SPORTS & RECREATION / PARKS & NATURE
Outdoor adventurers and sports enthusiasts as well as those who enjoy the relaxation of passive recreation against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty will find a paradise in the Sacramento Valley as well as Central and Northern California. Internationally celebrated resources like Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and miles of riverfront along the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta are just a few of the treasures in this vast, scenic region.
Regional State Parks
Angel Island State Park
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco 415-435-1915
www.parks.ca.gov
Commanding spectacular views of San Francisco, the Marin Headlands, and Mount Tamalpais, this island park is accessible by ferry.
Ano Nuevo State Park
Pescadero 650-879-2040
www.parks.ca.gov
More than 2,000 acres of redwood forests provide ideal opportunities for camping and hiking.
Auburn State Recreation Area
Auburn 530-885-4527
www.parks.ca.gov
More than 35,000 acres along 40-miles of the North and Middle Forks of the American River preserves a natural area for hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, whitewater thrills, and off-highway motorcycle riding.
Bean Hollow State Beach
Pescadero 650-879-2170
www.parks.ca.gov
Fishing, picnicking, beachcombing, and nature study along a self-guided trail are popular activities in this marine paradise.
Bidwell Sacramento River State Park
Chico 530-342-5185
www.parks.ca.gov
Popular activities at the park include bank or boat fishing for salmon, steelhead, and shad as well as river cruising on inner tubes, canoes, or kayaks. Various riverfront landscapes preserve a vanishing habitat.
Brannan Island State Recreation Area
Rio Vista 916-777-6671
www.parks.ca.gov
Enjoy a maze of waterways through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta with countless islands and marshes, preserved wildlife habitants, and diverse recreational opportunities. This area offers world-class boating, fishing, and water sports.
Burton Creek State Park
Tahoe City 530-525-7232
www.parks.ca.gov
Covering 2,000 acres along the outskirts of Tahoe City, the park features six miles of unpaved roadway for scenic hiking and cross-country skiing.
Butano State Park
Pescadero 650-879-2040
www.parks.ca.gov
Along the San Mateo coast along Highway One are 2,200 acres of secluded redwood-filled canyon.
Castle Rock State Park
Los Gatos 408-867-2952
www.parks.ca.gov
More than 3,600 wooded acres have been largely preserved in a wild state with miles of trails and steep canyon walls.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Stockton 209-795-2334
www.parks.ca.gov
Originally formed to preserve a grove of giant sequoias, the park is home to the first Sierra redwood noted in 1852. Other parcels of mixed conifer forests have been added to the park to bring the total area to approximately 6,500 acres.
Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area
Colusa 530-458-4927
www.parks.ca.gov
Stretching over 67 acres, the park offers campsites, picnic sites, and a launch ramp for small boats. Riverbank cottonwoods and willows shelter one of the state’s finest fishing stretches.
Delta Meadows State Park
Walnut Grove 916-445-7373
www.parks.ca.gov
Preserving and protecting one of the last remaining areas of the northern Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the park offers hiking trails and nature study along the Pacific flyway.
D.L Bliss State Park
South Lake Tahoe 530-525-7277
www.parks.ca.gov
Breathtaking grandeur was made possible through the successive upheavals that formed and raised the Sierra Nevada. Promontories like Rubicon Point offer incredible vistas of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay.
Donner Memorial State Park
Truckee 530-582-7892
www.parks.ca.gov
Camp, picnic, boat, fish, water ski, and hike against forests of lodgepole, Jeffrey Pine, and white fir in this vast park covering 1,750 acres.
Emerald Bay State Park
South Lake Tahoe 530-541-3030
www.parks.ca.gov
This famous cove of Lake Tahoe was designated a National Natural Landmark for its brilliant panorama of mountain-building processes and glacier carved granite. The park features exceptional Scandinavian architecture and a “tea house” built on Fannette Island.
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Folsom 916-988-0205
www.parks.ca.gov
One of California’s most popular multi-use parks, this area is ideal for fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, water skiing, boating, swimming, and studying nature. Folsom Lake offers 120 miles of shoreline and 18,000 acres of water surface.
Grover Hot Springs State Park
South Lake Tahoe 530-694-2248
Pool Information 530-694-2249
www.parks.ca.gov
Nestled on the east side of the Sierra at the edge of the Great Basin Province, the park features pine forest with a hot springs, camp sites, hiking trails, and picnic areas.
Henry W. Coe State Park
Morgan Hill 408-779-2728
www.parks.ca.gov
One of Northern California’s largest parks features 81,000 acres of canyons, forests, and pine-clad hillsides.
Kings Beach State Recreation Area
Tahoe City 530-546-7248
www.parks.ca.gov
Ponderosa Pine groves and small brush cover 700 feet of lake frontage where water-sport activities are popular in the warmer months.
Lake Valley State Recreation Area
South Lake Tahoe 530-525-7232
Golf Course 530-577-0788
www.parks.ca.gov
Ringed by towering mountains, this beautiful park offers an 18-hole golf course and winter sports in season.
Plumas-Eureka State Park
Blairsden 530-836-2380
www.parks.ca.gov
Visitors will discover California history along with scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. Fishing is outstanding in two lakes and cross-country skiing is popular.
Portola Redwoods State Park
La Honda 650-948-9098
www.parks.ca.gov
Redwood forests dominate the 2,200-acre landscape, complemented by 14 miles of trails.
San Bruno Mountain State Park
Brisbane 650-363-4020
www.parks.ca.gov
Nearly 2,300 acres are exceptionally rich in wildlife and offer hiking trails and beautiful views of the city and the bay.
South Yuba River State Park
Penn Valley 530-432-2546
www.parks.ca.gov
Activities include swimming, hiking, panning for gold, wildflower viewing, and exploring the trails leading to historic mining sites. Docent-led history, nature, and gold-panning tours are offered at select times throughout the year.
Sugar Pine Point State Park
Tahoe City 530-525-7982
www.parks.ca.gov
Visitors are able to view one of the finest remaining natural areas on Lake Tahoe, nearly two miles of lake frontage with dense forests of pine, fir, aspen, and juniper.
Tahoe State Recreation Area
Tahoe City 530-583-3074
www.parks.ca.gov
Lakeside campgrounds surrounded by Ponderosa and Jefferey pine groves is the main attraction to this beautiful park.
Washoe Meadows State Park
South Lake Tahoe 530-694-2248
www.parks.ca.gov
More than 620 acres of meadow and woodland in the valley at the base of the escarpment leading to Echo Summit remains undeveloped and unspoiled.
Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area
Chico 530-839-2112
www.parks.ca.gov
Covering 142 acres, oak woodlands nestle along the Sacramento River, the park features Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen, and the Trinity Alps towering in the distance. River access encourages water sports.
Bay Area Ocean State Parks
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Montara 650-726-8819
www.parks.ca.gov
The sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs that drop abruptly into the Pacific offers a steep trail to the beach and gray whale sightings.
Half Moon Bay State Park
Half Moon Bay 650-726-8819
www.parks.ca.gov
Four miles of sandy beaches offer a picturesque setting for sunbathing, fishing, picnicking, and camping.
Montara State Beach
Montara 650-726-8819
www.parks.ca.gov
Explore tide pools or surf-fish on a sweeping beach bordered by low hills to the north and south.
Pacheco State Park
Gilroy 209-826-6283
www.parks.ca.gov
Nearly 6,900 acres in historic Pacheco Pass offer scenic vistas and multi-purpose trails.
Pacifica State Beach
Pacifica 650-738-7381
www.parks.ca.gov
This wide, crescent-shaped beach serves as the northern gateway to the coastline stretching south of San Francisco.
Pescadero State Beach
Pescadero 650-879-2170
www.parks.ca.gov
The mile-long shoreline features sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide pools, fishing areas, and picnic facilities.
Pomponio State Beach
Half Moon Bay 650-879-2170
www.parks.ca.gov
Miles of gently sloping, sandy beaches at the base of high sandstone bluffs offer roaring surf and a quiet lagoon.
Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area
Sacramento 916-324-4442
www.ohv.parks.ca.gov
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, this 836-acre park provides open areas for motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and four-wheel drive vehicles. Other tracks include midget, go-kart, clay oval, mud drags, and a four-wheel obstacle course.
San Gregorio State Beach
Half Moon Bay 650-879-2170
www.parks.ca.gov
This beach protects a driftwood-strewn estuary filled with wildlife and features grassy bluffs along the coast.
Parks & Recreation Contacts
Bureau of Land Management in California
916-978-4400
https://www.blm.gov/california
California State Parks
916-653-6995
800-777-0369
www.parks.ca.gov
California Fish & Game Commission
916-445-0411
www.wildlife.ca.gov/
Cameron Park Community Services District
530-677-2231
www.cameronpark.org
Davis City Parks & Recreation
530-757-5626
http://cityofdavis.org/
East Bay Regional Park District
510-562-PARK
www.ebparks.org
El Dorado County Parks, Rivers & Trails
530-621-5864
www.edcgov.us/Parks/
El Dorado Hills Community Services District
916-933-6624
www.edhcsd.org
Georgetown Divide Recreation District
530-333-4000
www.gdrd.org
National Park Service
Online Directory
www.nps.gov
North Lake Tahoe Beaches
530-546-7248
530-583-5544
www.placer.ca.gov/
Placer County Parks & Grounds
530-886-4901
www.placer.ca.gov/
Placerville Parks & Recreation
530-642-5232
www.cityofplacerville.org
Recreation on Government Land
Online Directory
www.recreation.gov
Regional Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Sacramento County
916-875-6961
www.sacparks.net
Sacramento City Parks & Recreation
General Information
916-808-5200
Recreation Programs
916-808-6060
https://www.cityofsacramento.org/ParksandRec/Recreation
San Francisco Parks & Recreation
415-831-2700
http://sfrecpark.org/
South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation
530-542-6056
www.cityofslt.us
USDA Forest Service
202-205-8333
www.fs.fed.us
Yolo County Parks & Natural Resources
530-666-8038
www.yolocounty.org
Federal Forests & Natural Areas
Bucks Lake Wilderness
Plumas National Forest
Quincy 530-283-2050
www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas
Desolation Wilderness
El Dorado National Forest
Placerville 530-644-2349
https://www.fs.fed.us
El Dorado National Forest
Placerville 530-644-6048
https://www.fs.fed.us
Feather River Scenic Byway
Plumas National Forest
Quincy 530-283-2050
https://www.fs.fed.us
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
South Lake Tahoe 530-543-2600
https://www.fs.fed.us
Mokelumne Wilderness
El Dorado National Forest
Placerville 530-644-6048
https://www.fs.fed.us
Plumas National Forest
Quincy 530-283-2050
https://www.fs.fed.us
Stanislaus National Forest
Sonora 209-532-3671
https://www.fs.fed.us
Tahoe National Forest
Nevada City 530-265-4531
https://www.fs.fed.us
Federal Parkland
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco 415-561-4700
www.nps.gov/goga
One of the largest urban national parks in the world and one of the nation’s largest coastal preserves covers nearly 76,000 acres of land and water, boasting almost 60 miles of bay and ocean shoreline.
Muir Woods National Monument
Mill Valley 415-388-2595
www.nps.gov/muwo
Named after conservationist John Muir, this tract of land covered with majestic coastal redwoods is unrivaled in its pristine beauty and grandeur.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes 415-464-5100
www.nps.gov/pore
Unique elements of biological and historical interest blend a spectacularly scenic panorama of thunderous ocean breakers, open grasslands, bushy hillsides, and forested ridges.
Redwood National & State Parks
Crescent City 707-464-6101
www.nps.gov/redw
Three California state parks and the national park service manage vast tracts of old-growth redwood forest, honored together as a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Three Rivers 559-565-3341
www.nps.gov/seki
Giant Sequoias, immense mountains, and deep canyons seem even more dramatic with the drastic elevation change from 1,500 to 14,491 feet. More than 200 fascinating caverns lie beneath the surface.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Park 209-372-0200
www.nps.gov/yose
High cliffs, waterfalls, historic sites, giant sequoias, Glacier Point spectacular views, Tuolumne Meadows, and Hetch Hetchy reservoir are just a few of the highlights in this vast paradise.
Nature Centers & Gardens
Ancil Hoffman Park
6700 Tarshes Drive
Carmichael 916-875-6961
www.sacparks.net
Central features of this 396-acre park are the 18-hole championship golf course and the Effie Yeaw Nature Center. The well-maintained trail surrounding the entire park is popular with joggers and dog-walkers. Beautiful picnic spots provide barbecues.
Ano Nuevo State Reserve
Half Moon Bay 650-879-0227
www.anonuevo.org
Visitors flock to this 4,000-acre site, the largest mainland breeding colony in the world for the northern elephant seals.
The Botanic Garden
Tilden Regional Park
Berkeley 510-562-PARK
www.nativeplants.org
www.ebparks.org
This vast garden is devoted to collection, growth, display, and preservation of native Californian plants.
California State Capitol Park & World Peace Rose Garden
10th & L Street
Sacramento 916-324-0333
Reservations 866-240-4655
www.parks.ca.gov
Situated in the heart of downtown Sacramento, this lush oasis attracts visitors and locals to its natural beauty and restful atmosphere. The variety of foliage is astounding, supporting the urban legend that at least one of every California-native tree is represented in the park.
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
San Francisco 415-666-7001
www.conservatoryofflowers.org
Don’t miss this spectacular living museum of rare and exotic tropical plants in the heart of Golden Gate Park.
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Newark 510-792-0222
www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay/
In addition to preserving and protecting habitat for wildlife and migratory birds, the center offers recreational and educational opportunities.
Eddy Arboretum
Institute of Forest Genetics
Placerville 530-622-1225
www.fs.fed.us/psw
Founded in 1927, this facility specializes in pines as well as other native and exotic conifers.
Effie Yeaw Nature Center
Ancil Hoffman County Park
2850 San Lorenzo Way
Carmichael 916-489-4918
https://www.sacnaturecenter.net
Nestled in the American River Parkway, this award-winning environmental and cultural education center provides a glimpse of live wild animals and a hands-on museum. The replica Maidu Indian Village combines with native plant landscaping on this 77-acre nature preserve with oak woodland and riverbank trails.
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
California & North Lake
Moss Beach 650-728-3584
http://parks.smcgov.org/
Visitors and naturalists flock to this living community of colorful and varied marine life including seaweed, crabs, sponges, sea anemones, starfish, and fish.
Hakone Gardens
21000 Big Basin Way
Saratoga 408-741-4994
www.hakone.com
The oldest Japanese-style residential gardens in the Western Hemisphere create 18 acres of magnificent beauty.
McKinley Park Gardens
601 Alhambra Boulevard
Sacramento 916-452-8011
http://www.mckinleyparkcenter.org/mckinley-park-rose-garden
Shepard Garden and Arts Center and a beautiful rose garden are just two of the many amenities that draw visitors to the park.
Modoc National Wildlife Refuge
Alturas 530-233-3572
www.fws.gov/refuge/modoc/
Fed by melting snow from the Warner Mountains, the Pit River creates an oasis for wildlife in the high desert of northeastern California.
Natural Oak Preserve
Natoma Oaks Park
2230 River Plaza Drive
Sacramento 916-808-5200
www.cityofsacramento.org
Featuring an interpretive center and picnic areas, this wonderful area offers an oasis in the city.
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
1624 Hood-Franklin Road
Elk Grove 916-775-4420
www.fws.gov/refuge/stone_lakes/
Commanding a rich mosaic of Central Valley habitats including grassland, wetlands, vernal pool, riparian, and oak forest, the refuge enjoys a prime location along the Pacific Flyway.
Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco 415-661-1316
www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/
Set in the heart of one of the world’s most beautiful cities, this spectacular botanical garden inspires visitors with the extraordinary diversity of rare and unusual plants that can be grown in coastal California.
UC Arboretum
University of California-Davis
Davis 530-742-4880
www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu
Thousands of plants are displayed in a variety of theme gardens that cover more than 100 acres on both sides of Putah Creek. This living museum serves as an outdoor classroom and a tranquil site for passive recreation.
UC Botanical Garden
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley 510-642-3343
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
One of the world’s largest botanical gardens is a living museum of unimaginable diversity.
William Land Park
1702 Sutterville Road
Sacramento 916-808-5200
www.cityofsacramento.org
Breathtakingly beautiful mature trees and shrubbery grace meticulously manicured landscapes in this vintage park. Among the premier amenities are lush picnic areas, a link to the American River Parkway, a popular golf course, the Sacramento Zoo, and Fairytale Town.
Yolo Basin Foundation
Davis 530-758-1018
http://yolobasin.org
The foundation cooperates with the California Department of Fish and Game to provide wetlands and wildlife education on the Yolo Bypass Area between Sacramento and Davis.
Welcome to the Blue World
Residents of the Sacramento Valley enjoy easy access to one of the world’s most beloved recreational destinations: Lake Tahoe. This breathtakingly beautiful lake is more than a spectacular backdrop for outdoor recreation, its clear and pure waters are unrivaled for water sports. More than a dozen world-class ski resorts are close by when the snow flies, offering cozy lodges and first-class amenities. Hiking, fishing, camping, backpacking, golfing, tennis, mountain biking, shopping, and casino gaming excitement are all magnets to one of the nation’s true natural treasures. For more information or assistance in planning a Lake Tahoe vacation or getaway, contact:
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
South Lake Tahoe 530-544-5050
http://tahoesouth.com
