As part of a regional trail system expanding upon that already existing along the American River, we envision in our 2007 report, The American River Parkway, Governance, Ecoregionalism, & Heritage, A Vision & Policy Primer (pp.17-29), the trail extending north up along the Sacramento River from Locke to the confluence with the American River, then east up the American, eventually to Coloma (where gold was discovered in 1848) and west down through the Cosumnes River Preserve back to Locke as the Golden Necklace.
This story in the Sacramento Press reports on the Sacramento River Parkway, which could be part of the Golden Necklace.
An excerpt.
“The Sacramento River Parkway is a 13-mile stretch of trail measured from Discovery Park to the south end of the Pocket, though the last six miles that run through the Pocket area are currently closed to the public.
“The Parkway currently is open to the public from Discovery Park, where a connection can be made to the American River Trail, travels south along the Sacramento River, and is cut off once the levee reaches the Pocket area.
“The trail then leads out to a network of trails throughout the southern end of the Pocket where the trail can be accessed again at Garcia Bend Park and taken to the end of the Freeport Water Intake Facility.
“If access is acquired to all parts of the levee, including those behind riverfront properties in the Pocket, the 13-mile stretch of trail would serve as a commuting corridor for those traveling from one end of the city to the other.
“It’s something we have worked toward for a long time,” said Anne Rudin, former mayor of Sacramento and founder of the Friends of Sacramento River Greenway.
“Friends of the Sacramento River Greenway is a volunteer, community-based organization that has been working with city officials to ensure continuous public access to the river and its levee’s since 1991.
“The plan was made decades ago to turn the American River trail at Old Sacramento and follow the Sacramento river to the south,” Rudin described. The organization has been working in collaboration with city officials since bike trails were adopted by the city.”
