nature – Exploring Sacramento

Happening hot springs

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights1 Comment

Another natural resource that folks love to explore in northern California are hot springs. Like soaking in nature’s own Jacuzzi, you can find hot springs in a variety of locations throughout the state. One of the closest to Sacramento is Harbin Hot Springs.

Located approximately 93 miles northwest of Sacramento in Middletown, California, Harbin Hot Springs is one of the oldest hot springs in the state and is owned by the Heart Consciousness Church, operating as a nonprofit retreat center. The site is clothing-optional, and offers massages, yoga, trail hiking, healthy meals and overnight camping in addition to soaking in 8 different pools.

6-hour day visits cost $20 per person from Monday through Thursday, or $30 per person on weekends and holidays. (Be sure to make reservations online to avoid an additional $5 fee for arriving unannounced.)

For more hot springs locations near Sacramento check out this article from the Sacramento Bee.

Bugging out at the Bohart Museum of Entomology

April 2, 2019April 1, 2019 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights2 Comments

Okay, technically this museum is located in Davis, not Sacramento, but let’s not nitpick. (Pun intended.)

The Bohart Museum of Entomology was founded in 1946, and holds the 7th largest insect collection in North America. It’s also home to the California Insect Survey, which explores insect biodiversity throughout the state.

The museum is free to visit, and is also an active work site, which means you may see researchers actually handling insects. YIKES!

Or, as the museum’s website instructs, “Keep an open mind. Say things like ‘How interesting!’ instead of ‘Yuck!’ or ‘Gross!'”

If you’re not close enough to explore the museum in person, be sure to check out their online databases instead.

You can find the Bohart Museum at 455 Crocker Lane at the University of California in
Davis (95616).

All about the American River Parkway

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 Posted in A to Z, Sacramento Sights3 Comments

Known as “the jewel of Sacramento,” the American River Parkway is a 23-mile-long wildlife and recreation area that runs alongside the American River. More than 5 million visitors will access the Parkway each year, making it a fitting start for our A to Z journey!

Just a few of the activities you can engage in while visiting this regional park:

Boating
Fishing
Golfing
Guided Tours (natural and historic)
Picnicking
Rafting
Trail Hiking or Running

The 32-mile Jedediah Smith Memorial Multi-use Trail is one of the park’s biggest draws. As a multi-use trail, visitors are allowed to walk, run, jog, bike, skate or even ride horses along the path. Here’s a link to the “rules of the road” for the trail, so be sure to brush up on your trail etiquette before heading out. No motorized traffic is allowed on the trail, so leave your scooters, 4-wheelers, hoverboards, and motorized bikes and skateboards at home.

In addition to the Jedediah Smith trail, you can also find the following paved trails within the regional park:

Ancil Hoffman Park
Discovery Park
Effie Yeaw Nature Center
Howe Ave River Access
Paradise Beach
River Bend Park
Rossmoor Bar
Sacramento Bar
Sailor Bar
Sunrise Recreation Area, Upper and Lower
Waterton and S.A.R.A Access
Watt Avenue Access
William B. Pond Recreation Area

Every year in November the Sacramento Running Association and American River Parkway Foundation team up to host the Run the Parkway event, to help raise money to maintain and preserve the Parkway. Runners can choose from a 20-mile or marathon course, or simply enjoy an untimed 4.4-mile nature walk starting at the William B. Pond Recreation Area.

Here’s a map from the 2018 event, to give you an idea of the vast size of the Parkway:

There’s also a Ride the Parkway event coming up in May for those who prefer cycling to jogging. This event includes BBQ and beer, post-race. Yum! (FYI: April 5th is the last day to sign up at the discounted fee of $65 per person for this race.)

Growing up in Elmhurst, Illinois, I was privileged to live near the Illinois Prairie Path, a 61-mile network of bike trails that I walked or biked almost daily. The American River Parkway is a similar path where residents can relax, unwind and exercise in Sacramento, so I’m happy to finally live in a city where this kind of trail is accessible to all.