American River and Northern California Vacation

The American River runs from the Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin Valley, eventually emptying into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

History The Maidu peoples inhabited the American River for thousands of years before foreigners settled the region. They utilized the vast river resources for shelter, clothes, baskets, and other goods.

The California Gold Rush started in 1848 when gold was found on the American River. The South Fork in particular was a top destinations for early miners.

River Forks the American River is divided into the North, Middle, and South forks; the three forks originate in the Lake Tahoe area. All three forks are known for their verdant canyons, forested ridges, massive rock formations, trails, winter adventures, snowy peaks, fishing and white water rafting. Fish species that live within the American River include the Chinook salmon and Steelhead Trout. 

American River Parkway below Folsom Lake, the river passes through an urban area and riparian park containing fishing and family-oriented rafting, paved bicycling and multi-use trails. Also, Leidesdorff Ranch, a 35 thousand acre - 140 km² - cattle and wheat agribusiness.

Your anchor locations when visiting Northern California include Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Sonoma and San Mateo Counties near San Francisco Bay

Ecosystem the climate of the California American River is Mediterranean; rainy winters and very dry summers. The region is prone to seasonal drought conditions. Sacramento County is known for its cool winters, and hot summers, with low average precipitation. Much of the Central Valley was historically wetlands, which made the ground very fertile and attractive for agriculture. The American provides Sacramento County with its main source of drinking water and houses a multitude of plants and wildlife, creating an immensely bio diverse ecosystem.

The American River Conservancy works to conserve the wildlife, aquatic and terrestrial habitats and resources around the American River watershed. The land they protect helps the American River water quality by conserving and resorting wet meadows, wetlands, and riparian areas. It also preserves the cultural and historic values of the river systems and surrounding landscapes.

Recreation whitewater rafting; the South Fork has Class III rapids, the Middle Fork has Class IV rapids, and the North Fork has Class IV spring run-off rapids. All three rivers also feature Class II sections.

Pacific Coast Trails and the American Southwest

Phoenix Palm Springs Los Angeles San Mateo Sacramento Sonoma and Oregon

Phoenix Arizona and the American Southwest

Blue Skies Red Rocks Mountain Trails Grand Canyons Desert Sunsets and City Culture

Phoenix is the cosmopolitan heart of Arizona, the soul of the American Southwest and where you will find sports venues, live music, rooftop lounges, museums, theaters and art galleries.

Downtown and its Cityscape two block entertainment district is also home to the Phoenix Convention Center and Arizona State University’s downtown campus; all served by one of the newest light rail systems in the nation.

Arizona Opera produces grand opera throughout the state of Arizona and is one of only three companies in the US that performs in two cities. In Phoenix, the company performs at Symphony Hall in Downtown. Read More

Los Angeles Beverly Hills and Palm Springs California

Pacific Coast Beaches Culture and Entertainment Shopping and an Endless Supply of Sunshine

Los Angeles is a metropolis with an extraordinary history and a rich cultural heritage. An entertainment capital that is also home to renowned museums, a flourishing downtown, 75 miles of sunny coastline and internationally flavored neighborhoods.

Palm Springs

The nine cities that comprise Greater Palm Springs offer an endless supply of sunshine and a local culture ranging from art and air museums, tours of midcentury modern homes, a living desert - a unique zoo and botanical garden that specializes in the deserts of the world - hiking, biking at the Indian Canyon, with its numerous natural springs, Tahquitz Canyon, the Coachella Valley Preserve and the Joshua Tree National Park, 794,000 acres with two diverse desert ecosystems: the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Read More

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Sacramento California

Natural Beauty History Cultural Attractions Cutting Edge Cuisine and Wineries

Sacramento sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers, and is an ideal destination for a Northern California itinerary and getaways to visit the Wine Country, Gold Country, the Redwoods, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic National Park and the Central Valley.

History Sacramento has a colorful history filled with humor, steam trains, ghosts, heroes and villains, the California Gold Rush and other tales of the Wild West. Read More

San Mateo California and the Silicon Valley

Sonoma County California

Wineries Rugged Coastlines and Redwood Forests

Sonoma is home to over 425 wineries, miles of rugged Pacific coastline, towering redwood forests, and proximity to San Francisco. Also, more than 50 nature parks that offer travelers miles of hiking and cycling trails through towering redwoods or oak-studded hills, and rivers for kayaking and canoeing.

Arts and Culture Sonoma County is home to sculpture gardens tucked into hills, quaint small towns and high-end galleries as well as performing arts centers like the Green Music Center, thousands of local artists and 120 performing arts companies. Read More

Oregon Travel

Environment Friendly Destinations and Vacations

Oregon is an ideal winter destination where you can ski on volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains; a nature lover’s paradise as you watch hundreds of gray whales spout and storms over the Pacific; a connoisseur destination where you can sip award-winning Oregon wines and micro beers; an environmentalist’s delight with Portland’s green lifestyle, free downtown transport and local distinctive neighborhoods. Video

The Landscape is diverse, with a windswept Pacific coastline, a volcano-studded Cascade Range, abundant bodies of water in and west of the Cascades; dense evergreen, mixed, and deciduous forests at lower elevations; and a high desert sprawling across much of its east all the way to the Great Basin. The tall conifers, mainly Douglas fir, along Oregon's rainy west coast contrast with the lighter-timbered and fire-prone pine and juniper forests covering portions to the east. Abundant alders in the west fix nitrogen for the conifers. Stretching east from central Oregon are semi-arid shrub lands, prairies, deserts, steppes, and meadows. At 11,249 feet (3,429 m), Mount Hood is the state's highest point, and Crater Lake National Park is Oregon's only national park. Read More

Portland

Neighborhoods Planning & Development Sustainability and Local Transport

Located between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Portland is at the northern end of the Willamette Valley and river which flows through the city and links with the Columbia River. The citizens and their local government are notable for: land-use planning, local transport, environment conscious policies, high walkability, a large number bicyclists and ten thousand acres of public parks.

Neighborhoods The Office of Neighborhood Involvement serves as a conduit between city government and Portland's 95 neighborhoods, each represented by a volunteer association serving as liaison between residents and the city government. Portland and its surrounding metropolitan area also have the only directly elected metro planning organization the United States with responsibility for land use, transport planning and solid waste management. Read More

Pacific Coast Trails and the American Southwest
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