Sacramento - American River Bike Trail

Authored by Steve:   

Sacramento is extremely bike friendly, with an excellent network of bike trails that stretch for miles through the city.  The main trail is the American River Bike trail.   It is like a 4 lane highway for bikers and walkers, with two lanes in each direction.   I got to ride the trail on three occasions.  The first time I went about 9 miles out and back with my nephews Grant and Kyle.   The second time my brother-in-law Mike and I went from his house to the fish hatchery, which I think was about 15 miles.   The fish hatchery was built in front of the dam to Folsom Lake.   It was built to give the salmon a place to spawn since they can't jump a dam.   Luckily we were visiting during the best time of year to see the salmon.   There were some that were nearly 3 feet!

On Wednesday, I took the occasion to go exploring on my bike alone.   Our RV Park was also right off the trail at mile 6.   I decided to head to the West to the end of the trail.   Upon reaching the end at Discovery park, I found the beginning of the Sacramento River Trail.   I took this for several miles and came across old town Sacramento.   I found the railroad yard where the transcontinental railroad ended or began, depending on how you look at it.   I also found the end of the Pony Express.   There was also a bank museum that might have been the first Wells Fargo bank.   I explored quite a bit in this area and even saw the California Capitol dome from a distance.      

Is there a bigger waste of the public tax money?

I was tempted to go in, but I didn't

Old Sac train station

California Capitol

Monument to the merchants who funded the intercontinental railroad

Old Wells Fargo building in Old Sac

The end point of the Pony Express

Old Sacramento

The Sacramento river taken from the Tower bridge

Upon returning I took a spur trail to downtown at about mile 2.5.   This took me through the huge complex of the Blue Diamond Almond plant.  

Along the way to the Smith's house, I saw some large Salmon spawning from the bike bridge.   They were swimming at death's door.   There were several large ones I saw that had already met the grim reaper.

The American River the pedestrian bridge

These three salmon were spawning before they died

At Mile 17, I arrived back at the Smith's house to find that everyone left and I was locked out.   I was tired but part of me wishes that I kept going down the trail to the far Eastern end.   It was a fun day, I think I rode close to 35 miles.