Until recently, I didn’t realize that Sailor Bar is part of the American River Parkway! Legend has it that Sailor Bar is so named because a sailor jumped ship to stake his claim during the Gold Rush. This gentle hike travels along the American River in Fair Oaks, California (4253 Illinois Avenue). You can make this a loop, but we kept it an out-and-back to stay along the river.

Why we love it: There’s so much activity along the river! It’s enough away from civilization to feel like you have a break from your day-to-day, but an easy drive to the parking lot at the boat ramp area. There are bathrooms in the parking lot and doggy bags for your furry friends where you enter the trail (look for the pole by the yellow post and a big green trash can, between the bathroom parking and boat ramp parking). My favorite part of the hike was watching kayakers and fly fishermen in the water.

For the Young Ones (0-10): For those kiddos who are solid walkers and good listeners, taking this trail can be a great adventure. For most of trail I felt it was safe enough for our 3 year-old to be slightly ahead of us. She was fascinated to learn about fly fishing and catch sight of birds flying by. Some parts of trail have lots of small rocks and pebbles, which is a bit more challenging for little legs than walking on dirt.

For the Big Kids (10+): Our 11 year-old enjoyed the cool morning and greeting doggy hikers along our way. I’m pretty sure his favorite part was throwing rocks in the river. For older kids, it’s a good place to catch up on what’s going on in their lives, since there isn’t a need to navigate any technical sections of the trail. (Just be careful not to stub a toe on those small rocks mentioned above.)

Keep in Mind:

• Self-pay fee of $5 on the right after the entry gate.
• Little to no shade. Wear sun protection!
• Dogs on trail are not all on leash.

Around the Area: Less than 10 minutes away is Sunflower Drive In, home of Sacramento’s #1 veggie burger and where you can find homemade salsa, hot sauce, burger patties, soups, chili, salads and salad dressings. They even have a kid’s menu that any kid would eat from – grilled cheese and PB&J are vegetarian, after all!

Difficulty Level: Easy