ASRA encompasses the canyons of the North and Middle Forks of the American River, east of Auburn, CA. Much of this area was going to be drowned behind a dam, but various geological and financial issues killed the project; of course, some politicians would like to revive it, but lack of money will keep this corpse in the ground. So the State has thousands of acres of forested canyons in the Gold Country. Much of it is too steep to be accessible, but there is lots of natural beauty there.