The Best Biking Trails In and Around Sacramento

Sacramento is by and large one of the best biking cities in the state of California, and that is for a variety of reasons, including the expansive amount of local trails and relatively flat terrain. Making the most of outdoor opportunities doesn’t necessarily mean having to take long road trips, though.

Sacramento is bicycle country, both inside the city limits and in its surrounding areas. Sacramento County has made a conscious and sustained effort to encourage residents to pedal their way not only to recreational activity, but also to think of the bicycle as a realistic alternative to commuting by automobile. Here are some suggestions of the best biking trails in Sacramento and where they go within the city, as well as some great spots along each trail.

Need a visual? Use this helpful interactive bike map to plan out your next biking adventure!

Granite Bay Trail

Photo Courtesy of MTB Project

This 12-mile trail is located on the western bank of the nearby Folsom Lake. This trail will fully immerse you in a thick, northern California forest with views of the lake for the whole ride.

Just on the other side of Folsom Lake, about a 20-minute ride from the Granite Bay Trail is the Mraz Brewing Company. With an elaborate display of award-winning Belgian-inspired ales and a very homey outdoor eating ambience you can’t go wrong grabbing your post-workout beers here. Also, every Friday they offer a different food truck!

The Four-Mile Loop

This trail is located in just south of Midtown and runs between Curtis Park and Land Park.

The center of this route contains William Land Park, which includes kid-friendly places like the Sacramento Zoo, Funderland Park and Fairytale Town. Along the way, you will also find places to indulge your sweet tooth: Marie’s Donuts, Spinners Cinnamon Rolls and the Macau Café.

The Four-Mile Loop is perfect if you have time to spare, and is an especially good choice if you have young children with you.

Sacramento River Parkway

Photo Courtesy of TrailLink

This is one of the more iconic biking trails in Sacramento and provides a great nature path along the river. This trail hugs I-5 and goes straight through Old Sacramento, providing an endless amount of fun options to try.

A great option for the whole family which offers an educational experience is the California State Railroad Museum. Here you can learn all about the illustrious history of how California first became industrialized, and how Sacramento’s prime, central location lead to it becoming the state capital.

In Old Sacramento, the Underground Tasting Room is located at the Twisted Twig Winery. It’s here that you can experience some of the best wines in Sacramento while also sticking close to the biking trail.

The Latino Center of Art and Culture is also along this trail and is a fun option for those who are looking to take a little break from exercising on the bike and exercise their brains a little bit!

The Yolo Causeway Bike Path

This is a short route as far as trails outside of downtown are concerned, at a little more than 3.5 miles. The course parallels Interstate Highway 80 for much of its way, making use of the same Yolo Causeway that the freeway does.

This trail will take you past the Yolo Wildlife Bypass Area, more than 16,000 acres of wetland set aside as a refuge for many kinds of birds, fish, reptiles and mammals. This will provide you with hours of opportunities to see animals both familiar and unfamiliar. It also makes a great place to take the kids for an educational outing that is active and fun.

Midtown Loop

This 2.9-mile trail in the heart of the city isn’t the most natural biking trail in Sacramento, but it is convenient for anyone who lives in the area and wants to get in a solid ride without having to worry about much traffic. Our tip: ride this loop a couple of times to get your workout in!

Some of the hidden sipping gems in Midtown include Rubicon Brewing, Fieldwork Brewing Co., Old Soul Coffee, and Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates.

What do you think?

We hope you enjoyed this list of Sacramento bicycle trails and the exciting places to see on each trail. Do you ride these trails? What are your favorite trails?

Author: John Demas

John N. Demas is the founding partner of Demas Law Group, P.C. and has been exclusively representing injured victims for nearly twenty-five years. John is passionate about helping people and he has earned a stellar reputation in the community for his dedication and successful results for his clients. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his family, exercise, cycle, scuba dive, hike and travel. He speaks Greek fluently.