The Sacramento Valley is a landscape filled with rivers—the Sacramento, Feather, Yuba, American, and Mokelumne—providing both recreation and habitat for wildlife refuges. This is an area for California history buffs, with Placerville KOA and nearby Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park in the center of some of the state’s most extraordinary history: the gold rush era. The highlight of foothill country is its series of great lakes—Camanche, Rollins, Oroville—for water sports, fishing, and recreation. In the Mother Lode country, three lakes—Camanche, Amador, and Pardee—are outstanding for fishing. Spring and fall are gorgeous, as are summer evenings, but there are always periods of 100°F-plus temperatures in the summer. But that’s what gives these lakes and rivers such appeal. On a hot day, jumping into a cool lake is more valuable than gold.
1 BUCKS SUMMIT TO FEATHER RIVER (PCT)
2 HARTMAN BAR NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL
5 BULLARDS BAR TRAIL/VISTA POINT
6 SOUTH YUBA INDEPENDENCE TRAIL
20.0 mi one-way/2 days
at Bucks Summit Trailhead at the southern boundary of the Bucks Lake Wilderness west of Quincy
It’s 20 miles from Bucks Summit to Belden on the Pacific Crest Trail through the Bucks Lake Wilderness. The trailhead is at Bucks Summit (elevation 5,531 feet). From here, the route generally follows the ridgeline, climbing to the southern flank of Mount Pleasant (at 6,924 feet). Along the way, you’ll see a short spur trail to little Rock Lake. The trail then heads past Three Lakes, where another spur trail provides another option, this one to Kellogg Lake. In this section, the trail passes across a granitic-based alpine area, where forest is interspersed with glacier-smoothed rock peaks. The trail then descends and, at one point, drops very sharply all the way down to 2,310 feet to the North Fork Feather River at Belden.
To continue north on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), see the Feather River to Humboldt Summit (PCT) hike, in the Lassen and Modoc chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Fowler Peak to Bucks Summit (PCT) hike, in the Tahoe and Northern Sierra chapter, to continue south.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair access.
Permits: A wilderness permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Plumas National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Bucks Lake.
Directions: Take Highway 89 to Quincy and Bucks Lake Road. Turn west on Bucks Lake Road and drive about 11 miles to the trailhead, at Bucks Summit.
Contact: Plumas National Forest, Mount Hough Ranger District, Quincy, 530/283-0555, www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
4.4 mi/3.0 hr
in Plumas National Forest northeast of Lake Oroville
Hikers often pay for their pleasure. This hike involves two installments. The trail descends from the Hartman Ridge down the canyon to Hartman Bar on the Middle Fork Feather River. Going down will have your toes jamming into your boots, and the trip back can have your heart firing off like cannon shots. But waiting for you is the Middle Fork Feather, one of the prettiest streams around and with some of the best trout fishing as well. In fact, of the hundreds of trout streams in California, the Middle Fork Feather is clearly in the top five. If you don’t like to fish but would rather explore farther, a footbridge crosses the stream and climbs the other side of the canyon, meeting Catrell Creek at 0.5 mile. If you want to split the trip into two days and camp, the primitive Dan Beebe Camp is available along the river.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. A horse corral is at the trailhead. Mountain bikes not recommended. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Plumas National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Cascade and Haskins Valley.
Directions: From Oroville, drive east on Highway 162 for eight miles to Highway 174/Forbestown Road (and a junction signed Challenge/LaPorte). Turn right on Forbestown Road and drive east to Highway 120 (Quincy-LaPorte Road). Turn left and drive past LaPorte to Little Grass Valley Road. Turn left and drive a short distance to Black Rock Campground. Turn left on Forest Road 94 and drive 10 miles to Forest Road 22N42Y. Turn right and drive 0.25 mile to the parking area, at the end of the road.
Contact: Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District, Oroville, 530/534-6500, www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
3.2 mi/2.5 hr
near Lake Oroville
Table Mountain, with its amazing chasms and canyon, is not a mountain at all. It is a flat-topped ridge splayed by a series of dramatic gorges and a deep canyon. In spring after a heavy rain, the aquifer here can pump enough water to create a series of waterfalls in the gorges. The trail starts from the northwest corner of the Table Mountain trailhead then travels 1.6 miles to a rim. You get a sweeping view of Mill Creek and the surrounding Land of Ishi. The top of Table Mountain is on private property and you’ll see the markers. We’ve flown it and hiked it. If you hit it right in spring after a fresh rain, it’s amazing.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Sacramento, take Highway 70 north to Oroville and the exit for Grand Avenue. Turn right (east) and drive one mile to Table Mountain Boulevard. Turn left on Table Mountain Boulevard and go 0.1 mile to Cherokee Road. Turn right on Cherokee Road and drive 6.3 miles to reserve. Formal access is through a small parking lot on the western side of Cherokee Road.
Contact: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lands Program, 916/445-0411, www.wildlife.ca.gov.
9.5 mi/4.0 hr
in Plumas National Forest east of Lake Oroville
From the viewing deck, perched on a knife-edge outcrop, you can take in a full frontal of 410-foot Feather Falls. Pounding water reverberates against the high walls and thunders down the canyon. It’s so perfect that it can seem surreal, like you’re in a movie. The side trip to the brink of the waterfall can then snap you back into the moment. From a boulder near the rim, you can watch a churning fountain of white water surge past you through a rocky gorge, pound down a chute, and then pour over the top.
Feather Falls Loop
The hike is not steep or hard, just long. Right from the start, the walking is easy and rhythmic. From the trailhead, you start by sailing a short distance to a fork. Take the left fork. Just above the trail on your left, explorer types will find Indian grinding mortars in the large sandstone outcrops. You then head down the canyon, in forest, for a mile to the bridge at Frey Creek. In winter, there can be unbelievable millions of migratory ladybugs at the creek (and none the rest of the year). You then climb out of the canyon and hit the main trail. Turn left.
In short order, across the main canyon, Bald Rock Dome emerges into view. It towers over the canyon like a monolith out of Yosemite. Then ahead, you will hear the thundering crash of water before you see it. At a signed cutoff, you turn left, and ahead, can see how a bridged catwalk leads out to the viewing deck, perched on an outcrop. Then, from the platform, you get the full view of Feather Falls, top to bottom. You can see straight across the canyon and watch a silver chute gush through a gorge to the brink, then sail over the top into a white plume, feathered at the edges. Awesome.
Always go “the extra mile.” From the deck, you return to the main trail. Turn left and it’s a half-mile hike to the brink. Above the waterfall and along the feeder stream, you’ll find several short, unsigned cutoffs down to view spots. The river pours clear and swirling through a series of pools. On a rock that overlooks the brink, the Forest Service has put up a high cyclone fence to keep people from falling over the side.
On the return trip to the parking lot, to complete the loop, stay left on the main trail at the fork (right will head down to the bridge at Frey Creek). This is an easy leg-stroker, with a pretty vantage point of upper Frey Cascade, just long.
For many years, Feather Falls was reported as 640 feet, the sixth-highest waterfall outside of Yosemite, according to an information sheet published by the U.S. Forest Service. Several waterfall hunters, including Bryan Swan, Dean Goss, and Leon Turnbull, measured it using a laser rangefinder and clinometer and verified it at 410 feet.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. Horses and mountain bikes permitted but not recommended. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Plumas National Forest or Middle Fork Feather River. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Brush Creek.
Directions: Drive to Oroville and the exit for Oro Dam Blvd./Highway 162. Take that exit and turn east on Oro Dam Blvd./Olive Highway and drive for 1.7 miles to a stoplight (signed for Olive Highway). Turn right (still Olive Highway) and drive 6.6 miles to Forbestown Road. Turn right on Forbestown Road and go 6.2 miles to Lumpkin Road. Turn left on Lumpkin and drive 11.3 miles to signed turn for Feather Falls. Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to parking, trailhead, and campground.
Contact: Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District, Oroville, 530/534-6500, www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
2 mi/1 hr
on New Bullards Bar Reservoir in Tahoe National Forest
The trailhead for Vista Point is on Vista Point Road, a short, signed spur off Marysville Road above the eastern shore of the lake. If you are driving north from the dam, you’ll see it on your left. You get a pretty view across the lower end of the lake to Emerald Cove. The New Bullards Bar Trail then extends along the eastern shore of the lake. Most hike a short distance and then return. Yet get this: The Bullards Bar Trail continues and a series of trails intersect it from other access points along Marysville Road. These include Rebel Ridge Trail, 7-Ball Trail, and 8-Ball Trail.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Tahoe National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Camptonville and Challenge.
Directions: From Marysville, take Highway 20 east for 12 miles to Marysville Road. Turn left on Marysville Road (signed for Bullards Bar Reservoir) and drive 10 miles to Old Marysville Road. Turn right and drive 14 miles, over the dam, and continue about two miles on Marysville Road to the signed turnoff on the left for Vista Point.
Contact: Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District, Camptonville, 530/288-3231, www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe.
1.0-9.0 mi/0.5-3.0 hr
near Nevada City
This is a pretty river trail that is routed for 4.5 miles in and out of forest and riparian habitat with views of the Yuba River Canyon and the South Yuba River. In spring, wildflower blooms are often excellent. There are multiple trailheads for the park and trail, and the recommended trailhead is set at mid-trail along Highway 49. That gives you the option of hiking either direction. From the trailhead, hike to the west to visit Rush Creek Falls and spectacular Flume 28, one mile from the trailhead. The path was originally a canal route, built in 1859 to carry water from the Yuba to a hydraulic mining site in Smartville.
This is considered the nation’s first wheelchair-accessible wilderness trail; the wheelchair-accessible portion is a seven-mile round-trip. Occasionally, guided walks and gold panning demonstrations are available.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and wheelchairs. No horses or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are necessary. Parking and access are free at this access point; $10 in season at Bridgeport; $5 in off-season.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead or from the Bridgeport Ranger Station. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Nevada City.
Directions: From Auburn, drive north on Highway 49 for 27 miles to Nevada City. Continue on Highway 49 for six miles past Nevada City to the trailhead parking area, along the highway on the right, located just before the South Yuba River Bridge. If you reach the bridge, you have gone too far.
Contact: South Yuba River State Park, 530/432-2546, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
at Sutter Buttes near Yuba City
From a lava pinnacle atop the Smallest Mountain Range in the World, you get a hawk’s-eye view of land few have seen. This is at the Sutter Buttes, about an hour north of Sacramento, one of California’s last lands of mystery. Since it is surrounded by private property, few have trekked the Sutter Buttes and almost no one has seen Peace Valley, new state land that could become a park. To hike the Sutter Buttes, the access is with guided group walks with Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes, sponsored by the Sutter Buttes Land Trust—great folks and well worth it.
The best trip is a three-mile round-trip hike to the North Butte. It starts as an easy walk, meandering up through a valley to a sub-ridge. A short way in, you will see an Indian grinding rock along a dry creekbed where ancient mortars have been hollowed out in the stone. From here, hike up the valley. It’s common to spot red-tailed hawks, vultures, harriers, and deer. The lucky few see foxes, bobcats, owls, or golden eagles. You then break out above the valley. You face a 1,000-foot climb, something of an off-trail butt-kicker for the last half mile amid the volcanic crags, scree, and brush for the final push to the summit. You top out at 1,863-foot North Butte. From the summit, you can scan across multiple peaks, crowned by the South Butte at 2,117 feet. Despite some 40 million people living in California, only a scant few know this experience.
The Maidu called the Sutter Buttes “Esto Yamini,” which means “Middle Mountain,” and that’s how the foundation got its name. Trips are best in fall, winter, and early spring. Some may also wonder how the Sutter Buttes qualifies as “The Smallest Mountain Range in the World.” The answer is that land has to have an elevation of at least 2,000 feet to qualify as a mountain. At 2,117 feet, the Sutter Buttes just barely make the grade as a mountain range. The only trail access is through guided trips arranged with the Middle Mountain Foundation.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Advance reservations for guided group hikes are required at 530/671-6116. Most trips cost $35 (suggested donation). Roughly 10-20 participants are allowed on most hikes.
Maps: A brochure and map are available from trip leaders upon meeting at the Sutter County Museum.
Directions: Hiking groups meet at the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City. Directions are provided when the reservation is confirmed. After orientation, drivers will lead the route past several locked gates to the trailhead in Sutter Buttes.
Contact: Organized hike information, 530/671-6116, www.middlemountainhikes.org; Sutter Buttes Land Trust, Yuba City, 530/755-3568.
5.0 mi/2.5 hr
in Spenceville Wildlife Area near Smartville
Fair Falls is a pretty spot of surprise in the foothills of the Sacramento Valley. The falls are called Shingle Falls, Fairy Falls, Dry Creek Falls, and Beale Falls. By any name, it is a striking destination in the oak woodlands east of Lincoln. From the parking area and trailhead, walk across a worn-out bridge to a fire road. Turn right on the fire road and walk a short distance to a fork. For the recommended five-mile loop, turn left. It’s a steady climb to a ridge, and in hot weather, rates a 3, not a 2. You’ll continue to a junction, where you turn right (there is a small sign) under a grove, through a gate, and you’ll continue down toward the bottom of a gorge to a rock-edge view of the Upper Falls. Downstream, about 100 yards, you’ll find a smaller waterfall. Rock trekkers can climb down to the plunge pool. There’s also some swimming/wading holes along the stream.
To return, a road is routed right along the river, downstream, and reaches the fork/road junction. Turn left and it’s a short distance back to the old bridge, which you cross again to reach parking. The best time to visit is from December through April, when the hills are saturated, the aquifer is flushed, and the waterfall is pumping. My dogs, from little Bart-Dog, as a puppy, to Buddy the golden, as a senior citizen, have always loved every trip here. Wild turkeys are common sightings. In turkey season, the Department of Fish and Wildlife conducts a permit system for turkey hunting, and hiking is not permitted. Seasonal hunting may be permitted for other species September-January.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. Horses and mountain bikes not allowed on this trail. Horses allowed on marked trails and service roads elsewhere in the wildlife area. Mountain bikes are allowed only on service roads. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are necessary. Parking and access are free. Organized groups must obtain a free permit.
Maps: Free maps of Spenceville Wildlife Area are available at information signposts in the refuge. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Camp Far West.
Directions: From Marysville, take Highway 20 east for 15 miles to Smartville Road (just east and opposite a CDF fire station). Turn right (south) on Smartville Road and enter the wildlife area. At 0.9 mile, bear left at a fork (the road is signed Chuck Yeager) and continue about four miles to Waldo Road (gravel). Turn left on Waldo Road and drive 2.1 miles to Spenceville Road. Turn left and drive two miles to the end of the road, at a closed bridge. Park, walk across the bridge, and begin the hike.
Contact: Spenceville Wildlife Area, c/o Oroville Wildlife Area, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oroville, 530/538-2236, www.wildlife.ca.gov.
5.1 mi/2.25 hr
Hidden Falls Regional Park near Auburn
This is a great hike for people who love canyons with rushing water. This loop includes a trail along two separate creeks, their confluences, two waterfalls, and several gorgeous pools. From the parking area, look for the picnic table near the trailhead. Turn right and take the Poppy Trail down into the ravine, following several switchbacks for one mile. After arriving at Deadman Creek, walk over a bridge that leads to a service road and continue a short distance to the Blue Oak Loop Trail on the right. The Blue Oak Loop Trail will route you 0.5-mile up canyon and then left up a short ridge, where you will cross a road. Continue straight for 0.7 mile on the Seven Pools Vista down to a lookout (the trail turns sharply left) over Coon Creek. Continue along Coon Creek, where junctions with the Seven Pools Loop and the Canyon View Trail appear in about one mile. Continue past Canyon View Falls, the Canyon View Bridge, and beyond to a spur on the right for Hidden Falls. Return by hiking up the Hidden Falls Access Trail and climbing out on Poppy Trail. This is one of the best trips in the Sierra foothills.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. A short trail near parking is partially wheelchair accessible.
Permits: Reservations for parking ($8 for full day, $4 for partial day) are required for all weekends, plus holidays and other high-volume use days. Reserve at www.placer.ca.gov. On weekdays, parking and access are free. A webcam showing parking lot and adjacent dirt parking area is available at https://www.placer.ca.gov/2623/Webcam
Maps: A trail map is posted at billboard near trailhead and is available online.
Directions: Take I-80 to Auburn and the exit for Highway 49 North. Turn north and drive 2.8 miles (get in left lane) to Atwood. Turn left at Atwood and drive 17 miles to Mount Vernon Road. Continue straight on Mount Vernon Road for 2.7 miles to Mears Drive. Turn right on Mears and drive one mile (turning left) to the park entrance.
Contact: Hidden Falls Regional Park, Placer County Parks and Recreation, 530/886-4901, www.placer.ca.gov.
3.0 mi/1.5 hr
in Auburn State Recreation Area
The Codfish Creek Trail follows an old mining route downstream along the North Fork American River, then cuts up the canyon of Codfish Creek. The highlight here is 60-foot Codfish Falls. The trail begins at the north side of the bridge, on Ponderosa Way, and heads downstream on sunny and exposed slopes. The path brings visitors to a series of cascades on Codfish Creek. At 1.2 miles, the trail turns right and leads upstream along Codfish Creek, heading away from the river, for canyon views. In March, April, and early May, you get the triple bonus of a full-flowing waterfall, lots of blooming wildflowers, and big canyon views.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are necessary. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a national forest map, which includes Auburn State Recreation Area lands, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Tahoe National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Colfax.
Directions: From Sacramento, take I-80 east for 40 miles (past Auburn) to Weimar and the Weimar Crossroad exit. Take that exit, then a right at the fork off the off-ramp at Canyon Way (which becomes Ponderosa Way) and drive 5.5 miles (the road turns to dirt) to a bridge at the American River. Park near the bridge on the south side of the road (the side closest to the river) and look for the trailhead on the north side of the bridge; the trail heads downstream past the beach area. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended and four-wheel drive is helpful.
Contact: Auburn State Recreation Area, Auburn, 530/885-4527, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.5 mi/2.0 hr
at Dry Creek Community Park near Roseville
This local park provides a quick respite in Roseville. The trail runs along pretty Dry Creek, the centerpiece of Dry Creek Community Park. After significant rains in early spring, the riparian zone glows neon green as the creek forms a pretty stream. At the start, look for a paved bike trail and a dirt hiking trail. Turn right for the dirt trail routed toward Dry Creek. In the first stretch, you will walk near the river and past pools. You then get routed away from the creek, eventually arriving near a golf course on the right; continue a bit farther to a spur trail downstream. This park has a basketball court, tennis courts, and a pavilion. The Riverbank Trail is more of a walk than a hike.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. A separate paved path is provided for bikes and wheelchairs.
Permits: Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is posted at the park.
Directions: From Sacramento, take I-80 east to Exit 98 (near Citrus Heights) for Greenback Lane. Take that exit for 0.3 mile and get in one of the two left lanes to access Greenback Lane. Turn left and go 0.1 mile and then continue onto Elkhorn Boulevard for 1.7 miles to Walerga Road. Turn right and drive 2.8 miles to the park.
Contact: Dry Creek Community Park, Placer County Parks and Recreation, 530/886-4901, www.placer.ca.gov.
0.25-32.0 mi one-way/0.5 hr-2 days
along the American River from Sacramento to Folsom
The American River Parkway and Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail is the famous paved 32-mile path along the American River that links Folsom Lake on downstream past Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, and Sac State en route to Old Town Sacramento and Discovery Park. More than five million people use this trail every year. We admit this is the one trail we did not hike at all, but rather rode it out on a bike, a one-day trip with a shuttle car. There are 15 access points for short walks with river views. The prettiest stretch spans from Folsom Lake down past the dam into a riparian zone toward Nimbus.
American River
Spring and fall are when the American River is prettiest. In spring, the trees and grass are green, the water is rolling fresh, and by May, schools of shad are swimming upstream. Come autumn, the leaves of the adjacent trees turn bright colors, lighting up the river. In the intervening summer months, 100-degree temperatures keep trail use low during the day, but when evening shade emerges, so do joggers and walkers. Walkers and joggers should stay off the paved portion, and should instead use the dirt trail or the shoulder of the bike trail.
Access: Inline skates or roller skates are allowed on the state park and county park portions of trail. The state park portion is two separate trails most of the route, but a 0.5-mile section is shared. All nine miles of state trail are paved, and wheelchairs are allowed. Elsewhere, wheelchairs are allowed on the actual trail, and wheelchair-accessible restrooms, fishing areas, and picnic grounds are available along the way. In addition, our experience was less than stellar on the lower portions of the parkway, downstream of the suspension bridge for the college, with a quite a few homeless, some of whom apparently felt that passing cyclists were an invasion force from another planet.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, mountain bikes, inline skates, roller skates, and horses allowed, but horses are not advised. (See the note about restrictions for mountain bikes and hikers.)
Permits: No permits are required. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area at the head of the parkway charges a fee of $12 per vehicle at Beals Point; $10 at other state park access areas.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee at the county parks department. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Sacramento East, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, and Folsom.
Directions: The trail begins at Folsom Lake Recreation Area and ends at Discovery Park in Sacramento. From Sacramento, take U.S. 50 east for 18.4 miles to Exit 23 for Folsom Boulevard. Take that exit, go 0.2 mile, then bear left to take the ramp toward Folsom and Folsom Boulevard. Turn left on Folsom Boulevard and drive 3.6 miles, then continue straight (becomes Folsom-Auburn Boulevard) and go 2.0 miles to the park entrance. Park near the boat ramp.
Contact: American River Parkway Foundation, 916/486-2773, https://arpf.org; County of Sacramento, Parks and Recreation Division, Park Ranger Section, rangers, 916/875-7275, www.regionalparks.saccounty.net; Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, 916/988-0205, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.3 mi/2.0 hr
in Cosumnes River Preserve near Galt
The marsh comes to life at dawn and dusk. The River Walk Trail is an easy 3.3-mile trip from start to finish to capture the best of it. The walk is nearly flat and routed amid the preserve’s diversity of habitats: wetlands, cottonwood-willow riparian forests, grasslands, buttonbush thickets, valley oak savanna and the river corridor. Time it right and you have the chance to see birds and wildlife. The habitat changes quickly, so if you want to see wildlife, be ready. Bring binoculars and keep quiet; young adults who shout and hoot have about as much chance at sighting a sandhill crane as a polar bear in the desert. In winters with heavy rain, the trail can flood and become impassable. The Cosumnes River flows through one of the richest landscapes in the Delta, a mix of wetlands, riparian woodlands, river cuts, and sloughs that provides habitat for thousands of waterfowl, songbirds, hawks, and falcons. Coyotes, foxes, raccoons, otters, rabbits, and deer are common sightings. This is a great getaway for bird- and wildlife-watching, driving tours, easy walks, and hand-powered boating—either bring your own kayak or canoe or book a kayak trip with an outfitter. Free, guided walking tours are also available.
User Groups: Hikers only. No mountain bikes, dogs, or horses.
Permits: No permits are necessary. Parking and access are free; donations accepted.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the visitors center.
Directions from Antioch: From Antioch, take Highway 160 (signed for Stockton/Rio Vista) and drive for 18.8 miles to Isleton (becomes Isleton Rd.) and continue eight miles to River Road (cross the bridge at Georgiana Slough). Turn right on River Road and drive (becomes Walnut Grove-Thornton Road) eight miles to Thornton (just after you cross I-5) and Thornton Road. Turn left on Thornton Road and drive 2.3 miles (you will cross a bridge over the Mokelumne River, becomes Franklin) and continue 0.7 mile to the preserve entrance on right (signed). Turn right and continue short distance to visitors center.
Directions from Sacramento: From Sacramento, take I-5 south to the Twin Cities Road exit (marked with a binoculars sign for wildlife viewing, about midway between Stockton and Sacramento). Take the Twin Cities Road exit and go east for exactly one mile, to the first stop sign at Franklin. Turn right on Franklin and drive 1.7 miles. Look for the visitors center on the left side of Franklin and park in the parking lot just past it.
Directions from Stockton: From Stockton, take I-5 north to the Thornton-Walnut Grove Road exit. Take that exit and go east to Thornton Road (just after a gas station). Turn left on Thornton and drive two miles (it becomes Franklin Blvd.) and continue over the Thornton-Franklin Bridge to parking and the visitors center.
Contact: Cosumnes River Preserve, Galt, 916/684-2816, www.cosumnes.org.