Bicycling is a fun, convenient and socially-distant way to get around our Sacramento.
You can bicycle to work, local shops, parks and schools on bikeways on and off the street. On-street, we have protected lanes and lanes with green pavement or white lines. Off the street, a wide, paved path along the American River is reserved for bicycles, with a path for runners alongside.
It is easy to get around on your bike in Sacramento if you know where the bikeways are! For information on the network of bikeways - check out the online Bikeway User Map.
Sacramento has a world-renowned bike trail that you can ride car-free from Old Sacramento to Folsom, next to the American River, stopping at many key places along the way.
You can get on or off the 32-mile trail in many places, from Discovery Park, along the American River Parkway. In Folsom, the trail crosses into the Folsom State Recreation area and continues east to Beals Point. You can view or purchase a map of the trail here.
Or you can ride south, getting on the Sacramento River Bike Trail at Miller Regional Park, ride for ten minutes, two miles, to Captains Table Road and then ride back.
Sacramento, West Sacramento and Davis have a bike share program. Bike share is a membership-based system that allows people to pick up a bike, ride to their destination and leave it at a new location for a small fee.
Bike share makes it easier to get around without worrying about buying and maintaining your own bike. Riding a bike share bike is a socially distanced, affordable option to owning a bicycle.
The Sacramento bikes are electric bikes that can be rented using a phone app, with a 'sharing' model reminiscent of Uber and Lyft, but perhaps most similar to Zipcar. Download the app here.
Riding in traffic is much more enjoyable when you’re prepared with the knowledge and skills for using the new bikeways and bike boxes at intersections. Check out these YouTube videos for more information:
For more information on how to ride safely, improve comfort, find the right bike and gear, and your rights as a bicyclist - check out the RideSmart videos.
If you have suggestions on safe, local places to ride in your area of Sacramento, send an email with a description of the ride to sactma@mycci.net