Small parking lot at the beginning with restroom. Nice grassy field to picnic. Once you head out…read moreyou have three choices when you get about a 100 yards down the paved bike path. (1) Stay on the bike path (2) take the dirt trail towards San Juan Rapids which is what me and the fur baby do or (3) take the dirt trail on the left. All three choices end up at a nice picnic area with tables and benches. You can cool off in the river or cross Jims Bridge and continue the trail. Its fairly level on all three paths. There is some shade but be aware of occasional rattlesnake in the brush on hot days and coyotes.

I grew up near bannister park! It's a wonderful place to play with your kids or bring friends to…read morespend time together. You can ride bikes along the path or take a long walk to enjoy the scenery. There river access for you to float on the river or go fishing. There's tons to do at bannister park!

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.

Hours: 6 AM-9 PM daily Entrance/Parking Fee: $10…read moreKayak/Paddle Board Rental Hours: 9 AM-6 PM weekends https://www.lakenatomapaddlerentals.com/ Solos: 1st hr $20, each hr after $15 Tandem (2 people): 1st hr $30, each hr after $20 I had a very hard time finding info about this lovely spot, so there you go. Hope it helps! Entrance is accessible from Greenback Ln with $10 fee required per vehicle. 2 Parking lots available - 1 closer to boat launch area and another further lot that's more convenient for picnic areas and tables. Plenty of tables and area for lots of families to enjoy some water festivities! Have a big party or just want to lock down a few tables? Highly advise to come early. If you just need some space to place your mats down, it should be just fine. Incredible trails alongside the water for walking, jogging, and bike riding. Dogs are welcome but just make sure you pick up after them (I noticed a good number of dog poop near the water edge). Want to take a dip? Feel free! Quite cold but more than welcome to. Biggest reason why we came here? To see how the Kayak Rental system worked. Scan the QR code or visit the site to book your rentals and sign waivers. I was told they rented daily by a worker (young ones) but their online reservations just show weekends and random Wednesdays.. so good luck. Honestly Rental prices are higher than another spot we've been to, but this spot was much closer to home and easier to access. Price for convenience! We didn't go kayaking on this particular day but definitely plan to return with our own paddle board/Kayaks since it just makes sense to invest and go whenever we want versus rent a few kayaks with high rental feels. Who wants to return within 1 hr?! No way, you gotta stay out in the midst of nature for at LEAST a few hours! Pathway Tip: Walking or jogging? Stay on your left. Biking? Stay on your right. Standard Placer County rules. Great spot for families whether you want to picnic, swim, paddleboard, kayak, go for a nice walk, jog, or bike along gorgeous river waters scenery. Have fun!!

Went out to Black Miners Ravine to get on the paddleboard and just decompress a little. This time…read moreof year out there is hard to beat... good vibes, calm water, and a chance to shut the brain off for a bit. Nothing super exciting in this review, just one of those peaceful days you appreciate more as you get older lol. Now fair warning... that water is COLD cold when you first step in but once you're out there it's worth it. Even the ducks were just cruising around being friendly and minding their business. Sometimes you don't need much, just a board, some fresh air, and a little quiet.

Ever since moving to the Sacramento area back in 2001, I have yet to conquer all the hidden trails,…read morecreeks and nature surrounding it. This takes me to the city of Folsom where I stumbled across "Hinkle Creek Nature Area", a place I had not even heard about until making an actual visit. Located in a residential part of Folsom alongside Baldwin Dam Rd., this park/nature preserve is closest to Oak Ave and Folsom-Auburn Rd while being just west of the American River. I came here with my lady during the afternoon of Sunday 2/1/2026 at around 1:00pm. Much to my surprise, parking was free and easily accessible. What I particularly liked about this nature area was that you may enter through either a paved or unpaved trail as the entire walk stretches in just under a mile. And much to my surprise, the 36-acres that accommodates this park actually made me feel as if I was more in the open air wilderness. Since we came during a comfortable day, we witnessed a ton of fresh green grass and the absence of leaves on many of the trees. During my walk, The overall nature area is the perfect spot for relaxed, leisurely walks that even the most non-skilled person can do while it is stroller and pet friendly. I also wanted to add that the trail can also be used for mountain biking and even horseback riding even though we did not witness that on our walk. I also encourage everyone to pay a visit to the actual Hinkle Creek Nature Center that offers useful information and educational programs to children. All in all, this is an excellent and well-maintained nature center that caters to all walks of life. My rating, a unanimous five stars.

What a find! I have to say that the Hinkle Creek Nature Area is one of our most favorite suburban…read morenature areas in the Sacramento region. The one-mile loop, partially paved and all easily marked, truly makes you feel that you aren't in the middle of a neighborhood. For the most part, it's quiet, and serene -- even when homes are nearby. The only real noise is when you walk beside a road for a few 100 feet.The small creek and pond provide a beautiful setting to walk by or sit and relax. Dog are allowed, but keep in mind that if your dog is a barker or not totally canine-friendly, there are few places to let others pass when you are on the unpaved portion of the trail. Go in the spring time when the grass is green and lush. This is a gem of a find.

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.

Such a lovely place to relax Clean, well-maintained, and…read morethe fresh air feels amazing. The river adds a special peaceful atmosphere, and the sweetest little ducks even swam right up to us Perfect for a quiet walk, sitting by the water, and recharging. We'll definitely be back!

Visited a couple weeks ago and launched some kayaks from here for a trip down the American River to…read moreAcil Hoffman Park. Nice small boat ramp and was not over crowded.

The trails in this area can be as easy or hard as you make them. The particular trail i took had…read morealot of rock. This area is near the bike trail.

Super busy but it was Fourth of July weekend. We got there around 9am and the rangers had closed…read morethe parking lot by 10am. The trail is nice with separate lanes for bikes and pedestrians. I think this is fantastic since there are always rude cyclists speeding on the American River Trail.

Cute park. Nice play structure and plenty of trails to explore around it. Parking can be sparse.read more

My boyfriend and I took my daughter here to get some of her energy out on their playground, while…read morewe had breakfast at their picnic table. What an incredible playground it was, she had a blast playing with all the many kids, she even did some chalk on their sidewalk with them! They even have a Little Library, my first time seeing one with calendars, we picked out a cat one of course! We'll have to return to replenish it with some books since they didn't have children's books inside. I would recommend visiting this park, make sure to use the restroom beforehand tho since they don't have one. Check out their amazing trail by the bridge while you're there, we'll be back to explore more!