South Yuba River State Park, State park along the South Fork of the Yuba River in Nevada County, California, United States

South Yuba River State Park protects over 11,000 acres along 22 miles of the South Yuba River Canyon, from Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park downstream to Bridgeport, where the visitor center and 1862 Bridgeport Covered Bridge stand. The river pours over massive granite ledges and along calm riparian meanders, and the park includes the 1865 Purdon Crossing bridge and the wheelchair-accessible Independence Trail.

The South Yuba canyon became an immigration destination during the 1849–early 1850s California Gold Rush, and gold panning demonstrations still show the mining methods of that period. Two 19th-century bridges survive along this stretch of the South Fork: the 1862 Bridgeport Covered Bridge and the 1865 Purdon Crossing bridge.

The park's cultural draw is its Gold Rush legacy: the area became an immigration destination during the 1849–early 1850s California Gold Rush, and gold panning demonstrations are still given. The 1862 Bridgeport Covered Bridge and the 1865 Purdon Crossing bridge are among the 19th-century crossings along this stretch of the South Fork.

The Independence Trail offers wheelchair-accessible pathways through the park, making it accessible for visitors with varying abilities. Wear proper shoes for hiking and prepare for changing weather depending on the season.

The park's 19th-century bridges are not stone: the 1862 Bridgeport Covered Bridge and the 1865 Purdon Crossing bridge are its documented spans. Bridgeport, at the park's downstream end, holds the visitor center beside the covered bridge. The Independence Trail, a wheelchair-accessible route, is another feature visitors often overlook.