logo
Celebrate California State Parks Week with these free Sacramento-area activities

Celebrate California State Parks Week with these free Sacramento-area activities

Yahoo11-06-2025
(FOX40.COM) — California is celebrating its 4th annual State Parks Week, June 11-15, with over 170 different events around the state.
The public is invited to attend various programs, both virtual and in-person, where they can learn about the environment, the state's history and their local communities.
Video Above: Folsom Lake reaches guest capacity amid Memorial Day
'As California commemorates its 175th anniversary, California State Parks Week offers an opportunity to celebrate the incredible natural and cultural wealth that our 280 state parks offer,' said Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks. '…Whether you're hiking, volunteering or simply soaking in the views, this week is a beautiful reminder to embrace the unmatched nature of California and the positive impact it has on our well-being and the health of the environment.'
Here are the events being offered in the Sacramento area and the surrounding counties.
Birding by Boat at Folsom Lake State Recreational Area
Experience Folsom Lake SRA from a New Perspective – on Horseback!
Photo and Art Contest Display at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
Guided Tour at Sutter's Fort SHP
Guided Tours of the State Indian Museum
Capitol Park Tour – California State Capitol Museum
Exclusive Oxbow Pond Kayak Event at Dos Rios
Introduction to Nature Journaling at Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Through the Lens of History at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Biking Through History at Folsom Lake SRA
Come Try Paddling on Lake Natoma at Folsom Lake SRA!
Explore Off Trail at Railtown 1897 SHP
Wild Things and Climate Resilience at Auburn SRA
Sierra Railway's Connection to Harvesting Renewable Resources at Railtown 1897 SHP
Outdoor Yoga at Lake Natoma with Folsom Lake SRA
Bruce's Bird Walk at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Lava Bluffs Guided Hike at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Lake Tahoe's Underwater Wonders: Exploring Tsunami-Built Boulder Ridges at Tahoe SRA (Virtual)
Summer Hiking Along the South Fork at Folsom Lake SRA
Karen Bakerville Smith Memorial Nature Trail Hike at Columbia SHP
Living History at the California State Capitol Museum
Take a Trek on the 'Walk of Fame' at Railtown 1897 SHP
Fire and the Forest Community Guided Hike at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Echolocation Exploration: Evening Interpretive Bat Walk at Donner Memorial SP
Celebrating Latino Heritage and Culture at Dos Rios
Junior Ranger Recreation Roundup at Auburn SRA
Sketches by the Lakeside at Folsom Lake SRA
Celebrate Your Well-Being at Lake Oroville SRA North Forebay
Parks With Activity Carts – Old Sacramento SHP
Poster Creation Station at Indian Grinding Rock SHP
Viaje al pasado en el Parque Histórico Estatal Railtown 1897: Travel to the Past at Railtown 1897 SHP
Guided Tour of Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Junior Rangers and Little Rangers at Railtown 1897 SHP
Light Up the Night Campfire Program at Folsom Lake SRA
Floodplain Fun, Walk or Run at Dos Rios
Children's Career Fair at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Echolocation Exploration: A Fireside Bat Talk at Donner Memorial SP
Floodplain Fun, Walk or Run at Dos Rios
A Walk in the Park at Sutter's Fort SHP
Parks, the Planet, and Climate Resilience at Folsom Lake SRA
Junior Rangers and Little Rangers Program at Calaveras Big Trees SP
South Grove Guided Hike at Calaveras Big Trees SP
Many of the events have a limited number of seats nd require registration in advance. While the programs themselves are free, attendees may still need to pay state park entrance fees or day use fees.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Headed to the Pacific Northwest? Here's a first timer's guide to visiting Seattle
Headed to the Pacific Northwest? Here's a first timer's guide to visiting Seattle

National Geographic

time6 hours ago

  • National Geographic

Headed to the Pacific Northwest? Here's a first timer's guide to visiting Seattle

Travelers visiting Seattle for the first time often think it will be all coffee and rain. Both are bountiful in this Pacific Northwest city tucked between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, but the Emerald City dazzles year-round with world-class museums and attractions, festivals galore, and countless ways to experience nature on water and on land. Best time to visit Seattle Spring: Laugh off the rain at Moisture Festival, a four week-long showcase of aerialists, acrobats, and odd surprises starting mid-March. In May, preview independent films during the two-week Seattle International Film Festival. Over Memorial Day weekend, the Northwest Folklife Festival convenes at Seattle Center for a free celebration of arts, culture, and heritage. Summer: In June, Seafair begins a 10 week-long city-wide party with fireworks, parades, hydroplane races, an air show, and other events. In July, the Seattle Art Fair fills Lumen Field with modern and contemporary art. Over Labor Day weekend, Seattle Center hosts Bumbershoot, a joyous end-of-summer music and arts festival. Fall: In September and October, harvests are in, summer crowds are out and it's the ideal time to visit the farmers, crafters and other vendors at the historic Pike Place Market. Seattle celebrates the glass arts in October during Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience. Winter: Head to Seattle's Chinatown-International District for Lunar New Year celebrations. February's Northwest Flower & Garden Show offers previews of spring. February is also Museum Month, when downtown hotel bookings include passes for half-off admission at many museums. In mid-March, join the 'bloom watch' for peak viewing of Yoshino cherry trees on the University of Washington quad. (10 must-do experiences for your next trip to Seattle) Key areas to explore in Seattle Downtown waterfront: Seattle's revitalized waterfront is a 20-acre walkable experience with art, parks, and viewing spots out to Elliot Bay and the surrounding mountain ranges. The Seattle Aquarium, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, and the Great Wheel are among of the attractions here, but visitor can also go sightseeing on a ferry or an Argosy Cruise or head up to Pike Place Market on the terraced Overlook Walk. Seattle's waterfront features a Ferris wheel and Miners Landing, a building that houses restaurants, shops, and attractions, such as Wings Over Washington and The Crab Pot. Photograph by Wolfgang Kaehler / Alamy Stock Photo Seattleites head to the Saturday market on Western Avenue near Pike Place. Photograph by Ian Dagnall / Alamy Stock Photo Seattle Center: The 1962 World's Fair site is now a 74-acre urban park that's home to the 605-foot Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), a dancing fountain with its own DJ, and Seattle Center Festál, a rolling series of 25 free festivals celebrating the city's many cultural communities. The parks: Seattle has hundreds of parks in the city limits, including Volunteer Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, which is home to Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and 300-acre Seward Park, which has both beaches and 120-acres of old growth forest. At Lake Union Park you'll find the Center for Wooden Boats, the Museum of History and Industry, and the NW Seaport's floating fleet of historic vessels. The water: On Lake Union, kayaks and paddleboards, electric boats, donut boats, and hot tub boats are available to rent. The Center for Wooden Boats rents sailboats and offers free one-hour rowboat rentals and free monthly public sails with volunteer skippers. Where to stay in Seattle The Edgewater Hotel: Seattle's only over-the water hotel is not only right on the downtown waterfront, it's also where The Beatles stayed during their 1964 U.S. tour, famously fishing from their hotel window. Poles and bait are no longer sold in the giftshop, but the views remain notable and the hotel is steps from the free Olympic Sculpture Park and a short walk to the Seattle Aquarium and other waterfront activities. Hotel Sorrento: Built in 1909, this hotel in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood take inspiration from the storied Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, Italy, and is rumored to be haunted by Alice B. Toklas, of hash brownie-recipe fame. The hotel's Fireside Room hosts Silent Reading Parties during which patrons read silently, but together, while listening to live music. Inn at the Market: A boutique charmer tucked inside historic Pike Place Market, this hideaway hotel is well-loved for its restaurants, including Café Campagne, its proximity to the waterfront and to the market's offerings and for its rooftop deck offering panoramic views of Elliott Bay. (The 9 best hotels in Seattle for every kind of traveler) Fishmongers at Pike Place Market sell fresh seafood, including salmon, halibut, tuna, clams, crab, cod, and rockfish. Photograph by Gabbro / Alamy Stock Photo Taste of Seattle Seafood reigns supreme in Seattle, with fresh salmon, oysters, crab, and halibut among the options to look for on local menus. Reliable places to indulge include Walrus and Carpenter in Ballard, Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar(Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne), Oyster Cellar (Pioneer Square), Half Shell (north end of Pike Place Market) and Local Tide in the Fremont neighborhood. (7 of the best coffee shops in Seattle) Getting around Seattle By public transportation: It's easy to get around bus, light rail, and streetcar. Plan your trip using King County Metro's Trip Planner tool and pay for single rides or day passes with the Transit Go app. By car: Traffic can be challenging in the urban core. But if you've got a rental, the city's map of street parking locations and parking facilities will be useful. Rideshare services and taxis are plentiful. Here's what you should know about visiting Seattle Weather: Don't let Seattle's bad weather rep scare you. Late fall and winter can be gray and rainy, but you're more likely to encounter a day of misty rain than one filled with downpours. Pack waterproof shoes and a light raincoat and you'll blend in with the locals. Summer may start late, but stretches from mid-June through October, with average temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to the mid-70s Fahrenheit in July and August. How to visit Seattle sustainably Seattle is serious about sustainability. You'll spot recycling and composting bins in restaurants and attractions. Compostable take-out containers and utensils are standard. The city banned plastic bags back in 2012, so tuck a tote into your suitcase. Transportation: Downtown is hilly, but very walkable. Sound Transit's Link light rail is electric powered. King Couty Metro's fleet is almost entirely hybrid or zero-emission vehicles. And there are plenty of e-scooters and e-bikes available for rent. Shopping: Explore neighborhoods via vintage and secondhand stores by shopping at Barn Owl Vintage Goods in Georgetown, Lucky Vintage outlets in Fremont, Ballard and the University District, and Two Big Blondes, the country's largest plus size consignment store, in the Central District. Harriet Baskas is a Seattle-based journalist who writes about museums, airports and travel. She's the author of 9 books, including . is a Seattle-based journalist who writes about museums, airports and travel. She's the author of 9 books, including 111 Places in Seattle That You Must Not Miss

California State Parks rolls out new reservation upgrades to help campers find perfect site
California State Parks rolls out new reservation upgrades to help campers find perfect site

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Yahoo

California State Parks rolls out new reservation upgrades to help campers find perfect site

(FOX 5/KUSI) — Planning a camping trip to one of California's most iconic state parks just got a lot easier. The California Department of Parks and Recreation announced Thursday a series of customer-focused upgrades to its reservation system aimed at simplifying the way visitors search and book campsites. Outdoor adventurists can now view nearly real-time campsite availability directly on the official website for California State Parks. Previously, this information was only accessible through While reservations will still be completed through the Reserve California website, the integration with the main site is designed to make trip planning more seamless and intuitive, according to state park officials. 'California's state parks are home to some of the world's best campgrounds, and we want to make it as easy as possible to find your perfect campsite,' said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. 'Whether you prefer camping among the Redwoods, steps away from the ocean or high up in the mountains, your next state parks adventure is just a few clicks away.' Hike to the world's largest wooden trestle bridge — it's in Southern California In addition to the website, California State Parks is expanding its popular reservation drawings, or lottery system, to include more in-demand campgrounds. After a successful pilot program at Mount Tamalpais State Park, drawings are now being introduced at Malibu Creek State Park starting this month, with Morro Bay State Park and McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park to follow later this summer. The free lottery-style system is designed to give more people a fair shot at booking the state's most sought-after campsites, officials explained. Since launching in 2023, the reservation drawings have seen more than 100,000 entries for the Steep Ravines Cabins at Mount Tamalpais, showing just how many people are interested in the popular campground. Campers can enter drawings and check availability through the Reserve California website. For more information on how the drawing system works, visitors can refer to the Reservation Drawing FAQs. With these new features, California State Parks hopes to make it easier for both residents and out-of-state visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the Golden State — whether for a quick weekend getaway or full-blown outdoor vacation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword

This hidden rural oasis makes for a splendid day trip — and it's just an hour from L.A.
This hidden rural oasis makes for a splendid day trip — and it's just an hour from L.A.

Los Angeles Times

time28-07-2025

  • Los Angeles Times

This hidden rural oasis makes for a splendid day trip — and it's just an hour from L.A.

Ask a random Angeleno to find Piru, Fillmore or Santa Paula on a California map and odds are they'll shrug and give up. Blame it on location, location, location. Collectively known as the Heritage Valley, these small towns hidden on the stretch of Highway 126 are often ignored and bypassed by L.A. travelers bound for Ojai or Ventura. But if you take the time to stop in this rural oasis, you'll find miles of citrus groves, heaps of history and truly tasty Mexican food. Yes, there are more tractors than Tesla Superchargers in this region — that's part of the draw. This, you realize, is what Southern California looked like before suburbia moved in. Heritage Valley was previously known as Santa Clara River Valley, which is what the locals still call it. In 1998, a committee was assembled to help bring in tourists, and the new, jazzier label was coined. It was an improvement over an earlier, clunkier nickname, Santa Clara River Valley Heritage Trail, which sounded more like a hiking path. It wasn't the only title created for the sake of marketing. The town of Santa Paula has always proclaimed itself 'the citrus capital of the world' for its abundance of lemons and oranges. Fillmore, not to be outdone, picked a gem: 'The last, best small town,' which inspired a play of the same name that's set there. Piru was already born with a compelling handle when its devoutly religious founder proclaimed it as 'The Second Garden of Eden' in 1887. Today, it's better known for its popular outdoor recreational area, Lake Piru. (After 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera drowned in the lake in 2020, swimming was temporarily banned. It's now allowed, but only in designated areas between Memorial Day and Labor Day.) If you go back hundreds of years before Lake Piru was created by the construction of the Santa Felicia Dam, you'd see Chumash villages dotting the valley. Then came the Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century, followed by ranchos that used the land for sheep and cattle. Soon the railroads arrived, and then an oil boom. The valley's eventual transformation into an agricultural mecca was hastened by a Mediterranean climate that proved ideal for crops — first citrus, then avocados. But along with the bounty there were disasters, both natural and man-made, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the catastrophic flood from the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse. Numerous fires also have made the valley live up to a Times article that called it 'among the most dangerous wind and fire corridors in Southern California.' Yet through it all, the population has steadily grown and more travelers are discovering the area for its lively gatherings (the Santa Paula Citrus Music Festival took place last week), new attractions (check out the 17-mile Sunburst Railbike experience) and stunning hikes. Here's where to go on a road trip along Highway 126.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store