Sugar Pine Point Research Natural Area Establishment Record

Sugar Pine Point Research Natural Area consists entirely of a one square mile (2.6 sq. km) area on a south facing slope of the North Fork American River canyon. The RNA is situated on the slopes and peaks south of Sugar Pine Point, a 6325 ft (1928 m) elevation promontory at the southern terminus of the divide between Big Valley Canyon and Little Granite Creek. Most of the RNA consists primarily of a bowl-shaped slope enclosed by descending ridges on the east and west edges of the section. Within this overall form, additional relief is present as small drainages and benches. Topography is generally steep, with a nearly 2100 ft (642 m) elevation change in one mile (1.6 km). Non-forested steep, rocky slopes and cliffs account for more than half of the area.