Rancho Seco Lake Recreational Area
Get back to nature at Rancho Seco Recreational Area
A short 25 minute drive from downtown Sacramento, you’ll find the 400-acre park that makes up the Rancho Seco Recreational Area. Take a short vacation and enjoy camping, boating, hiking, bird watching and even a sanctuary for rescued exotic animals and wildlife. Camp in comfort with recreation and concession buildings, shade structures, laundry facility, boathouse and newly renovated restrooms and showers.
Have a large group? Picnic or camp with your friends or have a family reunion.
- Groups of 50 or more can reserve our picnic areas
- Group campsites are also available by reservation
- We have RV and tent spaces available, some with gorgeous lake views
Would you like to spend a quiet weekend enjoying nature with someone you love?
For information and reservations, call 1-800-416-6992 (Monday through Friday)
Hiking opportunities
Self-led hikes
Enjoy an easy seven mile round trip hike at the Howard Ranch Trail. The walk along the lake offers something special in each season – vernal pools in late winter, soft carpets of wildflowers in spring, contented cattle grazing on lush grass. It’s a working cattle ranch, so please leave your canine friends home.
Docent-led hikes
For those who would like to learn from local naturalist volunteers on docent-led hikes, the Cosumnes River Preserve offers springtime hikes on the Howard Ranch Trail. Each hike begins at 8:30 AM, takes 3+ hours and is taken at a casual pace. Visit the Cosumnes River Preserve event page for more information.
The current docent schedule is: March 24, April 1, April 21, April 29, May 5, May 13
Learn more about Howard Ranch Trail