Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Today was our first visit and we loved it! The naturalist who did the creature show was great with the kiddos and very informative! I even learned a few things myself. This area is a treasure and a very nice repose from the city. All the staff members were welcoming and knowledgable.
On our way back to the car, a family of deer was there to bid us adieu.
We will be back!

Heaven is here in Sacramento. I love this place. Highly recommend for kids and adults. I leave feeling like a new person. You’ll read about deer, owls, snakes, etc which are all amazing and cool, but this place is more than nature. It’s about connecting with Spirit and this place is a conduit to experiencing peace and serenity.

The nature center is all about animals that are important I will love to see the beautiful animals tomorrow I am going to see the animals I love animals so much that ul I want to cry and I would love to be a veterinarian so much I’d love to help animals so so so so so so so so so so much.

Sacramento has its own Hundred-​Acre Wood! No bears, piglets, kangaroos or Tiggers though, but really could pass as bits of Pooh’s world based on descriptions: Enchanting Place, A Nice Place for Picnics, An Area with Big Stones and Rocks, Owl’s House, Rabbit’s House, Thoughtful Spot. Just use your imagination.
Had heard about this place from one of the local TV channels. A great place tucked away in Carmichael inside Ancill Hoffman Park. $ 5 parking, Nature Center opens at 9am, open until 4pm or 5pm depending on the season.
The Center itself has a recreated Maidu Village with replica shelters and other structures, which are used in culture heritage programs for schoolkids. The landscaping and butterfly garden is also done with native plants/​wildflowers. Inside the center, the American River Natural History Association run the Discovery Shop with apparel, books, games, jewelry and other gifts. There are also a bunch of resident animals. We were able to see the Saw-​whet owl, Sophia, the Great Horned Owl, Echo, and the kestrel, Rocky that morning — they also have two hawks, reptiles and amphibians if you like lizards and frogs. They also have taxidermied animals (turkey, beaver, otter, jays, toads, etc.) and a fun exhibit/​interactive display where you can try on a pair of wings that demonstrates the wingspan of a California Condor! This would be a great place for kids to visit and learn about animals.
Three self-​guided trails (¾ mile long) in the preserve area with awesome watchable wildlife opportunities. Trails are easy to walk, pedestrians only (no bikes). The trails are indicated by signage, either the Discovery Trail, Observation Trail, and Riverview History Trail as well as signs directing you back to the Center. Map can be found here:
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We saw deer drinking out of the pond and grazing (just mere FEET away from you!), including three young bucks! Squirrels and woodpeckers roam the trees, wild turkeys and waterfowl including ducks and egrets, and vultures overhead. There are also coyotes, snakes, and mountain lions to watch out for, and poison oak so keep kids close. When you reach the riverbanks, great views and relaxing sounds of the water passing by await you.
Will definitely be back.

Amazing resource for nature education. They have picnic grounds, the American River, hiking trails, a center with interactive exhibits, live animals, nature literature, and more. Lots of family programs on the weekends. We will be going back often now that we know it is here and how much it offers!

Effie Yeaw Nature Center! What a spectacular place hidden in Carmichael CA. Its inside the Ancil Hoffman park with only a $ 5 car entrance fee only.
The nature center has a lot of stuff for you to do. They have a few local rescued animals inside that you can see and they do take them outside and do some live showings. There is a few exhibits inside as well to see how local animals have lived and how they build stuff. They have a few huts and grinding rocks that they used many many years ago to survive in the area. The water back then would rise and go down depending on the time of year.
You can buy shirts, books, flavored cricket pops and flavored dry crickets. Seriously i posted pics!
When you go out in the nature walk, be respectful dont litter, dont touch the flowers they have signs posted because it helps the wildlife on the preserve strive to live. And if you dont know what your touching be careful cause there is poison oak out there. Remember leaves of 3, let it be!!!
On our beautiful day we had seen 3 hawks, 3 deers, a handul of turkeys both in the nature area and on the golf course located on your way through the park, also a tiny lizard, a coyote or fox, he was to fast to get a pic but he was beautiful. We heard a few wood peckers pecking away at the trees. The kids absolutely loved it. We packed a small cooler with water and few snacks and kept the trash with us to abide the rules. there is a lot of paths and signs that tell you all about the local trees, animals, and life going on around you.
My favorite part was when we got down to the river, you could hear nature, the water rushing by as it went over the rocks, my wife and i could of sat there all day and just relaxed as nature passed us by. There were also a lot of tiny baby fish near the sides of the river bed.
So if your up for some adventure, bring the kids and make a day of it, you wont be disappointed! And if you dont have kids, still wont be disappointed.
Just a heads up, signs also say no bike riding, horses or dogs aloud in the nature center area, but you can have them in the ancil Hoffman park. Just incase you have any questions dont hesitate to call! Your only $ 5 away from an amazing learning, nature walking and relaxed day!

Really fun place to take a nice walk at. There are always deer and woodpeckers. And you can go down to the river and skip rocks or just look at the pretty view. It is gorgeous. And when you are done there is an area you can go in were it tells you all about animals. In the summer they even have camp for kids. Really there is so much to do and so much fun. I’m sorry to all you dog people but you can’t bring dogs. But lucky for the people who like to take pictures there are tons of deer and other animals. You should go there and see for your self. I promise you will like one part of it. HIKE ON

Beautiful place! So serene and peaceful. We often see deer here and sometimes even a coyote – from a distance. Best to go when it is not too hot, but lovely any time of the year.

A lovley place to enjoy nature. I showed up by chance at just the right time on a Saturday to join a guided nature trail tour. I saw wild turkeys, deer and a jack rabbit. The staff was nice and friendly. There were some captive animals inside the building along with a little gift shop and clean bathrooms. It cost $ 5 per car load to get in. I had an overall pleasurable experience here.

Another wonderful hidden gem of Sacramento. There are multiple trails that take you around the reserve, a wonderful nature center featuring live animals and a few exhibitions relating to wildlife in the area, and they often have volunteers who present the animals for interaction with visitors. Some of the trails lead to the Sacramento River.

I have been coming here since I was a kid, and it still has a lot to offer. When my kids were younger they loved the outdoor displays, nature trails, inside nature center and live rescued animals. Now we still check on the live animals but spend most of our time taking a long walk to the river and around the large property. Last time we saw a lot of deer and turkeys. Great to bring a picnic lunch, and we like to support the center by checking the gift shop counter for goodies.

Took my dad here. He has lived in the area for 20 years but had never been. It was too hot to walk around outside but we went into the museum part and I was shocked that they had a few owls and other animals there. I sure hope they get some down time not on display all day when they are nocturnal birds.
I liked the repros of Native American structures they had outside. Glad they aren’t pretending that Indian people didn’t use to live on the land.

I grew up in Los Angeles and saw very little nature areas in the city. I live right across the river from Effie‘s and always see groups/family‘s exploring the nature centers trails as I wander. It truly makes me smile as I see kids watching the fall salmon or the spring arrival of baby turkeys & fawns. What a great place for all ages to learn & preserve natures gifts.

I love going to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center! A tiny slice of heaven in the concrete jungle!

This is a nice little place if you wanted to just take a short nature walk, maybe see the American River. I wish I went on a sunny day though.
My favorite were the owls they keep safe inside. They’re adorable :)

This is a great place to take the kids on a bright, sunny day, especially on a weekday during their school breaks like right now (spring break). The trails are ~1 mile each and there’s a good amount of wildlife to see. I took my niece and nephews (they’re age 8 and under) and they enjoyed reading all the informational placards and seeing all the animals and identifying the different plants (on said placards). Plus, all it costs is a $ 5 parking fee per car.
Pro tip: bring a pen/​pencil and exact change as it is self-​service pay. You put your $ 5 in an envelope they have at a little unmanned station, fill in your car’s info, tear off the stub, place the envelope into the little mailbox, and put the stub on your dash as proof of payment. There’s a parking lot that’s connected to the pay station but if it’s not a busy day, drive down and follow signs to the nature center to park closer to the actual reserve.

Gorgeous!!! Amazing!!! Completely worth it!
Who knew that Sacramento housed such a beautiful gem. Parking is easy, $ 5 and you’re good to go. The staff is greatly helpful, they offer tips and maps before you venture off into the beautiful little habitat of Effie Yeaw Nature center.
I read another girl’s review saying that she had never been on a hike before and she was looking on Unilocal for a place to go when she came across this place and ended up having a great time (Monica C). I am so glad she mentioned that because this is the perfect place for beginners. There are some easy trails that you can finish in less than 2 hours and the map will guide you through it. The trails are perfect for introducing children to nature because they are not long enough for them to get restless and there are plenty of creatures around for them to keep their minds busy.
Speaking of creatures! We saw beautiful white birds, turkeys, and deer. It was so neat to be so up close and personal with he animals here!
We also made our way to the river where we spend some time skipping rocks, beautiful scenery.
Overall, I can’t wait to come back! This place was awesome and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quick hike in a truly breathtaking setting. You’ll forget you’re surrounded by a big city for a minute and be rejuvenated by the fresh air.

One random summer day, I woke up and instantly wanted to go on a hike. I’ve never gone hiking before and have always wanted to go! I decided to Unilocal some local hiking areas and this one seemed like a cool place to check out. I contacted a group of people to go and off we were ! Upon entering, we saw a park and golf course. From what I experienced, the only way to get through the nature center is to drive past the golf course, find parking, and walk through the trail until you see the center. it’s $ 5 to enter the area. I’m still confused as to how you can skip the golf course entry and just go straight to the nature center itself. (if you know, then please message me :))the trail leading to the nature center is super nice so I didn’t mind going the extra mile! It seems like many people walk their dog and go jogging on that trail. When we entered the nature center, we saw some really cool tepees and other cool Native American displays. If you decide to go into the actual building, you’ll see some really cool and rare birds, snakes, and reptiles. I loved getting in touch with nature and by visiting this place, you appreciate nature and it’s beauty even more ! We hiked some more and got to see a pretty deer which I thought was cool ! Although we didn’t get to hike to the American river (we got lost) it’s definitely a goal of mine to see :)

Located in Ancil Hoffman Park.
$ 5 for parking. You can avoid this by parking outside of the park and walking in.
Inside the Nature Center, you can go in and learn about the preserve. They have some animals that live there and lots of educational pieces. Maps are also available and it shows the three trails and where benches are located. You won’t find port-​o-​potties along the trails. There are restrooms in the Nature Center.
No dogs or bikes allowed in the preserve. But, dogs and bikes are allowed in and around the rest of the park.
The trails are easy with some educational bits along the way. I would read some and sometimes there would be a photo to go with the blurb and I didn’t see what it was pointing out. Which makes me look forward to coming back during another season where it’s probably more apparent then.
I had a great time nonetheless. I’m afraid of hiking new places and getting lost on a trail but you definitely wouldn’t have that problem here. It’s easy and enjoyable. not even really a hike. it’s like a stroll through nature.
Check out their calendar for upcoming events.
And donate if you appreciate the preserve’s existence.

Ah Effie Yeaw! I was reminded of all the great memories I have of taking my kids here when they were younger after reading another users review. This used to be a place I took my kids every year or so. Being raised in the country, I saw wildlife all the time growing up. With my kids being raised in the city they do not get to experience that much at all, so having a little oasis in the middle of the city where you can escape the sounds of traffic and all the stuff that comes along with living in the city is such a nice treat. You and your kids will learn so much as well about our region and its history, especially its native inhabitants. In addition its a nice short walk down to the river. This place should be a must for families of all ages.
I have decided that my family and I are going to visit Effie Yeaw soon, it has been to long.

The Effie Yeaw Nature Center is a 77 acre nature preserve located along the American River. Numerous trails cross the area and a small, but lovely, center on the property is home to a handful of rescued animals and a few nature features.
The trails offer a nice amount of hiking while still being an easy and casual walk. The center is pretty small, but that’s not surprising seeing as it survives on donations.

I can’t explain exactly why this place is so special to me… if you look at the simple facts this place doesn’t excite the children as a trip to an amusement park or fancy vacation spot would. But it’s a little bit of home.
I grew up on 5 acres of land and had the privilege of growing up in the countryside where I spent hours on end in the outdoors. Particularly during the spring months when Northern California’s native wild flowers come into bloom.
Now that I live in the city, and so do my children, it is difficult to find or afford that kind of lifestyle. The nature walks around Effie Yeaw center allow me to share that with my kids and my daycare kids right here in the middle of the city.
Effie Yeaw was a preschool/​kindergarten teacher who had a vision for the future. She saw how urban sprawl was taking over the land, and fought to preserve this area for future generations to enjoy as she did with her students. What an amazing woman to have known. I wish I could’ve spoken to her in person. I would tell her thank you for being so proactive and how I much fun people have coming here.
Effie Yeaw has a building that hosts animals that needed rescuing, a small gift shop, and a display room with information that is both interesting for adults and smaller children.
However, the real fun is when you take a map and start exploring the trails. The main trail is easy to follow and takes you in a short circle. But there’s some interesting side trails that take you outside of the main area. You will see and hear many animals along the way including birds, squirrels, wild turkey, and deer.
I also immensely enjoy the events that they continually put on. Effie Yeaw has two or three naturalist on staff. They lead nature walks with cool information and activities. Check the calendar on their website before you go for the times. It’s a much more fun trip when you schedule around these events.
On a side note: parking is $ 5 for a daily pass. You may purchase this pass at the ranger station on your way into the county park– Ancil Hoffman (bring exact change to put in an envelope if ranger not there). Or you can park at the Effie Yeaw center and purchase a pass at the gift shop.
$ 50 for a 12 month pass will give you unlimited parking passes to all County parks. Or if you plan on only really coming to this park, I recommend becoming a member for $ 40 and the proceeds go towards helping keep the park open. It also provides daily parking passes for free for a year and discounts on classes.