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CRP Driving Tour 2021 Final

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CRP Driving Tour 2021 Final CCoossuummnneess RRiivveerr PPrreesseerrvvee Self-Guided Driving Tour Safety First This tour is designed to guide you through the public roads that wind throughout the entire scope of Cosumnes River Preserve. These are public roads, please pay You'll start at the Preserve's Visitor Center and finish just east of attention to other traffic and pull off to the shoulder when needed. Highway 99. Stay on the road or shoulder. Do not We suggest you bring along a co-pilot, pair of binoculars, and full walk/drive on levees or trespass onto tank of gas! Depending on frequency of stops, this tour will take private property. approximately 1-2 hours. Buckle up! Start at the Visitor Center 01 The Visitor Center is the heart of public access at the Preserve. From the Visitor Center you can access the trail head to our trails, boat launch, and the beginning of this guided tour! Cosumnes River Preserve is one of California's largest remaining examples of native Central Valley habitats and wildlife. It is characterized by a mosaic of grassland, natural and managed wetlands, riparian forests, and valley oak woodlands. Due primarily to development and urbanization, less than 2% of what existed in the mid-1800's exists today. 13501 Franklin Blvd. Galt, CA Cosumnes River A Place On the Pacific Flyway The Cosumnes River is the last free-flowing river west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This means that there are no major dams or levees preventing The Preserve's location is along the the river from flowing and flooding freely. From its Pacific Flyway. The Flyway is a headwaters in the El Dorado National Forest, the migration route used by more than 50 Cosumnes River flows through the Central Valley, percent of North America's migratory converging with the Mokelumne River and birds! This protected area allows Sacramento Delta. Preserve visitors can witness the migrating birds to stop, rest, and dynamic, natural flood process and biological restore energy for the rest of their flight. diversity that was once abundant prior to European settlement. North on Franklin, Right on Desmond 02 From the Visitor Center, drive north on Franklin Boulevard. You will pass the Boardwalk trail on your left. This trail offers views of wetland habitat. Visible in and around the tule-filled marshes are common bird species such as: Pintail, Mallard, American coot, Cinnamon teal, Great Blue heron, Desmond Rd. Great egret, Red-winged blackbird, Back-necked stilt, and many others. d Turn right onto Desmond Road and drive over the v l B n railroad tracks. The seasonal wetlands on the left i l k n are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. a r They are managed exclusively for water bird F habitat and feed. The gate on the right leads to "The Barn," the Preserve's staging area for habitat restoration activities. In general, this area is closed to public access. What are managed wetlands? A Place To Rest and Feed Though natural flooding of the During the winter, thousands of water birds can wetlands occur, Preserve Staff be seen using these seasonal wetlands. Some manage the wetlands to allow for stay all winter while others stop to rest and feed enough habitat to support birds before making their way further down the migrating along the Pacific Flyway. Pacific Flyway. This area is a favorite feeding With care, the wetlands are gradually ground for many raptor species, especially the flooded during the fall and winter Northern harrier, which glides low over the months and then slowly drained in marsh in search of prey. the spring, mimicking the natural flooding process. Left onto Bruceville Road 03 Twin Cities Rd. Desmond Road curves and a left turn will bring you . d R onto Bruceville Road. Where the road curves, you'll see e l l i a ranch house on the right. This is the Preserve's Farm v e c Center. Started in 1996, the Preserve's organic farm u r program invites wildlife by growing beneficial crops B and providing habitat buffer zones between cultivated fields. Each year over 1,000 acres of organic rice is Desmond Rd. grown and harvested in the fields surrounding the Farm Center. During the winter seasons, Sandhill cranes will frequent this area to forage and roost. Raptor Watch! Watch along the powerlines and fence posts for Red-shouldered hawks, American kestrels, Golden eagle, and Peregrine falcon. Right onto Twin Cities Road 04 From Bruceville Road, turn right onto Twin Cities Road. The two extensive agriculture parcels on your right are privately owned and operated. However, The Nature Conservancy holds conservation easements on these properties. Conservation easements preserve beneficial Twin Cities Rd. habitat by preventing urban development and by restricting farmers from planting vineyards or orchards. Continue to 99 N d R e l l i v e c u r B Continuing east on Twin Cities Road, after passing a mining operation on your right, you will cross several bridges. These waterways include meandering channels Just past the last bridge on your left, of the Cosumnes River and Laguna Creek. Laguna Creek flows southeasterly Some wildlife species in this area include great-horned owl, black-tailed deer, fall- through a series of ponds and run Chinook salmon, coyote, Swainson's marshes. This property, which hawk, and river otters. includes vast grasslands north of Laguna Creek, was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1998 and is still managed as a part of the Preserve. Take Highway 99 North . d R 05 d r la Continue east along Twin Cities Road until you il D reach Highway 99. Take 99 North past the Arno Road exit (you'll eventually exit onto Dillard Road). As you drive on 99 North, you'll be driving right through Valensin Ranch, which encompasses 4,300 acres on both sides of the highway. On the left of the freeway is the western section of the ranch. This 1,200 acre parcel supports marshes, grassland, an oak woodland, and 300 acres of 99 N cultivated cropland. On the right of the freeway you will Twin Cities Rd. see Horseshoe Lake, fed by Badger Creek. In the spring and summer, hundreds of herons and egrets breed in colonies in the mature valley oaks. Exit onto Dillard Road East . 06 d R rd Exit Highway 99, and head east on Dillard Road. From la il the exit, Valensin Ranch once extended about two D miles west, one mile south, and four miles northeast. A resident pair of red-tailed hawks often perch in the trees on your left, along the power lines or atop the on- ramp lights. Throughout the ranch and its adjacent lands, migrant Swainson's hawks appear to 99 N outnumber other raptor varieties during their breeding season in the spring and summer. Numerous Swainson's hawk nest sites have been documented on the ranch. After passing a private property on your right, 1880 Thompson Print of Valensin Ranch there is an old dairy site on the left. This property is part of the Costello/Cantrell Ranch, extending north to the river and containing valuable oak woodland, riparian forest, and agricultural land. This land was proposed to be a golf course, but The Nature Conservancy purchased it in 1998. Continue on Dillard Road East 07 Follow Dillard Road past the dairy. Valensin Ranch is located on both sides of the road, stretching as far as you can see to the right and to the riparian forest R i l line along Deer Creek on the left. A large portion of e y the ranch's eastern section is grassland. Nearly all of R d the ranch's grasslands have been spared from the . plow and remain native topography, including . d vernal pools. R rd la il D The grassland is home to a variety of wildlife. In the fall and winter, geese and Sandhill cranes can be seen 99 N foraging on the grass or flying overhead. Coyote populations are healthy and both resident packs and nomadic individuals can be spotted in the grasslands. Right onto Riley Road 08 Turn right onto Riley Road. Valensin Ranch is . d located on your right. This is a good place to notice R R d r i the difference between leveled farmland and native a l l e il D y topography. You may see a pair of white-tailed or R d black-shouldered kites hovering above, using their . keen sight and hearing to search for rodents, insects, and reptiles. Badger Creek 99 N Past the cluster of eucalyptus trees, the ranch extends to both sides of the road, which crosses the north and middle forks of Badger Creek. Initial restoration efforts Riley Road merges with and are focusing on these stream corridors. Many wildlife becomes Arno Road. Here in species call this waterway home, including red- the winter, a Ferruginous hawk winged, tricolor, yellow-headed and Brewer's is a frequent site on the fence blackbirds. Also in this area are beaver, coyote, posts, grasslands, or power raccoon, badgers, burrowing owl, and many lines. Further south, Arno Road waterbirds. takes a 90-degree turn to the west. Continue onto Arno Road West 09 . d R The road will come to a "T" and you'll make a R rd a i l l right, continuing onto Arno Road West. You will il e D y see Valensin Ranch again on your right. R d . The Town of Hicksville Over 150 years ago Valensin Ranch supported a 99 N bustling town called Hicksville. This town served Arno Rd. as a supply depot for prospectors and social center for area residents.
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