Negro Bar Lake Natoma, Folsom SRA
Waiver and Sign-Up Required
After an 18-month hiatus from Friday Walks, we are happy to be able to offer them again. To gather safely, however, we need to follow some new rules.
- You must sign an Electronic Liability Waiver in advance of joining SacValley Chapter Friday Walks. Signing an Electronic Liability Waiver is a permanent change required statewide by the California Native Plant Society. Please note that signing the waiver for SacValley Chapter Friday Walks applies only to our chapter’s Friday Walks and does not cover SacValley Chapter Field Trips or any events or field trips offered by other CNPS chapters. Once you have signed the SacValley Chapter Friday Walks waiver, it is valid through the end of the current calendar year.
- For now, a limited number of participants can join each Friday Walk. The limit is currently 15 participants and one leader. During this initial restart, only four new participants can sign up for each walk. If you have signed up for a Friday Walk at any point after January 1, 2013, you are not considered a new participant.
Friday, April 1, 9:30am-12:30pm, Negro Bar, Folsom SRA
Note the 9:30AM meeting time. This is to allow walkers 62 and older a chance to obtain a Limited Use Golden Bear Pass for Calendar Year 2022 at the the nearby California State Park Gold Country Field Office at 7755 Folsom Auburn Road, Folsom, CA. Their office opens at 9:00am.
Join us for a walk from Negro Bar across the top of the bluff overlooking Lake Natoma and returning along the bike trail along Lake Natoma. We’ll meet at newly remodeled Negro Bar picnic area. The climb up to the top of the bluff is somewhat steep and possibly slippery from recent rain. Flowers will be in bloom along this walk with most of them along the returning shore bicycle trail along Lake Natoma. Among the plants in bloom are Ithuriel’s spear, Fiddleneck, Q-tips, Butter and eggs, Purple sanicle, Blue-eyed grass, Chinese houses, Bird’s eye gilia, Poppies, Lupines, Sticky monkeyflower, White whorled lupine, Dudleya, Spider lupine, Blow wives, Snowdrop nearing bloom, Tree tobacco, Tansy phacelia, Woolly sunflower, and California Bee plant. We’ll also pass a Bald Eagle nesting area along the bluff top and lake shore bike trail. This walk will be around 3 miles total with about a 100 foot climb to the top of the bluff. For more information, email John Schmidt or call 916-500-8456.
Bring water, hat, snack, sun, and layered protection. It might be windy much of the way since we’ll be bordering Lake Natoma.
Park entrance fee is $12 or a current State Park Pass. Click here for more info on state park passes. If you’re over 62, check out the Limited Use Golden Bear Pass. which at the bottom of the web page.
Meet at the parking lot above the Negro Bar picnic area which is west of the main Negro Bar parking lot in Folsom SRA.
Use the map with teardrop or directions below.
Directions of downtown Sacramento:
– US 50 east to Folsom Blvd., Exit #23.
– Left at the traffic light onto Folsom Blvd.
– Proceed east on Folsom Blvd over Natoma Crossing Bridge.
– Left at the traffic light just past the bridge, turning onto Greenback Lane.
– Left at the first left turn lane on Greenback and signed Negro Bar entrance about 0.3 miles from the bridge.
– Pass the entrance kiosk. Be sure to self-register if you don’t have a pass and the kiosk is unmanned.
– Continue straight down the hill into the first main parking area. Just after crossing the bike trail there is one row of parking spaces and then a tree lined larger parking are.
– Drive straight into this larger parking area and then immediately turn right.
– This is Park Rd. Follow Park Rd. west it as it parallels the bike trail.
– Continue straight to the new Negro Bar picnic area parking lot.
Please look at the linked map above on your home computer if you have not been to the remodeled Negro Bar picnic area or this is your first visit to Negro Bar. Call John (916-500-8456) Friday morning if having trouble finding the picnic area as the park road is not well marked.
There are numerous restroom facilities near the parking area and at the picnic area.
To sign up for the April 1 Negro Bar Walk and receive the link for the Electronic Liability Waiver if needed, email John Schmidt or call 916-500-8456 for more information.
If you are vaccinated you do not need to wear a mask. If you are not vaccinated, masks are required. Also if you are more comfortable wearing a mask, please do.
Please try to be on time. We’ll start walking at 9:45am with a ascent to the top of the bluff.