The state recreation area (SRA) is situated on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties in the heart of historic Gold Country.

Once teeming with gold mining activity, the area now offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Whitewater recreation is also very popular on both forks of the river, with Class II, III and IV runs.

[3] There is an upside, as a result of the surplus land taken for the project, millions of people now enjoy the Auburn State Recreation Area in its natural state, with multiple wilderness canyons offering access to one of the last remaining natural river systems in Central California.

[citation needed] The California Department of Parks and Recreation administers the area under a contract with the United States Bureau of Reclamation.