Planning Documents
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Inventory of Recreational Facilities —
DESCRIPTION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES COUNTY BY COUNTY
Sacramento County
Sacramento County is located in the northeastern and western area of the Delta, from I-5 southwest to the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, covering about 95,000 acres, approximately 19 percent of the Primary Zone. Additional County lands are in the Secondary Zone and outside the Legal Delta and provide access to the Delta waters. Islands and tracts in the Primary Zone include: Pierson District, Sutter Island, Grand Island, McCormack Williamson Tract, Dead Horse Island, Tyler Island, Brannan-Andrus Island, Twitchell Island, and Sherman Island. Much of Brannan-Andrus Island north of Highway 12 is in the Secondary Zone. The State of California owns much of the land in the southernmost part of the County, including large portions of Sherman and Twitchell Islands, and Brannan Island State Recreation Area. Delta water areas include Georgiana Slough, the North Fork of the Mokelumne River, the Sacramento Deep Water Channel, the Sacramento River, the San Joaquin River, and Sevenmile Slough. Cities and communities within the Primary Zone include: Courtland, Hood, Locke, Walnut Grove, and Ryde. The City of Isleton is located in the Secondary Zone.
Sacramento County is home to a variety of public and privately owned small, medium and large sized marinas. "Small" marinas contain 50 or fewer berths. There are 14 small marinas, all are privately owned, with a berth range of six to 47. Most are located in the Primary Zone of the Delta and grouped around Andrus Island, the City of Sacramento, and the Walnut Grove area.
Fourteen "medium" marinas exist in the County; all are privately owned. Medium marinas have between 50 and 200 berths. Those within Sacramento County are from 54 to 180 berths. These medium sized marinas are primarily found in the areas surrounding the City of Sacramento, Andrus Island, Sherman Island, Brannan Island, and Walnut Grove; most of these are located within the Primary Zone of the Delta. One is located outside the Legal Delta, in the City of Sacramento, with access to the waters of the Primary Zone.
Seven "large" marinas are located in Sacramento County, each containing over 200 berths. All of these marinas are privately owned, except for the Sacramento Marina in the City of Sacramento, on the Sacramento River. The Sacramento Marina is one of the largest with 553 berths, a launch ramp, and a trail. Most of the "large" marinas are grouped on Andrus Island within the Primary Zone of the Delta.
There are a large number of launch ramps throughout Sacramento County, most of which are located in the Primary Zone, with a few in the Secondary Zone and outside of the Legal Delta. The ramps are clustered in the City of Sacramento, Andrus Island, Brannan Island, and Sherman Island. Many of the ramps are in privately owned marinas. Some of the ramps are located at public launch facilities, which also often include picnic sites, public trails, fishing access, and sometimes beach access and windsurfing sites. A very large facility is located at Brannan Island State Recreation Area on Brannan Island on the Sacramento River. Brannan Island State Recreation Area also has 32 berths, 102 camping sites, picnic facilities, fishing access, public trail, and beach access.
Tent and RV camping sites are located in Sacramento County. Most of the camping sites are located in privately owned marinas. These camping sites are primarily on the Brannan Island, Andrus Island, and in the City of Sacramento. Brannan Island State Recreation Area has extensive camping facilities, as well as a launch ramp. Several private marinas and resorts provide campsites. Delta Isle, on Andrus Island, has the largest number of camping sites--212. This resort also includes 35 berths, picnic sites, and a fishing pier.
There are a large number of picnic areas provided throughout Sacramento County in both public and private facilities. All of the publicly owned launch ramp and fishing access sites also provide picnicking sites.
Formal fishing access is located at a few private marinas, and is generally provided at the publicly owned launch ramps and parks. The County provides fishing access at several sites along the Sacramento River including the Cliffhouse Fishing Access and Georgiana Slough Access.
Trails in the Primary Zone are limited in number. Brannan Island State Recreation Area has numerous trails, and the Department of Parks and Recreation has converted the old railroad right-of-way behind Locke to a gravel trail. There are trails at several facilities in the Secondary Zone, such as Cosumnes Preserve and Stone Lakes Wildlife Refuge trails, which allow wildlife observation. Additional trails are located in the City of Sacramento including: Discovery Park; Garcia Bend Park; and Miller Park. The City has recently adopted a master plan to expand levee-top trails along the Sacramento and American Rivers.
Four private Yacht Clubs are located in Sacramento County: two on the San Joaquin River, one on the Mokelumne, and one on Georgiana Slough. Three are located within the Primary Zone of the Delta and one in the Secondary Zone.
The only State parks in the Delta are located in Sacramento County: Brannan Island State Recreation Area and Delta Meadows River Park, near Locke. There is also a private/public preserve, Cosumnes River Preserve, on the Cosumnes River and a federal wildlife refuge, Stone Lakes Wildlife Refuge, at Stone Lakes. The Refuges include lands owned by Sacramento County, the State, and Fish and Wildlife Service. All of these areas, except for parts of the Cosumnes River Preserve, are located within the Primary Zone of the Delta and have trails, although the Refuge trails are open on a limited basis. The Cosumnes Preserve has an on-site visitor facility.
Sherman Island Waterfowl Management Area at the southern end of Sherman Island is managed for public hunting and fishing from boats; there are no land facilities. This area is owned and managed by Department of Fish and Game, and is located in the Primary Zone.
The Sacramento River, from Rio Vista to the tip of Sherman Island, provides unique opportunities for windsurfing. Formal and informal facilities support wind-surfing providing sales and rental of equipment, physical access to the water, and camping sites for windsurfers. The windsurfer support sites in Sacramento County are located on Brannan and Sherman Islands in the Primary Zone.
All but one of the registered historic sites in the Primary Zone are located within Sacramento County. Walnut Grove sites include: Imperial Theater, Gauken Hall, the Walnut Grove Japanese-American Historic District, the Walnut Grove Chinese-American Historic District, the Walnut Grove Commercial/ Residential Historic District, and Jean Harvie School. Others historic sites in the County include: Rosebud Ranch near Hood, Chinese and Japanese Commercial Districts in Isleton, Delta Meadows (archeological site) near Locke, the Town of Locke, and the River Mansion on Grand Island (see map of Historic Sites).