Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

Large reservoir with beaches, boat ramps, and 95 miles of trails around its shores

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area wraps around the reservoir north of the city and is the main outdoor draw for the region. The lake has 18,000 acres of water surface when full and more than 150 kilometres of shoreline, with multiple swimming beaches, boat launches, equestrian trails, and campgrounds spread around its arms.

The American River Bike Trail connects the city directly to the recreation area, making it easy to reach by bicycle. The best swimming beaches are at Beals Point and Granite Bay. Kayaks, paddleboards, and motorboats can all be launched from ramps throughout the park; boat rentals are available near the Brown's Ravine marina. The trails around the lake are open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horses. The park day-use fee applies. In summer the lake gets busy at weekends — arrive early or visit mid-week.

things to do sight swimming cycling
A story
In severe drought years, Folsom Lake drops dramatically — sometimes to single-digit percentages of capacity. When this happens, the drowned town of Mormon Island re-emerges from the mud: stone building foundations, old road alignments, and cemetery walls slowly reappear as the water recedes, offering an eerie glimpse of the Gold Rush settlement that was deliberately flooded when the dam was completed in 1955.