Another beautiful day on the American River Parkway... the sun is out and it is gorgeous... read more

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Who wouldn't like the river.... water is clean you can see what's in the water. Absolutely beautiful!!

Can't say enough about the American River Parkway. What a GEM! The world-class bike trail, the great parks, the wildlife, the rafting, swimming, & kayaking, the Nimbus aquatic center, the hatchery, Folsom Lake, the list goes on. How many Sacramento kids have jumped off of Sunrise footbridge or Rainbow bridge? Or the rope swing off El Manto Drive? Braved the San Juan "rapids" on a raft? Lay in the sun at River Park or Discovery beach? Cycled or roller bladed on the trail? The parkway is a truly great recreational resource, on par with coastal towns like or lake towns in my mind. What brought me to this review was a Father's day raft trip. Been rafting the river here for almost 40 years. It's much better lately since they restricted the partying - it was too wild for a few years around Ancil Hoffman. Here's some yelper "Rafting the lower American River" tips: Get in at Hazel or Sunrise, get out at Goethe (2 hrs from Sunrise), Harrington (2.5 hrs), Watt (3.5 hrs), or Howe (4 hrs). Hazel adds 45 minutes. You can even go down to River Park, Sutter's Landing or Discovery but people usually don't. The county has "renamed" Goethe as "River Bend Park" - and it shows everywhere except signs and maps and the internet and when you ask a local - doh. Buy your own raft - it pays for itself in three trips and saves time. I have the #5 Excursion - great raft for a great price: http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Excursion-5-Boat-Set/dp/B00177J4UC (Amazon has free shipping!) You'll need two cars though, or a friend to drop you off. Otherwise River Rat (north side off Sunrise Blvd) and AR Raft Rentals (south side off Sunrise Blvd) are great for convenience, except the "renting the raft" and later "waiting for the bus" parts. Leave your towels in the car where you'll get out. Have a small-mid sized cooler that will fit everything. Wear sandals that you can get wet and dirty, and bring a light shirt even if you don't plan to wear it. . Use plenty of 45spf waterproof sunscreen and reapply after an hour out. Bring 12oz of something to drink for every hour out, especially for from 10am-5pm May-Sept. Sunrise to Goethe is great for first timers. Try a sunrise or sunset ride sometime for some real fun. Sunrise is best for seeing nature, sunset is the most picturesque. Don't worry about the San Juan "rapids" (30-45 mins below Sunrise) they are as tame as they come, but still are a nice 45 second kick that might splash you. Jump in for a swim where the water is deep and slow enough - it's very cool on a hot day - and despite the horror stories is very safe if you aren't stupid. read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

What's not to love about this spot! Great views, fresh air and a series of long nicely paved trails that intertwine along the river. I try to go early in the day, I like a sunrise ride, or during the week to bypass the craziness of mass humanity that flocks here on the weekends.It's popular for certain and for good reason. I often see odd characters in the morning so I would suggest a buddy up system if that makes you uneasy. Yes it can get a little contentious on weekends when you merge: Walkers (with and without dogs on those 40 foot retractable leashes) / Joggers / Cyclists (from hipster fixie boys, racers looking to keep their pace up come hell or hi water and mom and dad a couple kids riding four wide). Over the years the up keep and patrols have suffered due to a lack of funding. It's a little more spartan than it used to be but still a hard place to beat. The greater Sacramento are is fortunate to have such a great path weaving along the river. A true gem for certain. read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

Nature at its best for sure and an awesome bike trail along the American river for miles and miles. I like to get early morning bike rides in before it gets hot during the summer. Will post more pictures soon. Walkers, please follow posted instructions as to the direction to walk on the correct side so as you can see oncoming bikes and traffic and pay attention to your leashed dogs so as not to cause accidents. I like to ride from my home to Karen's Bakery for breakfast along this trail on Saturday mornings. Thank you Sacramento County for maintaining such a scenic and useful part of the local infrastructure. read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

Came here with a huge group and it was good times if you are close to your group of friends, just hanging out, drinking beers. There is even a rock to jump off of and ropes to swing off of. Though, the river is so long. It takes about 4 hours to go down the river to a point where a shuttle is provided back to your parking area. Many of us experienced swimmer's itch here. It's pretty uncomfortable! We are all itching with some of us having red bumps everywhere and some just with small white bumps all over. I definitely will not be coming back to this river because of this! I wish someone had warned me of this! read more

I took my hybrid bike and decided to make a long ride of this. I started out in downtown around 20th Street and D Street. That's where you can catch the beginning of the northern Trailway. Then it leads quickly into the American River Bikeway. You can park at this place for absolutely free. It seems like a reasonably safe place, and there's no problem with parking whatsoever. There are plenty of nice stops along the way, if you porta potties, and some nice picnic tables. On this Saturday, it was not very crowded. There were some people but not overly crowded. On the western part of my right I checked out Discovery Park. I was a little concerned, because I heard there was a lot of crime there. But on this Saturday, all was quiet. All in all, I would say this is a very good ride. The trail is reasonably well maintained, and there was no problems with getting in a rut or anything like that. read more

Sunday fun dayyy.. It's the place to be!! We always stop at the river rat before entering an pick up the $5 bracelets to ride the shuttle bus back. Just make sure to get there before 5 or u will have no ride back. (this tends to happen when u roll with a baghillion drunk people that don't want to leave the island to continue down the river and ur fucked) Yes there's an island with a mud pit where some people wrestle, flash and fall on their face because it's so slippery. It normally takes about 2-3 hrs to float down depending on the current. You can bring a cooler with you, they just say no bottles. Make sure to bring rope to tie you and your friends rafts together. We usually bring our rafts that you can buy from big 5, if not, you can rent it there for a pretty penny. Also bring ziplock bags to keep your important stuff from getting wet. You're ready, time to get hammered!! read more

American River Parkway - island! - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

Good for running/ walking with nature. I also bring my bully dog here for training and long walks with her. It's calm and peaceful to be surrounded with likeminded people and nature. It's always clean and quiet. read more

BEWARE OF SWIMMERS ITCH*** It was fun but yea be careful and be aware there's a chance you're going to get swimmers itch going in the water. It's not the cleanest even though water looks somewhat clear:/ read more

One of the best things about living in this awesome city of Sacramento is the American River Parkway. We like to bike it and go out at least three times per week! We have met so many awesome, friendly and helpful bikers out there. The paths are all smoothly cemented so it's always a comfortable ride. With the river right there it's also a beautiful view. Very very fortunate to have access to the parkway!!!! read more

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~ row, row, row your boat ~ ~ gently down the stream ~ when i sing "gently" I truly mean GENTLY ~ the lower section of the river is perfect for lazy river floating. we usually rent rafts from river rats a couple minutes away from the launch site. they provide paddles (i'm not sure why...LOL), life jackets (which we use to tie rafts together), and the gigantic raft. For $4.00 more you can get shuttled back to your car at end of the trip which is approximately 30 minute bus ride. as you float down the river for 4-6 hours, you will see tranquil scenery, cool homes, and towards the end of the float there's a rope swing. along the banks, you could dock your boat/raft and swim or sun bathe. what could be better than packing up some sandwich for lunch, booze in a cooler, and gather a group of friends on a relaxing day at the river? (that is of course, if the sun block doesn't run out. once it does, it's a test to the bond of friendships) read more

WARNING: PEOPLE ARE BREAKING INTO CARS WHILE YOU FLOAT DOWN THE RIVER. On June 26th I went floating down the river and had the most amazing summer day. This is an amazing river to enjoy. However, when we made it back to our car someone had smashed out our window and taken some misc. items. We notice 3 OTHER CARS with smashed windows as we drove out. Make sure you aren't leaving ANYTHING in your car. Someone is watching you and waiting for you to leave. I don't want this happening to anyone else. Also, make sure you bring lots of sunscreen. :) read more

Swimmer's itch is a REAL DEAL HERE, so be very careful. If you don't what it is, google it. Basically, (warning: this sound gross), the river is infected with small parasites that are spread through duck feces. If it accidentally gets under your skin, you break out in tiny, itchy bumps all over your body that can last up to two weeks. Mine occurred 3 days after rafting and I had no idea what it was. Thinking I was dying, I googled extensively and deduced that rafting was the cause of my rash. Most of my group got swimmer's itch too and from the look of yelp reviews it's become quite common. Avoiding shallow waters and drying down immediately after getting out of the water can help prevent swimmer's itch to a certain extent. I must say I'm not surprised though-- the river is downright filthy from trash, urine, vomit, beer residue, animal feces, etc. I wish I didn't have to write this review because I do have amazing lazy afternoons on this river. Laying with friends just drifting aimlessly while thoroughly inebriated has become a fond summer pastime. However, after this one poor experience, I will have to re-think twice. read more

You may THINK you are having fun, floating down the river, soaking up the sun. Little do you know of the microscopic attack your body is undergoing. Read this and consider yourself warned. A week later, I'm on a 12 day regimen of steroids after a minor freakout from a rash. My doctor first thought it was a heat rash, but it WAS NOT. http://www.statehornet.com/rafting-in-the-river-can-lead-to-rash/article_85983837-deab-5cfc-92bf-b967753f4c1e.html read more

We wanted river access so checked out the beach under the green bridge, just off the Richards exit. The only reason I gave 3 stars was that the river was great. However, pretty sketchy in the picnic areas on both sides of the riverbank. A homeless person was so bold as to ask to inspect our ice chest for a spare bottle of water. Won't be going back. read more

Good place to go fishing and enjoy some quiet time nice area in general to walk around in and find a peace of mind and just nice place to chill read more

Whether you want to walk, run, cycle, kayak, float, raft, etc., the American River & its parkway is a must see. The Parkway itself is an incredibly well-kept stretch of paved pathways from Old Sac all the way to Folsom. One of my absolute favorite things to do on a nice day in Sacramento is take my road bike out here. You don't have to worry about car traffic and it's so nice to get out and feel away from the city. I have rafted/floated the river from Sunrise down to Goethe park growing up more times than I can count. Our river isn't the clearest/cleanest/swiftest, but it has always been a fun/affordable thing to do. Pack a picnic ice chest lunch, complete with some brew, and have at it! (Go for cans over bottles and pack out what you bring in!) It's places like the Parkway that remind me of how much Sac really has to offer. read more

I used to look forward to a trip here every summer when I was younger. Now I take trips with my friends and it's really a lot of fun but can get really crowed. It's a pain that after you rent your raft, you have to walk it a pretty long way to get to the river...good thing we had strong men with us! =P So why the 1 star? My friend and I discovered we were getting rashes all over our body, something called "swimmer's itch" http://www.statehornet.com/2.4409/rafting-in-the-river-can-lead-to-rash-1.567280 - "Disgusting at best, the parasite begins its life in the bodies of aquatic snails and burrows into the bloodstreams of waterfowl. The birds deposit their waste in a body of water releasing the schistosomes eggs and the cycle repeats, producing contaminated water." Nasty right? Another friend got a cold and my BF got an ear infection and they had to flush his ear out. Safe to say we won't be coming back here. If travel time isn't an issue, Stanislaus River is great fun and definitely less crowded with no weird rashes to date. read more

One of the gems of Sacramentucky. You can float down the river, ride your bike, have a picnic or BBQ. You can fish from numerous spots, enjoy a stroll. Really do it all. Fishing really is a blast from any of the bridges, as you get to see the wild life float down the river. Lots of stripers feed near the bridges, and a few strippers too! It's an amazing park that they keep really clean and links many communities. Really beautiful and glad I've visited it on numerous occasions. read more

really awesome park! It has bike trails, walking trails, river access and a bridge that crosses over the American river. It was quiet and peaceful the day I visited and I will be returning again. read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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One of the best ways to spend a hot day with a group of friends. Sure, the San Juan rapids stole my sunglasses, but that was more of me not wearing a cool sunglass retainment strap. Also, I fell into the water and got scared. Don't forget the sunscreen on your knees and tops of feet!! read more

The ole river rat in me could not resist posting a review on one of the most nearest and dearest things in my heart. I grew up since the age of 5 with the biketrail, parkway and river directly behind my house. I remember so many summer days spent in the park and in those hidden areas where we'd built forts. Then in my teenage years of drinking rafting or in lawn chairs halfway submerged in the river at then Goethe park. Then on to my 20's and the hundreds of trails I'd run on daily. I couldn't even begin to count how many times my eyes have met the eyes of deer in the middle of what seems like nowhere. Now in my 30's my appreciation for what is has meant and means to me is alive in my photography. I think I'll post a couple of pics on here! read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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If you're finding for a chill summer time activity to do then this place got it all. I would recommend getting Rafts of 8 people as that seems to be the number that is most fun. I would also recommend bringing....: Dranks, snacks, sunblock, waterproof box/ cases for electronics, swim attire, water guns, sunglasses and adventurous mindset. The best part of the raft experience is where you can park ashore and rope down into the water like tarzan. That was a dope experience... but keep in mind, it can be dangerous and would suggest only people who know how to swim do participate. Parking is $5 at the lot and you gotta lift each raft to the shore yourselves. The journey lasts around 3 hours depending how many times you stop. I wished the currents were slightly faster but i guess there's other rivers for that. Dont be afraid to swim in the river if you know how to swim, it is quite refreshing. Treat yourself to a sushi buffet in sacramento/ davis after the adventure. read more

American River Parkway - By the sea shore - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Such a relaxing river to go rafting. The water's colder than the Sacramento River but it's still bearable. You drift in the water and there are a couple of rough spots where it gets exciting. It's definitely not really, really intense but it's still a lot of fun. My boyfriend likes to swim onto shore when we get to the bridge and jump off of it. Sometimes he goes back up for a second jump! There, you can see people fishing, too. At the spot we usually end at, it's a very close walk to the parking lot, which is a good thing because by the time you're done, you' re really tired. There's a grassy area where you can sit and wait for your ride, too. I go rafting here as many times as possible every summer. My summer wouldn't be complete w/o a visit to the American River!! read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

The river calls and I cometh. I have been riding along the parkway for years. Miles of nicely paved trails extend off into the sunset. Easy peddling for my young son and I. Recently, it was a bit frightening to see how high the river had been; it had clearly inundated the trail in several areas. It's a beautiful ride along the river that you're sure to enjoy. Now, when you're cruising about on your cycle, you do need to keep an eye out for a few things: 1. Wannabe Tour De France racers coming up on you at light speed! "On your left"! 2. People who aren't familiar with bike trail etiquette. Get on the other side bro! 3. American River perverts hiding in the bushes. Back off! 4. Snakes crossing the path by Lake Natoma. All things considered, the American River Parkway is a good place to get some exercise , enjoy the scenery, people watch, and spend some time by the water. Do this! read more

This is not for serious river rafters. The water here wasn't challenging and the weather was hot. I had lots of fun here and saw strangers wave to each other, push other rafts off when they got stuck, swing from branches, jump off cliffs, and shooting water at each other. You're going to have a great time here and other strangers are going to have a great time with you. Just be prepared and have plenty of water and sunblock on you. If you're coming with a group of friends, have the driver take the shuttle at the end of your rafting journey back to the original site so he/she can come back and pick everyone up. It saves everyone a couple dollars if you can wait 10 minutes longer. read more

Good tubing, lounging, paddleboarding, kayaking and rafting. read more

American River Parkway - Rafting and fishing - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

Great place for a relatively flat hike, bike or run. Stay in your lane!! Popular place for cyclists. read more

American River Parkway - Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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During previous summers, I've been in the American River for rafting. This review is about my running experience. I think your experience depends on which part of the trail you are at. I entered the trail near La Riviera Dr. The trail at the top was gravelly while the trail at the bottom was narrow. I wouldn't want to run by myself on the narrow trails, where you can't see anyone else around you. I would never run at night either. There were a lot of bugs, so I made sure to keep my mouth closed. I spotted the occasional dog poop as well. I think I'll find another park to do my running. read more

Short Review. Sometimes I get time to steal away from meetings and such and just walk along the river! Lots of opportunities to experience nature away from folks on weekdays! Love that! read more

There is considerable confusion about the alcohol rules on the river. There is also a large divide about what the County can do and what it does do. The Sacto Co. website reads that "alcohol is permanently banned" in some locations and "temporarily banned" in certain locations and certain days. This is not true. The actual Sacto Co. Parks ordinance 9.36.057.5 only bans "open containers" of alcohol, as they are allowed to do by state law; therefore, unopened containers are perfectly legal and cannot be seized. Only state law can ban possession of unopened alcohol, not ordinances. County ordinances only have effect on land--on the river itself, the state has exclusive jurisdiction. The state passed a law, B&P 25608.5, which allows the county to specify certain days when any alcohol, open or closed, is not allowed on the water on a non-motorized boat/raft/etc between Hazel Avenue Bridge to the Watt Avenue Bridge. Whether this is an unlawful transfer of regulatory power from the State to the county in violation of Article XX, Section 22 of the State Constitution (which gives the state exclusive jurisdiction on possession of alcohol) has yet to be explored. The police cannot search your ice cooler without your permission. I suspect this has only further confused visitors, but I think this was the county's intent. read more

Rafting from the Lower Sunrise Recreational Area to River Bend Park is my kind of Fourth of July! If this is your first rodeo, here's some notes for you- No Alcohol allowed on the river during summer holidays. There are cops policing this. Parking inside the parks is $8/vehicle (usually it's $5). Coloma Road closes for a Fourth of July parade from 9am-12noon. Take the detour and try not to get lost OR just take the freeway. I own a 4 person raft that I like to take camping and today, hubs and I took it rafting down the lower american river. I like to call it "floating" down the river because there is very little paddling/rowing needed. Go early to get parking closest to the river = less time carrying the raft. We dropped one of the cars off at River Bend Park and we were one of the first cars in the lot at 8am. Then we drove to Sunrise. You'll have to take the Upper Sunrise Recreational Area River Access to get to the side of the park where most of the rafts launch from. There's free parking along the road before the park entrance for people renting rafts but I rather pay the $8 to park close than park far for free. We got the raft aired up and on the water about 10am. Make sure you bring sunblock, water, ziplock baggies and water guns. We didn't get into any water fights but it can get a little crazy if you're around big groups of rafters. We probably finished the 6 mile route in 2.5 hours. We didn't stop ashore but some people did. Overall it's super chill, floating down a lazy river and sunbathing, what more could you want? except a couple of cervezas. read more

Let me preface this review by saying I love the American River Parkway due to its diversity and proximity to my home. With that being said, I was sorely disappointed in the people using the trail today. I decided to go for a run this afternoon, with the nice weather continuing through the end of 2011. I passed no fewer than 8 dogs, of which no more than 2 were on a leash. 2 of these followed me and harassed me, causing an interruption in my run until the owners could call the dogs back. I saw and narrowly avoided no less than 5-6 pieces of dog shit, and fewer owners carrying plastic bags. So to dog owners letting your dogs run rampant on the parkway, put your mutt on a leash or go to the dog park. read more

Nice place, but be careful about going in the water if you are sensitive to swimmers itch. I've gotten it the last two times even though I was only in the water very briefly. Also check for ticks if you are hiking here. I found a few on my dog after walking her here. read more

Bring a water gun or you're going to be an easy target for everyone else. Don't buy from there! Total ripoff! The first 1-2 hours of drifting down the river is pretty fun, I only wish that it didn't take so long to get to the end! You can pretty much see it with all the other boats as well. Seems like everyone's dead or not willing to move after 2 hours of drifting. Great for groups (= Gotta love the barbecue pits at the end of the river too, so bring some food to grill if you go. read more

This river is so much fun to float! First time being here I wasnt sure of what to really expect. Floating with a group of friends, music, booze, and nice weather is heaven! I would definately come here again with more booze, ice, and sunscreen! Running out of all of these...sucks! read more

Totally fun to get a bunch of tubes and floating coolers, tie them together, drag them into the river and swim along. Just be careful not to get sunburned or go into trees. Today's water was pretty cold, but it was somewhat bearable when drying off. We also saw a stripper pole boat with its own pole dancer...yes, even a topless one. How fun! read more

The American River Parkway received the 2012 Regional Treasurer Award and induction into the California Park & Recreation Society District 2 Hall of Honor. To everyone who has ever worked on the design, development, maintenance, safety and security . . . congratulations! From recreation to transportation to conservation and more, the ARP is a regional jewel for so many people. This is one great example of how Parks Make Life Better! read more

First time I ever went rafting this summer and I it was a blast. Just a relaxing ride down the American River with a couple of moderate white waters. Friendly people blasting you with water guns as you coast down the river make it even more excited. It was an awesome experience. I will be rafting here more often and bringing more people with me to enjoy the experience. read more