Sacramento Hiking and Backpacking Travel Guide

Sacramento Hiking and Backpacking Travel Guide

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Birds in the wetlands of Sacramento, California
Wetlands of Sacramento, California (Steve Hildebrand/courtesy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
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Sacramento Hiking and Backpacking Travel Tips

By Karen Kefauver
  • Hike the American River Parkway, a 23-mile-long route up the river and through the city. Tackle whatever portion of this hike you would like in order to observe the river's highlights, including footbridges, sandbars, rapids, and ponds.
  • Pack a pair of binoculars for your hike at the marshes and sloughs of Cosumnes River Preserve. It's a bird paradise-more than 200 species of birds have been spotted, including the threatened sandhill cranes and Swainson's hawks.
  • Folsom Lake, just 25 miles from Sacramento, boasts trails with oak woodland and grassland sprinkled with spring wildflowers. The park's 80 miles of trail include a portion of the Western States Pioneer Express Trail between Carson City, Nevada and Sacramento. This path also connects Folsom Lake via Auburn State Recreation Area.
  • Ninety minutes north of Sacramento, the National Wildlife Refuge is a resting and feeding area for migratory birds, and thus it is a great stop for avid bird-watchers.

Sacramento Travel Guide

Sacramento, with a metro-area population of nearly 1.8 million, is one of the state's fastest-growing areas. It's far from being a tourist town, but it does have its share of touristy activities. Visitors and locals alike enjoy a day spent walking through Old Sacramento, floating down the American River, or biking the shady paths along the Sacramento and American rivers. In addition to being the state capital, it's a thriving shipping and processing center for the fruit, vegetables, rice, wheat, and dairy goods produced in the Central Valley. Within the past decade it's also become a receptacle of high-tech spillover from Silicon Valley, and more recently, a suburb for Bay Area workers seeking affordable homes. As such, the quantity and quality of downtown restaurants—such as the Esquire Grill and The Waterboy—have greatly improved. Read More

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Hotels

from: $109

Embassy Suites Sacramento - Riverfront Promenade

100 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814 Map

Distance: 0.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Good For Hiking and Backpacking
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0

Holiday Inn AUBURN

120 GRASS VALLEY HIGHWAY
Auburn, CA 95603 Map

Distance: 31.6 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars
Good For Hiking and Backpacking
Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
from: $44

Radisson Hotel Sacramento

500 LEISURE LANE
SACRAMENTO, CA 95815 Map

Distance: 2.4 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
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Attractions

Beals Point

expert favorite attraction
Good For Hiking and Backpacking
7806 Folsom Auburn Road
Folsom, California 95630

Distance: 19.5 mi. (from destination center)
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Discovery Park

Good For Hiking and Backpacking
Garden Highway and Discovery Park Drive
Sacramento, California 95833

Distance: 1.9 mi. (from destination center)
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

Good For Hiking and Backpacking
7806 Folsom-Auburn Road
Folsom, California 95630

Distance: 19.5 mi. (from destination center)
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
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Airports

Major Airports near Sacramento

Distance (mi.)
Sacramento International Airport 10.6 map
Oakland International Airport 71.6 map
San Francisco International Airport 82.1 map

Other Smaller Airports near Sacramento

Distance (mi.)
Modesto Municipal Airport 71.6 map
Merced Municipal Airport 104.4 map
Carmel/Monterey Peninsula Airport 139.6 map

Feature Articles

More Sacramento Hiking and Backpacking Feature Articles (2) »
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Trip Ideas

Sacramento Vacation Rentals

check rates
from: $214

Bear View Lodge: Splendid Retreat amid Woods

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1.5
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Air Conditioning, BBQ, Blender, Coffee Maker, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Full kitchen, Hair Dryer, Linens, Microwave, Oven, Phone, Refrigerator, Stove
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from: $500

Bear River Retreat

Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4
Sleeps: 10
Amenities: Cable/Satellite TV, DVD Player, Home theatre, Pool Table, Towels
check rates
from: $114

3 Bedroom VACATION HOME in SACRAMENTO, CA

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 8
Amenities: BBQ, Balcony, Cable/Satellite TV, Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Garage, Hot Tub, Jacuzzi, Laundry, Microwave, No Pets, Non-Smoking, Pets OK, Phone, Smoking OK, VCR, Woodburning Stove
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