Cosumnes River Preserve Visitor Center

The Visitor Center is open and staffed by volunteers on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm,  including holidays.  Open on weekdays, but hours vary.  The Visitor Center deck and outdoor exhibits are open to the public even when the indoor exhibit room is closed.  This building houses an exhibition room with interpretive displays and operates as an office for staff of the various partners, including the Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, Sacramento Co. Dept. of Regional Parks and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Visitor Activities:
The trails, boardwalks and waterways are the only parts of the Preserve that are open to the general public. These areas are open from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center is staffed by volunteers on the weekends and Preserve staff tries to keep it open during the weekdays. The Preserve promotes low impact recreation and offers naturalist-lead activities that include: hikes, bird monitoring, paddles, photography walks and more.

The Preserve’s Wood Duck Program is associated with a statewide effort that has been supported and coordinated by the California Waterfowl Association since 1991, when the California Wood Duck Program first began. An organized group of volunteers monitors, maintains, builds and replaces the 160 Wood Duck boxes located on the Preserve.

Volunteers also take an active role in managing and monitoring bird nest boxes for western blue birds and tree swallows. Nest box monitoring began in 2003 and its 67 boxes are part of a greater project studying tree swallows and their tropical nearest relatives from Alaska to Argentina.

Accessibility:
The Visitor Center and the Lost Slough Wetlands Boardwalk are wheelchair accessible.

Camping and Lodging facilities:
Camping is NOT allowed on the Cosumnes River Preserve. Commercial facilities offer lodging in Sacramento, Galt, and Lodi.

Food and Supplies:
Food and supplies are not available on-site. The nearest sources are in Sacramento, Galt, and Lodi.

First Aid:
No first aid is available on-site. The nearest hospital is located in Sacramento.

NO dogs are allowed:
The mere presence of dogs, and other domestic pets, can create momentary and prolonged disturbances to local wildlife. Dogs are perceived by many animals to be predators. This will cause creatures to alter their behavior and may discourage them from foraging or breeding. This rule is also in place for the safety of you and your pet. There are some animals that are potentially harmful to your dog, like mountain lions and venomous snakes. Pets also attract parasites, like ticks and mosquitoes, and increase the risk of exposure to poison oak.

Additional Information:
The best time to observe waterfowl is during the winter months. Many species of waterfowl spend their winters in the warmer climates that are south of the arctic freeze. Remains of the fall harvest and winter flooding provide ideal habitat for a variety of species that journey along the Pacific Flyway. Waterfowl, cranes, wading birds, and shore birds are seen from October to March; birds of prey from November to April. Songbirds are common in the fall and spring. Small boat access to Lost Slough from Delta Meadows Park.

What to bring:
When visiting the Cosumnes River Preserve, binoculars or cameras are nice things to bring. Also, sun protection, water, a light jacket, snacks and a trash bag. Insect repellent is highly recommended, especially in spring and summer when ticks and mosquitoes are most active.