American River Parkway

Rossmoor Bar offers a similar mix of birds and habitats as described for Lower Sunrise. It is heavily impacted by dredge mining for gold along the river that occurred during the first half of the last century. Large piles of gravel and reduced topsoil have left many open areas with only pockets of vegetation. The bare soil and patches of gravel are good sites to look for reptiles.

Birding the site: On the drive into the park, you may see Wild Turkeys and black-tailed deer along the road. From the parking area, begin walking upstream on a service road. There are patches of vegetation that hold common species such as Anna’s Hummingbird, Bewick’s Wren, and Spotted Towhee. Phainopepla have also been spotted in recent years. A few large cottonwoods have managed to grow in the otherwise gravelly and hard soil; they have been known to hold raptor nests. eBird Sightings

Following the service road and informal trails, there is a lot of habitat to explore. You can continue upstream to the San Juan Rapids (see Sacramento Bar) and beyond.

Directions: From downtown Sacramento, take Highway 50 east for 11 miles from Interstate 5, and take the Mather Field Road exit. Turn left and drive north to Folsom Boulevard, then turn right. In 0.4 mile, turn left on Coloma Road. In 1.6 miles, go left on Rossmoor Drive. Go all the way to the end of the road and park. The entrance fee is currently $7 per vehicle (or a $70 annual pass).