The Abridged version:
- School’s out. The house is full of visitors. Luckily, you don’t have to drive far to find easy hikes in the Sacramento region to get everyone outside.
- Many trails are free, but some charge for parking or admission.
- Easy trail options can be found in places such as Carmichael, Auburn, Galt, Jackson, Lotus, Sloughhouse and Arnold.
Fall and winter are some of the best times of year in the Sacramento region to take your family out for a hike. The weather is mild. The sun is often shining. And you don’t have to drive too far to find trails that are great for kids or family members who are in town for the holidays. Here’s a look at seven easy trails to explore in the region.
Effie Yeaw Nature Center
A Sacramento region jewel, Effie Yeaw has something for everyone: Easy trails, a nature-inspired playground for kids, a visitor’s center with live snakes and access to the American River. You are guaranteed to see wildlife here — deer, turkeys, birds, snakes and lizards all freely roam this 100-acre land. Bonus: November is salmon spawning season. A docent confirmed you can see salmon right now from the banks of the river. Tack on a visit afterwards to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery to see even more salmon at their peak.
Location: Inside Ancil Hoffman Park, 2850 San Lorenzo Way, Carmichael CA 95608. Parking is $7.
Visitor’s Center Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Trails are open sunrise to sunset.
Hidden Falls Regional Park
This popular hike takes you to a wooden viewing platform above a cascading waterfall in Auburn. At 3.2 miles round-trip, it’s a mostly easy trail with a few moderately steep sections and switchbacks. The sounds of the creek surround you as you hike, before reaching the crescendo of the 30-foot waterfall. The tricky part? Parking. Reservations for parking are required in advance on all weekends and certain holidays, including Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving and during the Christmas holiday break through New Year’s. Make parking reservations here.
Location: 7587 Mears Place, Auburn CA 95602. Parking is between $4-8.
Lake Tabeaud
This off-the-beaten-path trail has become one of our family favorites in Amador County, a little over an hour from Sacramento. Lake Tabeaud is peacefully quiet, with no motorized boats allowed. A 2.5 mile hiking loop circles the lake. Although signage is minimal, keep hugging the shore to stay on track. There is one section that is steep enough that ropes are provided to help you up. But frankly, it’s one of the most enjoyable sections for kids to scramble. Bring lunch for one of the lake’s many picnic tables, and stop at Munnerlyn’s Ice Creamery in Pine Grove for a post-hike treat.
Location: Tabeaud Road, Jackson CA 95842. Free.
Deer Creek Hills
Sacramento’s largest open space preserve covers more than 4,500 acres of oak woodlands and wetlands. Recently, it earned an Audubon certification as bird-friendly land, a nod to the preserve’s many bird species, from raptors to songbirds. Trail options range from three miles to six miles. Deer Creek Hills will be open to the public for free on Nov. 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check the calendar for other dates when you can hike the preserve for a $10 per adult (kids are free).
Location: Eagle Camp Corral, Latrobe Road, Sloughhouse CA 95683
Dave Moore Nature Area
If you have especially small children in your group who can’t manage longer hikes, this one is for you. It’s a simple one-mile loop with river access. But the real draw is all the hidden dinosaur figurines people have tucked along the trail. Kids will run ahead to try to find them, then re-hide them at the next rock cranny or tree nook. After the hike, drive a mile up the road to Troublemakers Beer Garden in Lotus, where you’ll find food, beer and even a playground.
Location: CA-49, Lotus CA 95651
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
If you don’t mind a day trip, one of the best family-friendly places to hike is Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Arnold. It’s a two-hour drive from Sacramento, but it’s worth it to see the towering giant sequoia trees. Imagine Muir Woods, but with smaller crowds. The North Grove trail is an easy 1.7-mile loop with boardwalks and benches, allowing you to pause and gape at the magnificent trees. There’s a massive stump to climb on and a tunneled-out tree that kids can crawl inside (and anyone willing to duck their heads). The park sometimes gets snow in the winter, so check the weather forecast before heading up. Snowshoes are available on a first-come, first-served basis for guided hikes at 11:30 a.m. Saturdays. Stop by Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys on your way home. You can sip wine while wandering the 1,000-acre family-friendly property, which includes a pond, sprawling lawn and small museum with the world’s largest gold leaf.
Location: 1170 CA-4, Arnold CA 95223. $10 day use fee. Open sunrise to sunset.
Visitor’s Center Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cosumnes River Preserve
This preserve can be explored by any member of your family, young to old. There are four miles of trails at the preserve, including an accessible boardwalk that leads 400 yards to an observation deck in the middle of the wetlands. Other trails meander along a small creek. But no matter which way you walk, you are guaranteed to see one thing: birds. And lots of them. The preserve is home to about 250 bird species – including the sandhill crane. Now through March is the perfect time to see the cranes, especially before sunrise or after sunset.
Location: 13501 Franklin Blvd., Galt CA 95632
More hiking ideas
If one of these hikes doesn’t fit the bill, here are some books for inspiration. Check out 60 hikes within 60 miles of Sacramento for some great hikes, or Top Trails: Sacramento with 43 hikes within two hours of the city. The book 1,001 Things To Do in Sacramento With Kids (& The Young At Heart) also has hiking ideas that are especially great for little ones.
Christina Salerno is the Director of News Visuals at Abridged.