There are numerous hiking trails to discover and each one is just as breathtaking and beautiful!…read moreParking has never been an issue with our yearly state park pass we park at the parking lot however before we had the state parking pass we parked near the gas station across the street and simply walked to the trails. There's also camping grounds at the lake which we have yet to explore however drove to the location and the views are gorgeous! Excited to go camping in the years to come!

Our family has had a boat at Folsom for over 35 years and it has always had its home at The Marina…read more With sizable slips at a relatively reasonable rate we keep coming back year after year. The big knocking Folsom and Not Cal is their lack of water and most times the boat is dry docked by July 15th. The recent rain has allowed us to have access to the boat in late August and with a last minute summer vacation I returned to my roots and we went out on the boat. Ample parking available Marina with gas, snacks and ice Easy access to the lake Lake life is a good life!

If you have never been to the Lake Natoma Recreation area, you are missing out on a very beautiful…read morelake. It is the place to Paddle board, swim in the water, look at sailboats big & small. There are kids learning to kayak in classes, families setting up day tents and people just enjoying a beautiful lake. The geese just paddle in the water and ducks fly low to the water as you paddle by. Right off of highway 50. This is my first paddle boarding experience. You take out the paddle board out of the bag, Lay it out. Blow it up, put on 3 fins on the bottom and you your paddle are ready to go. Have your life jacket, hat, water and a camera. I met really great people just floating and paddling today. This lake is really big. I stayed close to the main recreational area since I am new. I heard there is a cave you can explore. Natoma recreational park is a place for picnics, families, water sports, paddle boarding, sailing and fun in the sun. I am hooked on paddle boarding now. I love this lake! See you again. Bring the family or just yourself. Have an adventure. Julie A

Love Lake Natoma. Lots of water loving options for fun. Beach, picnic areas, connections to trails,…read moreand shade. No current is family friendly swimming for all. Love to take in a sunset on our stand up boards. You've got to check this place out for yourself. I am eager to return soon. Great place to beat the heat.

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.

We have come here a handful of times now for fishing. Not only do we always have a blast, but it is…read moreabsolutely gorgeous here. We haven't been here at sunrise, but the sunsets and stars are so beautiful... you can't help but slowly walk out when it is time to go. Lake Theodore is right off the road and not too hard to spot the entrance. For parking, you can park on the side of the road, right up to the entrance. There is a park & route below about 50 yards away, but that's quite a walk. You do go through a swirly gate and down a path, and there is a trail that leads to the back of the lake. There are spots you need to really pay attention to because of rocks and tree roots. Some trees are growing into the path. There is also some scat along the way, but hey! It's nature. What else do you expect! I have yet to take the path all the way around the small lake, but I have gotten halfway. It's easy to get stuck casting in spots because you'll see some big fish swimming by, or we start catching. In this small lake, you can expect to catch big mouth bass, small mouth bass, lots of blue gill, green sun fish, and a few extras swimming around. For us, the most popular bait we use is the natural big earth worms and night crawlers. For the big mouth bass, the seenkos are pretty popular... 3"-4" long (and we use the watermelon ones). I do like to head back to the front before it gets dark. You can see random spiders building their webs as the sun starts to set and heaven forbid I walk through those trees and go through a web and end up with a creepy crawly! I love bugs and fishing... but a random bug will make me shriek bloody murder, lol! When the sun goes down(on my side of town), there are so many stars to look at. Planes mostly fly over from the backside of the lake and those are fun to watch, too. I think we sat one night until 11pm casting and watching the stars. It was nice the moon was not out this particular night because it made it nice and dark and the stars shined so bright... As precautions, I suggest bringing bug spray and sun block. Bring some small collapsible chairs. Stock up on some water or whatever you drink. I easily spend 4+ hours at a time here admiring the beauty of nature. For those of you that know... tight lines!

I drove here today with a friend. We did not mean to come here...just found it by accident…read more It is located off his 80 a little above Auburn ca. As you drive up...there is a small parking area. You cannot drive in...there is a gate...so you park on the outside and walk in. There is a dirt path you can walk or ride a bike. By the water you will find places to put a chair and fish. This is a small lake. It is not for boating...or swimming.. There is a sign that clearly states no boats. It is so beautiful here. Peaceful. It would be a great place for lunch or just to sit for a while. I saw some ducks...and birds but no other wild life. It would be a nice place to walk your dogs. Don't wear new shoes...lots of red dirt.

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.

Amazing trail in scenic the Folsom SRA…read more Folsom lake gets a lot of attention as Lake Natoma is technically part of Folsom Lake's Recreation area but it couldn't be more different. Location: Lake Natoma is located downriver from Folsom damn and is held back by the Nimbus Dam. The major difference is that there is no motorized boats allowed on the lake and the water level is pretty consistent. This makes it much better for kayaking and paddle boards. It also make it great for waterfront trail that runs around the entire lake. Activities: With the recent renovations this trail is great for biking, walking and jogging. With the scenic view of the water and the scenery. Vibe: Besides the main trail, there are side trails and single tracks that run along the man trail. Lake Natoma has many activities and the multiuse trail is just one part. It's great to have something so great in Sacramento's backyard

Like it or not, the Lake Natoma waterfront and trail enhancement project was completed several…read moreyears ago. The result is the Lake Natoma Waterfront Access Trail. It provides ADA access to Lake Natoma area that's next to the Folsom historic district. The trail is a loop that cuts a path down closer to the river's edge and connects the current American River trail. It was my first time exploring the waterfront access. It was within a hour before dusk (in the winter) so I didn't venture far out. There are no lights out. I used the Gold Lake Drive access point behind Lake Natoma Inn that's also near the Lake Natoma Bridge Crossing pedestrian walk. The upper path is an ADA trail. The trail loops in an oval. It's shared with cyclists and pedestrians. So if you have mobility issues and/or children, please be vigilant and watch out for those cyclists. The lower trail hugs the river which the body of water is called Lake Natoma in this particular area. Not to be confused with the Lake Natoma recreation area off Hazel Avenue. There is a variety of foliage and wildlife to observe. Nearby parking maybe hard to find. You might have to park further away and walk over. But the plus side is that parking is totally free in and around Historic Folsom. Just be aware of the posted time limits.

Funday Sundaze! Love…read morethis place!! A local getaway to have some fun in the sun with the whole fam. Whether it's paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming, fishing or just BBQING. Can't beat the calm water! Have been paddle boarding here year after year. Other: -Day pass $10 -cash and card -Plenty of parking -Plenty of bathrooms -Plenty of places to set up your tent -some life jackets available/ first come first get lol - this place is right next to the aquatic center - if you want to rent a kayak other gear you go to the aquatic center first.

We came here over the 4th of July weekend and let me say how pleased I was to see not as much…read moreovercrowding as I was expecting and no price gouging on rentals due to the holiday! Parking included. ($10 only) This place makes for a great lake day not too far from Sacramento and right off the Hazel Avenue freeway exit. I'll take a 20 minute drive versus 45 to 1 hour to Folsom any day. Unless of course you plan to do boating or jet skiing. I have not been here since I was in college. As a Sac State student (Go Hornets!) you get discounts on the rentals. However, if you're not a student the pricing on their rentals were very affordable. For reference, we rented a paddle board and kayak for 3-3.5 hours paying only $100! Again, over a holiday weekend! That's a win in my book. The shore is pretty rocky in some areas, especially the beach area near the entrance. If you continue towards the bend there is more sand for little ones to dig and play with. You'll encounter rocks but not nearly as large and in such an abundance. The beaches, walkways, and parking lot were pretty clean. Bathroom wasn't disgusting either! We absolutely will be back again for the rest of this summer and through the warmer months after!

Beautiful park. Nice playground area and a large field/baseball field. A great spot to picnic and…read morelook out onto El Dorado Hills. There is a nearby restroom, a small area with a picnic table and parking is limited, probably 10 or so spots.

This a small neighbour park with nice green grass and a Nice view overlooking the homes of El…read moreDorado Hills and the lake. They have a small kiddie playground and a small picnic area , two clean public bathrooms, and small parking lot. It's pleasant, but I would not come out of way to visit here again . It's really mostly for the surrounding homes to enjoy . It took a total of less then two minutes to circle the park. We did sneak a walk in the gated neighborhood next to the park. Very beautiful homes here !