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.

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!

Love that this hiking trail is within 5 minutes of my home. Having the parkway available throughout…read morethe Sacramento area makes it Sacramento an even more disrespectful place to live. My husband and I go here for shorter rehabilitation walks (he is relearning how to walk after a spinal tumor was removed), I go here on my own for connecting back to nature and exercise, and the last two days I enjoyed taking a 6 mile hike with brother who was visiting. I have visited all up and down the parkway, at different entrance points, and different times of year. It never disappoints. I have had a yearly pass and it is well worth it for all the enjoyment I get from here.

I spent the majority of my vacation in Sactown along the American River. Just beautiful!…read more Loved this particular spot with wonderful views. I am assuming they get super busy when it is warmer but was nice to be here without a lot of folks around.

Yestetday was a combination of Hot and Cold weather for our Father's day adventure. It was a 107…read moredegree heat and icy cold water on your feet. These combination made a perfect day fun in the sun for our family. As long as you're fully protected by sunscreen, hat , and possible light long sleeve item, you'll be fine. While the heat is overwhelming, the water is another extreme. 20 seconds with your feet in the water......you'll want to get out. It is freezing cold. All the snow up in the mountains are melting and there's more water than I expected. It did not bother us a bit, we had a great time. I remember doing this many years ago but this time it seems much quicker finishing the floating down the river. The flow of the water is much faster that we got done in 2 hours. It took us 4-5 hours before. Advice: Bring food and plenty to drink Bring protection (hats, sunscreen, water slippers, zip lock bags or water proof containers for personal belongings, possible umbrella) Bring water toys, this should add to your fun Check weather/ news before going so you can prepare for the unexpected.

I love living so close to the river. The American River is so beautiful and getting out the first…read moreday of 1/1/24 was treat. The weather was so nice and everyone was so friendly. Happy New Years :)

Found this gem yesterday!!! $7 for a car entrance fee. Plenty of parking & lots of different spots…read more2 park & explore. We walked 2 the river on this easy trail, but there wasn't a good spot 2 put my feet in. We hopped back in the car & drove throughout the park. We found a great spot where we could bring our chairs in the shade & relax. We found a spot w/ a huge parking lot, a bridge 2 cross 2 get to a beach-like spot where u could get in the river. We saw grasshoppers, caterpillars, ducks, geese, & deer!!! Next time, we r bringing chairs 2 relax in!!!

The short: After 20+ miles on the American river bike trail I found this little gem…read more The long: After spending quite some time biking and waiting to find some area where I could take a break, stretch my legs, and use some facilities I came upon Lower Sunrise Park. It is a wide open green space with plenty of trees scattered across it. There were a fair amount of benches and picnic tables also peppered throughout. The restrooms were super clean and well located. I noticed there were a bunch of people floating down the river in rafts and canoes and found out that this is a big launching spot for people who are into those activities. I suppose if you are looking for a nice park to maybe have a picnic or just enjoy the outdoors this would be more than adequate. What works: Nice clean and maintained green space What to improve: Not really too much

Hands down one of the best outdoor spots in Sacramento! Whether you're biking, running, or just out…read morefor a scenic stroll, this trail has it all. Beautiful river views, shaded sections, and plenty of wildlife. The path is well maintained, with smooth pavement and clear mile markers, making it perfect for long rides or quick workouts. What really sets this trail apart is the variety of scenery. You get stretches of peaceful nature, rolling hills, and access points to the river for a quick break. There are also plenty of rest areas and water fountains along the way. It feels safe, especially in the busier sections, and there's a great mix of casual riders and serious cyclists. If you're in Sacramento and love the outdoors, this trail is a must. Whether you're riding from Folsom to Old Sacramento or just doing a short loop, the American River Bike Trail is one of the best ways to enjoy the city. Highly recommend!

My favorite trail in Sacramento! So peaceful and beautiful. Paved path and you see the trail as you…read morego. Try the entrance from Larchmount community park.

Miners Ravine is my favorite bike trail in the Roseville area for walks and runs! There is a lovely…read morestream that snakes along the bike trail and a lot of trail is shaded by trees, which makes it comfortable to use in the warmer months.

It was the perfect spot for my birthday photoshoot in nature!! I didn't have to even go far from…read morethe parking lot to get epic pics. It was so beautiful, I'll need to come back with proper shoes to walk the trail.

This is an excellent city park with a large lawn area, lots of trees, a small kids play area, and…read morepicnic tables (some under trees!). The path leads to the other park and the paved trails go under the main street (Blue Oaks Blvd) to reveal yet more paved trails that meander through yet more trees. It's a really good place to get in some exercise or just wander and take in the beauty of it. The ONLY drawback would be the street noise which you cannot escape.

Nice and clean park with playground, restrooms, big picnic area and good place for running or…read morewalking!