The Putah Creek Nature Park consists of a pair of easy walking trails that start at the Winters pedestrian bridge(a converted railroad bridge) two blocks from downtown Winters. On the south bank, a mile and a quarter long seasonal walking path(mostly dirt, with some gravel) runs from the pedestrian bridge to just beyond the Interstate 505 bridge. On the north bank, situated above the creek, a paved walking path extends less than a mile to the eastern edge of the housing development off of Creekside Way. A few dirt paths also lead down from the paved trail to the creek. These are great suburban-adjacent trails for birdwatching, or just a leisurely stroll. We saw vultures, a blue heron, woodpeckers, and tons of little songbirds. And even in August, the creek had a good amount of water, and some interesting trees and vegetation are nearby. Free parking is available in downtown Winters. When we walked the trails mid-day during the week, we practically had them to ourselves. Note that the starting point for the unpaved southern trail is just a dirt stairway cut into the side of the floodplain, and may be problematic for older or disabled hikers. Hopefully that will be improved in the future, although some of the access points further down the trial looked easier to navigate. Also, both the creek and the southern trail itself could be better maintained in places — there was some trash here and there, and the trail was a bit crowded by vegetation in spots. With well traveled roads close by, don’t expect a «wilderness» experience. But for a nice change of pace just steps from downtown Winters, Putah Creek Nature Park is a nice way to spend an hour or two.
