American River Bike Trail

I call it the Hobo Highway now. I grew up here, it used to be a great place to ride dirt bikes, hike and camp, you could ride from Lake Natoma all the way downtown with no paved trails, no crowds and it was very natural. They put in the paved trail and ruined it. Now they charge you $ 8 to park your car and go look at the river for five minutes or eat lunch, which I use to do a lot after working in the area for years, ridiculous. The phony little rangers in the ticket booth act like they’re doing you a favor by letting you stop for two minutes to look at the river, does charging the stupid parking fee even cover their salary? All the trail has done is make it easier for hobos to travel from downtown, break into homes and mug people. The wanna be Lance Armstrong girly men in their spandex panties while riding their $ 5,000 bikes seem to think they own the place now and are extremely rude to kids and families out for a leisurely ride. I am a photographer and no longer feel safe taking my equipment down there after having one of the bums pull a knife on me and try to steal my camera and bag. Don’t go alone.

My friend and I went on this trail to walk his dog while on a visit up to Sacramento. He said that the entire trail was 20 something miles, but you can hop onto it anywhere for a scenic route by the river. We did exactly that, but there was no scenic route. We saw shriveled up trees, weed, and no water in the river because of the current drought California is in. There is a pathway on top for those that decide to walk their dogs and joggers. The pathway on the bottom is for cyclists and trust me, these cyclists are not afraid to tell you to get on the right trail if you are walking on foot. So make sure you are on the right pathway so that no one is angry! All in all, the pathway is not a scenic one, but if you need a place to walk your dog outdoors, this one is an option!

Perks:
Probably one of my favorite bike trails of all time. Not only can you ride bikes on it, but there’s room to walk, and there are endless access points to the river if you fancy hanging out, fishing, hiking, or swimming. This trail stretches for 32 miles through Sacramento, from Discovery Park all the way to Beal’s Point on Folsom Lake (when there is a Lake), right along the American River. Scenic and beautiful in many areas, and an awesome workout as well.
Secret Spot:
One of my favorite parts of this trail is not to be missed, and is «seasonal.» Every now and then, someone will take it down, but when I was at Sacramento State, there was a rope swing on the trail side of the Guy West Bridge. Beats me how someone climbed the thing to tie it, but it was stable and it was fun. Not for the faint of heart. There’s a sweet little hangout spot on the bank of the river, too. I recommend checking it out when the college kids are on a break. That way you can get it all to yourself.

I’m happy this trail exists and still provides recreational opportunities for people to get outdoors. But as far as a bike trail, I’ve seen better. The signage is not the greatest so it’s easy to get lost, if you are not one of the regular trail users that know all the ins and out. Parking at the fish hatchery is tight on weekends.
But what most makes me not want to use this trail system is is just too damn crowded and is mixed use with walkers, joggers and people with dogs causing crashes with the bikes. Saw this happen right in front of me. Now, OK, most trail users here know to stay on their side of the line for walkers and stroller pushers, but all it takes is the one or two errant people to cause a wreck and then I’ve seen trail rage fights almost break out. And this was between bike riders!
The there are the weird vagrants that seem to be camping out and disposing of human waste along the trail … what is the downtown SF? I suppose this used to be a nice trail long ago before it got so popular. The speed limit is suppose to be 15 mph for bikes, but then you have these pack of riders doing 25 mph in a huge group, not safe on a sidewalk like this has become! I mean I ride with groups and have no problem riding fast, but in the proper place people!
This is too high a risk place to bike riding with all the mixed uses out here. I’d rather ride a bike lane on a street rather than have to deal with unpredictable dogs and children wandering aimlessly on the paved path. I’ll stick to the streets.

At Folsom and around Lake Natoma, this bike trail is AWFUL!
After reading the literature, I was really looking forward to biking this trail around the lake. We paid our $ 10 at the Negro Bar State Park to park and started off for a counter-​clockwise ride on the trail around Lake Natoma.
The 2^nd mile wasn’t bad with a nice shoreline view of the lake and those enjoying it. Soon after that, though, the road got rough with repeated asphalt cracking and heaving, and the view disappeared. In early September, the vegetation was dry as expected, but the scenery was mostly piles of rubble discarded from the gold miners. There were lots of pedestrians and fishermen that prevented us from getting a really good work-​out. As we crossed the river at Hazel Ave., it became very difficult to follow the trail as it wound through the Nimbus Dam Recreational Area. I usually am impressed with the signage on NorCal’s bike paths, but on the south side of the river, they were nearly nonexistent. Plenty of spurs caused us plenty of U-​turns.
For this section around Lake Natoma, I’d highly suggest you skip it and try another stretch if you want a good ride.

I love riding my bike here, walking the dogs here, swimming here, fishing here, running here. This is just one of the gems living in Rancho Cordova. Maps are available on line and it runs from Folsom to Sacramento. Stoping for swims and burgers along the way is my favorite part.

I stopped by the American River Bike Trail one Saturday afternoon/​late morning to see what it’s all about. There’s easy access from many points in the Sierra Oaks neighborhood of Sacramento which is where I accessed the trail. There are a few parking lots at the Watt Avenue overpass, but there are also a few office building parking lots in the same area where you can park and gain access.
As a newbie to the trail, I did have a hard time initially figuring out where I was (and wasn’t) allowed to walk. For someone who is new I think they should have more prominently placed signs so that I don’t end up getting run over by a bike while trying to walk my dog.
On this day there were no walkers on the trail, only bicyclists, which seem to dominate the trail. I kind of stayed on the side of the trail in the dirt while trying to learn the ropes.
I was also afraid to walk my dog too far away from me on her leash just in case a rouge cyclist didn’t see her or the leash.
We did find a nice shady spot under the Watt Avenue overpass which had semi easy access to the river. There were also bathrooms and water faucets which were a nice touch. I think I would come back to visit the trail again or to hangout at the river. I’m not sure it’s the best place to walk my dog because of all the bikes, but I would walk on the trail. Most of it has a good amount of shade because there are many trees lining the river.

If you live in the area and don’t check this out… you’re missing out. Lived in Sac for 7 plus yrs and biked it at least twice a month. Hike, bike or walk it.
Plenty of easy free places to park along the 30 plus miles of trail.

I love this trail! Why wouldn’t I? It’s literally a 5 minute (or less) bike ride away from my house. It’s pretty scenic. As scenic as Sacramento can be, anyway. Lol. A lot of cool wildlife like deer, jackrabbits, turkeys, gophers, n whatnot. Great for all ages. Great for bikers of all kinds (there’s even mountain bike trails along the ways, not just for speedy road bikes). Great for walking with family, friends, kids, babies in strollers, dogs. Basically, everything! N there’s so many parks to stop at. In fact, a great place to have barbecue by the river. Go rafting. Drink. Have fun. But please, clean up after your mess! :)

I moved to Fair Oaks back in October of 2014. One of my main reasons for moving here was to enjoy this amazing trail. Since moving, I’ve logged over 6000 miles on my bicycle on the ARBT. It has to be one of the most scenic parkways I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding. The surface is kept free of gravel by the trail crews, and I never see litter or dirty rest stops. Wildlife is everywhere. Times I’ve decided to hike have been equally rewarding. I see people of all ages walking, jogging, and cycling. Equestrians have lots of options too. And the access to the River is great since many of the best spots are accessible only from the Trail.
Get out and enjoy this treasure. If you see me I’m sure I’ll have a smile on my face. Recently a friend asked me, «Don’t you think you will get bored with this Trail?» My answer, «No way!»

The American River Bike Trail is the perfect place to take a walk, go for a jog, or grab your bike and ride! Be sure to bring your fishing pole to throw a line out, because there can be some good fishin’! ;) Most of my weekends include a trip to the trail, whether it be walking or cycling. Some areas are a little cleaner than others, but the city does their best to keep a lot of the more populated areas clean, and do their best with the facilities. Although the water being so low has made some of the boat docks are out of order, due to the large LACK of water, and you can pretty much walk out into the middle of the river in a lot of local sacramento areas these days. However, you will still spot a lot of wildlife out and about, soaking up the sun.
*Be alert during the hot Summer weather, as the snakes have quite the tendency to slither across the trail, or when the sun is setting, just hang out and soak up the warmth from the cement– which can be quite terrifying for some if you’re deathly afraid of snakes, like myself.
Some of the cyclists come on a little too… strong– that seems like a good word… So if you happen to ride near the Sac State area, be sure to pay close attention to the more experienced riders, or perhaps ride along the opposite/​more publicly accessible and walker populated side of the river– especially if you have children riding on their own bikes.- but other than that, I love my daily rides along the river. I guess it’s something about the fresh air and a light breeze on your skin that changes your mood and just makes you smile. :)

Quick post and facts.
If you are planning to take a long bike ride please make sure:
1. Tires and brakes are working
2. Two water bottles are advised
3. Bike light in case it gets late
4. Watch your surroundings and have a biking partner, certain areas of the trail can be sketched
5. Pepper spray
6. Old sac map shows bike trails and attractions near the area
We started from miller park and went as far as Garden Highway and went by Del Paso. The trail leading to Del Paso has more homeless people and in a sketchier area. On the American R. Trail website stated a cyclist was assaulted by a couple people and was stopped by passerby’s.
Overall it’s a nice place better than a lot of other bike trails. The American river in certain areas offered amazing views. However, after discovery park, it became more frightening than fun. It would be great if the bike police can patrol this area.

Wow! The reviews that mention the rude people are completely correct! Beautiful place for a bike ride but wow these people need to chill out! We stopped to take a picture so we got off of our bikes and moved them to the side of the paved road and yes our bikes were in the joggers 1 foot wide path because we thought that would be better than leaving them sprawled in the paved road for bikers to hit. Over the course of about 1 minute while taking our photo we had 2 joggers pass by and cuss us out because of it! We couldn’t believe these people but found it funny that we had read about people just like this on this trail. So yes it is a beautiful trail but almost hard to enjoy yourself knowing you can’t relax among the cranky locals.
5 stars for the trail!
0 stars for the cranks

My SO is so lucky to live super close to this hidden gem. We’ve gone here for a long walk, trail running & mountain biking. So much scenic trails, some incline, great place to have picnics, nice spots where you can get down to the river to jump in or throw your feet in to relax, lots of great picture taking spots, you name it!
The bikers and horse riders are so courteous. They announce that they’re coming, slow down if necessary, and give an acknowledgement when they’re going to pass you.
Overall, it’s a great place to take in nature without having to go too far (out of town). This place is very well kept and is pretty vast! It’s never crowded and the community is safe. I always look forward to coming here.

In a nutshell: If you’re looking for a trail to do some long-​distance cycling or running and don’t want to keep stopping at cross-​walks, this is the place.
The good: It’s long. I’ve started at Town Gate Bridge and run to the middle of Discovery Park and back, but Google Maps shows it runs all the way to Folsom. It goes through some lovely woods, thickets and moors.
The bad: Some of the scenery is spoiled with graffiti.
The ugly: Homeless people live near the trail in some of the more remote spots.

«The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.»
–William Morris
Today’s Music in relation to this review (1÷24÷15):
American River Trail shouldn’t even be compared nor ranked, its unique on its very own; the moments you acquire from this trail is such a surreal experience that every second that passes is a new discovery (e.g. river, trees, animals, view, etc.).
This 32+ mile stretch (i.e. Discovery Park to Folsom Lake) offers a winding trail of amazement and ‘awww’. Almost all the time, (except my past bike crashes – lol) when I bike I cherish almost every moment ranging from a herd of deer crossing to timeless sunsets. If you have the chance to visit this trail, please do so. The trail is a 7^th wonder in Sacramento, and if you need some time alone either to contemplate or get your usual work-​out do not hesitate visiting place.
PS: Beware of turkeys, they can be menacing and territorial sometimes. But after realizing how beautiful the trail is, i can see why turkeys protect this area.
Caution: If you have any children please keep em close, i’ve seen a few occasions were bikers go into a peloton mind state (a group of 5 – 7 bikers going at 30−35mph) making it almost impossible halting their adrenaline rush. Just be mindful when crossing.
Photos taken by my FF Canon 6D =D.

Beautiful bike and walking trail along the American River. Im especially fond of the section near Hagan park, all the way out to Fair Oaks. Great picnic areas, too. Get ready to see wildlife — coyotes, deer, rabbits, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the sight of fishers and rafters on the river.
I love this trail but have been staying away as of late. The trail gets so congested with bike traffic, its damn near unusable. On top of that, the «serious» bikers, that is, the Lance Armstong wanna-​bes, get super cranky if they think a regular-​joe biker (or walker) is in their way.
Take out the obnoxious Lance Armstrong jerk-​offs and this is a total 5 star attraction.

I like how well-​paved the bike paths are. There are bikers, runners, and walkers alike. It is great that it is along the river trail so that if you want to get off, take a quick dip in the river, and then get back on the trail you can.
Scenic and beautiful with shaded areas and scattered large areas of grass along the path so you dont get bored by seeing the same thing throughout the length of the path.
Added bonus is that its dog-​friendly.

I love this trail.
My work backs up to the trail near the Willow Creek rec area so I can head out the back gate and be walking the river trail at lunch.
Great views!

You can write reviews for bike trails? What?
Bike on the right, and run/​walk on the left. Come on people! It’s not that hard!
The American River bike trail officially starts near the entrance to the dam at Beal’s Point, and dead-​ends in a rocky area in Old Sac, or maybe technically a little sooner than that. There are still lots of bumps and pot-​holes that need to be repaired, but most of them are at least outlined in white so that you know when to lift your derrière.
If you haven’t been out here much before, be prepared to spend a lot of time looking around. There are shockingly beautiful scenes out here, even after last year’s fires destroyed some of the best areas. It is common to see wildlife such as deer, squirrels, rabbits, and snakes.
Riding all the way from Folsom to Sac or vice versa will run you around 32 miles, and probably takes somewhere between 2 – 4 hours, depending on experience. It is pretty well-​populated during good weather and is generally a pretty safe place to bike and run.
There are lots of restrooms and water fountains along the way, but I would recommend always bringing at least 24 ounces of water and checking the fountains as you go, because they are sometimes shut off during times of drought or very cold weather. Also, bring bike tools, especially if you are coming from Folsom, because the only bike tool stations are in Sac.
Even though you’re on a bike trail, you should definitely wear a helmet. I have had multiple rocks fall from bridges onto my helmet, and that hurt bad enough that I didn’t even want to think about what would have happened without a helmet.