DAY HIKES and OUTINGS around Sacramento
Pack up the family and a picnic and get some air & exercise. These hikes/day-trips are all within easy driving from Sac, and are worth the trip.
- Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area - Easy walk, 1.5 miles total along the Sacramento River. Watch people raft and canoe down the river while strolling along oak woodland. Spring is one of the best times to visit...so get out there! For location & directions: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=459
- Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (SRA) - A local favorite --- easy to semi-difficult walk through Oak woodland and grassland. View birds and wildflowers, and enjoy a walk along the lake. Folsom Lake is popular for swimming, fishing, boating and camping, so maybe stay a few days! http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=500
- American River Parkway - A 23-mile, 5,000-acre nature preserve along the American River. Walk along the parkway at your leisure and enjoy the valley oaks and egrets. A great part of the parkway is the section between Hazel Ave. and Folsom. A million things to do here. Picnics, swimming, fishing, boating, bicycling, equestrian trails. You pick! http://www.arpf.org/
- Cosumnes River Wildlife Preserve - One of my favorite places to take my children on a sunny afternoon. A beautiful wild preserve, Cosumnes is a riparian wetland environment, unmarred and brimming with wildlife. The wetlands are part of the migrating birds' path, and you can see tons of different birds out there....a wood-plank walkway through the preserve is available for strollers/wheel-chairs, and there are picnic tables. Really fun. There's even a little nature learning center geared toward little ones. Free. http://www.cosumnes.org/
- Colusa-Sac River SRA - Easy strolls through the little village of Colusa and along the gorgeous Sac River. Check out ag land, tons of birds and river-people. Take the walk and end up at the beach, where you can enjoy the water and sand. Really nice place. Good for families. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=461
