1/5/2019: I wrote several reviews for James Marshall Monument and Coloma State Park; however, all…read moremy reviews mysteriously disappeared! Yah~YELP! Where ARE my reviews, eh? THEREFORE, I searched ALL the YELP! photos I posted: I found a few photos dated 1/5/2019 as PROOF I did write my reviews for both locations. Disappointingly, ALL my photos AND reviews for James Marshall's Monument and Coloma State Park event MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED AFTER 2019! UNHAPPY! Anyway, in June 2022, I attended a Military Funeral I personally arranged at James Marshall's Monument for my deceased Army friend who passed away plus, instrumentally preventing his family from spending an egregious, heinous sum for funeral expenses, i.e., I contacted the Coloma State Park's Head Supervisor Ranger on my friend's family's behalf. Blessed, the Head Park Ranger Supervisor contacted my friend's family a couple days later who only had to pay $75.00 for reserving James Marshall's Monument location for my friend's Military funeral! The location presided a PRIVATE, dignified, Military funeral which involved the US Army Color Guards who fired off a 21-Gun Salute for my deceased Army friend, ample parking provided for all attending the Military Funeral, conveniently located picnic tables for food/libations setup, and more importantly, an easy, short stroll to James Marshall's Monument where the 21-Gun Salute was presided. My friend's family were so grateful to Coloma State Park's Head Park Ranger Supervisor for allowing presiding a Military funeral which was quite a distance from the Coloma State Park's American River parking lot. Reiterating, reserving the James Marshall's Monument location for my friend's family and all who attended my friend's Military Funeral, it was so PRIVATE, awesome, easy, uncomplicated set up due to the picnic tables for the food and libations were conveniently adjacent to the clean restrooms, and overall, a gorgeous, tranquil, serene, appropriate location presiding a somber, dignified, Military funeral. Finally, presiding a Military Funeral at James Marshall's Monument for my friend's family will always be remembered and revered. Best of all, all who attended my friend's Military funeral have ALL returned exploring James Marshall's Monument--again, James Marshall's log cabin, checking the construction updates for both St. John's Catholic Church and Emmanuel Church, Sutter's Mill, gold panning the American River, sent snail mail from the Coloma Post Office, ate at my friend, Noah's Argonaut Cafe, and hiked all the trails, too! BTW: Since I'm 100% Service-Connected Vietnam Veteran possessing a Veteran's Distinguished Park Pass, reserving James Marshall's Monument would be NO FEE for me! FYI: Resource Building For PHYSICALLY Applying For A Veteran's Distinguished Park Pass Resource Building 1416 9th Street Sacramento CA 95814 (916) 657-4380 https://www.mapquest.com/us/california/resources-building-375367030 www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30958​ Contact CA Park Pass Sales Office: (800) 777-0369 ext. 2 Send email: parkpassinfo@parks.ca.gov

Awesome historical stop. This cute 1800s old town brings the California Gold Rush era to life with…read moreover 20 historic mining buildings. You can still see a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, a cafe, event venue (Gold Trail Grange), museum and a charming little post office that is actually still functional. It's a great spot for all, kids enjoy the fun gold-panning activities, adults interest to learn the Gold Rush history, walking trail, picnic and hanging out by the river. We also walked around the Mt. Murphy Road Bridge, this bridge offers great views of the South Fork American River and the white-water rafting, please watch out for cars, the bridge is narrow! Highly recommend stopping by this place.

The Eldorado National Forest consist of nearly 600,000 acres with lakes, streams, and rivers;…read moremeadows and mountains; and campsites and picnic areas. There are over 400 hiking trails that pass through various terrains ranging in technical difficulty. The terrain ranges from meadow, oak foothills, to the 10,000 foot Sierra Nevada. Some hiking trails require reservations for day use permits. There are also campgrounds. Some areas, such as the areas affected by the recent fires, are off limits. For up to date information, It is advised to check out the fs.usda.gov website. The area is beautiful. Gorgeous alpine backcountry. Old growth forest. Pristine streams. There are access roads that will drive into the area. But most of the access roads are ruff, not paved, and could be hard to maneuver without a SUV.

Where do I start?! I absolutely love hiking here. It's a long drive for us, but it is so worth it!…read moreIf you love Yosemite, then you will love it here as well. We hiked Horsetail Falls Trail, and I can't even explain how magnificent this place is. It is a 4 mile hike surrounded by mini waterfalls and rock formation throughout the hike. Your reward is getting underneath the main waterfall at the top of the hike. You will do a lot of rock climbing the further you hike, and it gets really steep. There are absolutely breathtaking views at the top. I love it! I recommend this hike to everyone. My tip for this hike is to bring lots of water because you will need it. Come early to snag a parking spot because it fills up fast and there is a $10 fee for parking. ENJOY!

Great spot to paddle board!!! Very lowkey but if you don't get there early enough you won't find…read moreparking!

Downgrading my stars on this spot because the rangers do not enforce access fees for parking and…read morethe last two times I've come here I could not find a parking spot and most of the people parked do not have a pass. As a golden poppy pass holder who pays his annual fees, this is becoming increasingly frustrating.

The way they run their swim lessons has become terrible. Over the last 3 years we have dealt with…read moreterrible instructors, missed classes with no makeups, and forcing us to change our times because they didn't fill the class which isn't my fault or problem. This is the last year that we will use them for swim lessons! It is absolutely ridiculous!

It would have been nice of the CSD to give us a heads up on their "no dog policy". It wasn't in the…read moreflyers and there were no signs put up along the entrances. This is unacceptable and I will never pay for the summer spectacular again.

Hours: 6 AM-9 PM daily Entrance/Parking Fee: $10…read moreKayak/Paddle Board Rental Hours: 9 AM-6 PM weekends https://www.lakenatomapaddlerentals.com/ Solos: 1st hr $20, each hr after $15 Tandem (2 people): 1st hr $30, each hr after $20 I had a very hard time finding info about this lovely spot, so there you go. Hope it helps! Entrance is accessible from Greenback Ln with $10 fee required per vehicle. 2 Parking lots available - 1 closer to boat launch area and another further lot that's more convenient for picnic areas and tables. Plenty of tables and area for lots of families to enjoy some water festivities! Have a big party or just want to lock down a few tables? Highly advise to come early. If you just need some space to place your mats down, it should be just fine. Incredible trails alongside the water for walking, jogging, and bike riding. Dogs are welcome but just make sure you pick up after them (I noticed a good number of dog poop near the water edge). Want to take a dip? Feel free! Quite cold but more than welcome to. Biggest reason why we came here? To see how the Kayak Rental system worked. Scan the QR code or visit the site to book your rentals and sign waivers. I was told they rented daily by a worker (young ones) but their online reservations just show weekends and random Wednesdays.. so good luck. Honestly Rental prices are higher than another spot we've been to, but this spot was much closer to home and easier to access. Price for convenience! We didn't go kayaking on this particular day but definitely plan to return with our own paddle board/Kayaks since it just makes sense to invest and go whenever we want versus rent a few kayaks with high rental feels. Who wants to return within 1 hr?! No way, you gotta stay out in the midst of nature for at LEAST a few hours! Pathway Tip: Walking or jogging? Stay on your left. Biking? Stay on your right. Standard Placer County rules. Great spot for families whether you want to picnic, swim, paddleboard, kayak, go for a nice walk, jog, or bike along gorgeous river waters scenery. Have fun!!

Went out to Black Miners Ravine to get on the paddleboard and just decompress a little. This time…read moreof year out there is hard to beat... good vibes, calm water, and a chance to shut the brain off for a bit. Nothing super exciting in this review, just one of those peaceful days you appreciate more as you get older lol. Now fair warning... that water is COLD cold when you first step in but once you're out there it's worth it. Even the ducks were just cruising around being friendly and minding their business. Sometimes you don't need much, just a board, some fresh air, and a little quiet.

Folsom Lake is a nice recreation state park. I've been coming here since as long as I could…read moreremember. It's one of the closest lakes in the Sacramento area where you can come to for outdoor water sports, or just to relax on the sand and be near water. There are multiple entry points to the lake, depending on your purpose. Beal's Point is nice if you want to come and chill or hang out, lay on the "beach", barbecue, or play in the water. It's great for families, friends or solo. You can also bring your paddle board or kayak too. If you have a boat, or jet skis, there is another entrance for that so that you can unload them into the water. There's 3 separate lanes for you to back up and unload into the water and everyone is usually mindful of each other's watercraft. I like the fact that they have a shop there onsite for last-minute items (tools, etc.) that you need for your boat or jet skis, including snacks and refreshments. There are also bathrooms onsite with a few stalls. There's plenty of parking also. It's nice to spend a whole day or 1/2 day here. We spent a good amount of time on the water and I loved it - nothing like soaking in the sun and playing in the water in hot days. I can't wait to come back and spend more time on the water.

First time time at Folsom Lake! Entered through the Folsom Lake-Granite Bay Entrance, on Douglas…read moreBlvd. Staff at the gate was nice and friendly. Parking is $12. Came here beginning of May to check out the lupine flowers. I parked at the Beek Bights parking lot as I was told that is where lupine flowers are at! Of course I came too late into the season as most were wilting. Was able to get a glimpse of some at least. It was a nice day out. Since I came on a weekday morning, it wasn't crowded at all. Peace and quiet. Walked around to check out all the wildflowers. After, did some hiking around the trails. Took a break to see the amazing view of Folsom Lake! Thanks to all the rain we had, the water level looks so much better! There is restroom located at the Beek Bights parking lot. Super convenient. There are multiple parking lots and spots. Folsom Lake is a great place to hike, camp, explore and more! Definitely coming back next year to catch all the lovely lupine flowers.

Love adventuring with our four legged friends. So many trails, beautiful views, and plenty of…read morespace. Check it out for yourself. You don't be sorry.

I visited Folsom Lake State Recreation Area last month with two friends after meeting up in…read moreSacramento. We were looking for something fun to do during the day and figured you can't go wrong with a California State Park. While the park itself didn't disappoint, I'll admit we barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. After paying the entrance fee, we drove around a bit but found there weren't too many roads to explore by car. We stopped at the lake long enough to take a few pictures and for me to use the restroom. The seasonal workers cleaning the bathrooms were friendly, though they were unable to share any fun facts about the lake (I guess I won't hold it against them). Since I don't have a boat, there was no getting out on the water... though one of my friends teased me to go inquire about the young man zipping around on a jet ski. Aside from boating, it seems like there are also camping spots and some hiking trails but we didn't get our shoes dirty on this visit. If I return, I'd love to slow things down and enjoy the park properly by maybe setting up a hammock by the lake, getting out on the water, or even trying a little fishing - as long as someone else handles the bait and any fish I inevitably catch! Overall, a beautiful spot with plenty of potential, I just need a do-over to experience it fully.

Very clean and although it's crowded, it doesn't feel overwhelming at all. The only downside for me…read moreis that outside food and drinks aren't allowed. But thankfully, there's a nice little cafeteria with affordable prices, okay for lunch or snacks. We'll definitely be back tomorrow! It's a great spot both for families with kids and for adults without children. There are slides, inflatable toys, and even an Olympic-size pool. There are plenty of lifeguards around, and one big plus for me: they play music! It really lifts the mood. We loved it!

Staff tends to misuse their whistles, to the point of deafening one's ears. A warning to step away…read morewould be nice. Can get ridiculously crowded with no seating.