The American River and its
parkway offer unmatched recreation opportunities amid riparian woodlands as it
winds 23 miles through an area of more than a million population. If you enjoy rafting. canoeing,
kayaking, or fishing, the river is for you. Cyclists and runners enjoy the paved trail that closely
follows the original cinder bicycle path created in the 1890s. In addition, the
parkway features picnicking, golf,
hiking, bird-watching, or
any other get-away-from-it-all activities you can imagine.
The Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Ancil Hoffman County Park in Carmichael is named for a beloved kindergarten teacher who introduced children to nature and helped establish the parkway. The Effie Yeaw Nature Center has suffered from huge county budget cuts in recent years. The Nature Center is a wonderful spot that attracts more than 100,000 people annually. It offers programs that are fun and educational for young and old—workshops, interactive nature exhibits, live wild animals such as hawks and owls, and a replica Maidu Indian village. The surrounding 77-acre oak woodland has a network of marked trails with opportunities to watch and photograph wildlife such as deer, turkeys, and woodpeckers. Moving down to the American River, you can see migrating salmon in fall and waterfowl such as Goldeneye diving ducks in fall and winter, and perhaps skip rocks on the river. In short, the nature center, the parkway, and the river add up to an unparalleled "sense of place" for Sacramentans. Help us keep it in good health, join the American River Natural History Association: www.arnha.org
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