Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

7755 Folsom-Auburn Rd.
Folsom, California 95630
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Local Phone: (916) 988-0205

Folsom Lake, about 25 miles northeast of Sacramento in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills, is the ninth largest reservoir in California and a major recreational asset for the Sacramento area. It was created by Folsom Dam, built in 1955 to control the American River. Recreational activities along its 75 miles of shoreline and contiguous acreage are managed by California State Parks.

The lake offers many opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, running, camping, picnicking, water-skiing, swimming and boating. Trout, catfish and bass fishing is considered very good. Visitors can also see the Folsom Powerhouse (once called "the greatest operative electrical plant on the American continent"), which from 1885 to 1952 produced 11,000 volts of electricity for Sacramento residents.

For cyclists, pedestrians and dog walkers, the 32-mile American River Trail connects the lake with many Sacramento County parks before reaching the Old Sacramento historic district downtown. The state recreation area also includes Lake Natoma, a forebay popular for kayaking, small-craft sailing, crew racing, stand-up paddle-boarding and other aquatic sports (sorry, dogs aren't allowed in the water here). Visitors with dogs can also view the rearing ponds at the nearby Nimbus Fish Hatchery, where millions of salmon fry are produced.

• This is a state park, so please leash your dog and clean up after him/her at all times!
• Dogs are not allowed on swimming beaches, but they can swim in other spots.
• Check the park website for current day use and boat launch fees.

Sacramento, Folsom, lake, boating, kayaking, fishing, shoreline, park, camp, trails, American River, water-ski, picnic, horse, equestrian

Visit a Close-In, Dog-Friendly Campground

Samuel P Taylor State Park - Photo Credit: @cchellyyy

Let’s say you want to go camping but don’t have hours to spare driving to a remote place. Even if you’re an urban dweller, you don’t have to go far to snag a spot in the woods (although you might have trouble with reservations). Here are some of our favorite campgrounds close to urban centers. more »

Pick a Park and Take a Walk

Apple at American River Parkway <br/> Photo Credit: @thunder_tiger

Apple at American River Parkway
Photo Credit: @thunder_tiger

Sacramento, California’s “City of Trees,” takes great pride in its shady parks. William Land Park , just south of downtown, is its largest urban oasis. The 166-acre preserve is home to a zoo, a golf course, an amusement park, duck ponds, picnic grounds and miles of canine-friendly walking paths. Among many other events, it hosts the annual Doggy Dash and Bark in the Park Festival (April 27 this year) to benefit the Sacramento SPCA. more »

Summer Fun With Your Pup in Folsom

Meats exploring the Johnny Cash Trail - Photo Credit: @finnifsk8

History, a vibrant dining scene and outdoor recreation options galore beckon in this gateway to California Gold Country. Folsom’s nucleus is its handsomely revitalized Old Town district, centered on Sutter Street and great for an anytime stroll or sit-down with your four-legged friend. more »

Historic Folsom: Gateway to the Gold Country

Visitors know Folsom for the song made famous by the Man in Black, but no one sings the blues once they get to this historic little city at the western gateway to California Gold Country. Folsom makes a great launching pad for forays into El Dorado County wine country and the Apple Hill region, where many dog-friendly adventures await. But it also has much to offer DogTrekkers in its own right—including a new, 2.5-mile trail and sculpture park named for Johnny Cash.

The Johnny Cash Trail connects to an extensive network of paved paths shared by cyclists, joggers and dog-walkers, while just outside town, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, which includes the separate Lake Natoma, have their own sets of pathways along with miles of shoreline where Sparky can swim and fetch sticks to his heart’s content. And that’s not to mention the American River Bike Trail hugging the river of the same name for 32 miles, all the way to downtown Sacramento. more »

Gotta Lake It

Lifeguard on duty, Lake Natoma. Photo Credit: @lifesensibly

Summertime and the livin’ is easy…as long as you’re on a lake. Heading up to Gold Country, you’ll find lots of places to dip your paws no matter which road you take. Here are some of our favorite splash spots in the Sierra foothills. more »

Dog-Passionate Folsom

Oscar having fun at Folsom Lake. (CC) T. Dibble

Johnny Cash may have put Folsom on America's musical map, but visitors don't sing the blues once they experience the vitality of this historic little city at the western gateway to California Gold Country.

DogTrekkers visiting Folsom will find more than 32 miles of paved, multi-use trails for cyclists, walkers and joggers, including many segments that intersect with open space corridors, creeks and greenbelts. To get a feel for what’s out there, stroll a section of the Humbug-Willow Creek trail system, which meanders 15 miles through a variety of terrain. Or, follow the American River shoreline along a segment of the 32-mile American River Parkway connecting Folsom with the Old Sacramento historic district. more »

Dog-friendly Folsom

Johnny Cash may have put Folsom on America's mental map. but visitors don't sing the blues once they experience the vitality of this historic little city at the western gateway to California Gold Country. more »

All American River

Zapata at River Bend Park. Photo: Trevino (CC)

A paddle trip down the six-mile stretch of the Lower American River between the Sunrise Bridge off Highway 50 and River Bend Park (called by its former name, Goethe Park, on many maps) is a signature summertime experience for residents of and visitors to Sacramento. more »

Parkway Paradise

Sacramentans cherish the American River Parkway, a shady, 32-mile greenbelt meandering from the Old Sacramento historic district to sprawling Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. This jewel in the crown of the Sacramento County Regional Park System has many access points and offers an unlimited opportunity to stroll and splash with your best friend. Dog-friendly Karen's Bakery Café in Historic Folsom is a great place to fuel up for a parkway hike or chill out at the end of the day. more »

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

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