Mildly Recommended: Wildflowers
Whether you’re looking for lupine or pining for poppies, one this is certain: there is no need to drive hours or plan a long hike — they are having their own little party along our backyard river! Here are 4 mildly recommended spots right here in Sacramento County to get you started.
Blankets of flowers atop riverside bluffs at Sailor Bar
#1: Sailor Bar
Adventure 17E in Mildly Scenic: Short Walk
3.5 mile, $7 parking or Parks Annual Pass, dirt trail, sun/partial shade
Rocky soil and wide open skies found along the river’s edge at Sailor Bar make the perfect climate for lots of lupine and poppy peeping (try saying that five times in a row!).
Make this a bite-sized adventure (0.5 mile) by parking by Turtle Pond, off Illinois Ave, and taking the wide gravel road directly down to the river’s edge. Follow this trail up or downriver and feast your eyes on the wildflowers and endless views of glittery river.
Sacramento Bar is blanketed by wildflowers
#2: Bannister Park (aka Sacramento Bar)
Adventure 16C in Mildly Scenic: Short Walk
1.0 mile, Free parking, dirt trail, sun/partial shade
Along the north side of the river by Fair Oaks, the Lower American River passes underneath Sunrise Blvd and makes a bend around a rocky wash, depositing cobbled rocks exposed to the open skies. This area can be accessed either by Bannister Park or closer to the river at the Sacramento Bar River Access ($7 parking). Follow the trail downriver and keep your eyes peeled for a plethora of purple and yellow.
Vetch abound under the Guy West Bridge at Sac State
#3: Guy West Bridge
Adventure 4A in Mildly Scenic: Short Walk
0.1 mile, Free street parking, dirt trail, sun/partial shade
Good news, Sac State students: the wildflowers have found a healthy habitat right below the Guy West Bridge. A destination in itself, this bridge resembles a miniature Golden Gate Bridge and is open only to pedestrians and cyclists. During the spring, the view is made even better with wildflowers showing their true colors. Stinger’s up, pollinators! Accessible from campus, or by parking along the street across the way.
Variation: Make this a short stop, or create a longer 5.5 loop to Watt Ave.
Poppies seem to love the canyon just as much as us humans
#3: Rossmoor Bar
Adventure 13B in Mildly Scenic: Short Walk
0.5 mile, $7 parking or Parks Annual Pass, dirt trail, full sun
This secluded section along the south bank sits directly across from high cliffs, giving it the feel of a deep-water canyon. This area was an gravel mining site so, just like other spots along the river, the piles of rock and make for fertile grounds for wild poppies, vetch, and lupine. Park near the boat ramp and walk a short distance upriver to find wide-open meadows full or wildflowers.
Variation: Extend this into a longer hike by heading downriver to Hagan Community Park or upriver to El Manto.
