Iowa Hill, California
| Iowa Hill | |
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| Unincorporated community | |
Iowa Hill bridges over the North Fork of the American River
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 Iowa Hill
Iowa Hill
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| Coordinates: 39°06′31″N 120°51′34″W / 39.10861°N 120.85944°WCoordinates: 39°06′31″N 120°51′34″W / 39.10861°N 120.85944°W | |
| Country |
 United States
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| State |
 California
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| County | Placer County |
| Elevation | 2,861 ft (872 m) |
| Reference no. | 401 |
Iowa Hill (formerly, Iowa City) is an unincorporated community in Placer County, California. The town is located 6.5 miles northwest of Foresthill 9 miles east of Colfax and 58 miles northeast of Sacramento. It lies at an elevation of 2861 feet. The community relies completely upon solar panels and generators for power. Population is around 200 people. Iowa Hill Road claims a small handful of lives every decade, and along with its "off grid" status, prevents the town from growing in population. The community boasts many hardcore cyclists and is appealing to visitors due to the abundance of recreational opportunities.
Iowa Hill Road is a very steep, one-lane, winding road embedded within the mountains. There are no safety guardrails. Since ambulance service from Colfax takes a long time, emergency medical transport is supplemented by CALSTAR, the area's air rescue helicopter. A landing pad is located next to the town fire house.
Locals are regularly spotted out and about the town and North Fork of the American River. Popular activities are hiking, cycling, swimming, whitewater rafting, kayaking, gold panning/mining and fishing. About 50% of the town's homes are vacation homes. The community relies solely on solar panels and generators for power since Iowa Hill is not connected to the electrical grid. Mail service is three times per week. The Iowa Hill Store acts as a restaurant, bar, post office and ultra mini-market.
Iowa Hill enjoys a small but significant cult following of outdoor enthusiasts. Within 5 miles of town is the North Fork of the American River and the Mineral Bar Campground, Sugar Pine Reservoir recreation area, and numerous trails including the famous Stevens Trail between Colfax and Iowa Hill. The Mineral Bar Campground is part of the Auburn State Recreation Area, a State Park managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, which began charging for parking in 2013. Stevens Trailhead remains free to park. It begins adjacent the Iowa Hill Store spanning all the way to Colfax, crossing the North Fork in between.
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