About this spot
Hoyt's Crossing is a former river ford on the South Yuba River a few miles north of Nevada City, reached via the Hoyt Trail: roughly a mile of riverside walking followed by a steep scramble down to the water. It has a large sandy beach and a good-sized swimming hole with rocks at a range of heights, letting jumpers choose their own comfort level before leaping. The water is snowmelt-fed and stays bracingly cold well into summer even as air temperatures climb. Nearby Miners Tunnel, a Gold Rush-era channel blasted through granite, is a related feature but not for jumping. The spot is also well known as clothing-optional. No jumping ban is documented; the main hazards are cold-water shock and current, which varies with snowmelt and season.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.