and getting to know new people, this would be a good place for you. Luckily we were the only ones booked for the weekend. Also, the mosquitos were really intense from morning to night (we ended up running out of bug spray and staying inside the tent when we were at the site), possibly because the tent sites are all under a low hanging tree and surrounded by manzanita. Regardless of some ups and downs, the location was great. It is central to local rivers, lakes, and downtown. It was a good spot, if like us, you plan spending the majority of your time exploring the local areas, rather than hanging at camp. There is a beautiful view of the sunset at the top of the hill. It's a nice stroll to take in the evening. We appreciate the vision they are creating. Maybe after some more time preparing the space, they will smooth out some of these bumps. Each host we met was very friendly and had great energy. We did end up having a fun weekend. Thank you for hosting.

Location

Nevada City, Nevada, California, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla and Nisenan First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking