Willow Creek Recreation Area — Attraction in Folsom

It's mostly a parking lot, but has a small boat ramp to Lake Natoma, restrooms, and two picnic shelters. If you like to avoid crowds at the reservoir, this is the best place to put in, at least on weekdays. Even the multiple agencies responsible for it have little knowledge of it.

WOW! Went on a Saturday - the first of summer 2025 - and will NEVER DO IT AGAIN! Since we couldn't find out how to reserve a picnic shelter, my husband arrived at 5:50 AM and took the "prime real estate (according to another group)." Around 8:00 AM, a couple pulled right up to the pavement and sat and stared at my husband a while, then drove to the other pavilion and stared at him from there before returning and parking in the disabled spot next to our pavilion. My husband asked what they were doing, and the woman replied that he was in their "usual spot." He explained he was waiting for a disabled group (he had multiple chairs and kayaks unloaded along with a giant water cooler and ice chest). She said, "Well, you could have told me that." SMH??? They returned to the other pavilion but she walked around ours, sobbing, but said nothing. When we arrived, there was a big dog loose, running toward us from near the other pavilion, and we had a leashed puppy, so I began shouting toward the dog about leash laws while shooing it away. It wasn't theirs, so I apologized if they thought I yelled at them (before I heard about the previous event). It did belong to some other inconsiderate, unseen person further away. After the rest of us arrived, that lady came over and told our daughter that my husband was rude and yelled at her. SMH??? He probably was loud - he has hearing loss. As more and more groups arrived, it felt like we were invisible as they walked right through our pavilion to access other areas, even though there's a path around it. One guy tied his dog to our BBQ while he was taking stuff to another picnic table!!! WTF? Even the ranger smiled and said hi as she walked past me, to the other side of the table, to shout at people behind me about MY truck - LOL!!! It was crazy! Definitely a poor choice for a group of disabled people with anxiety disorders who don't understand...

Limited parking for how big this park really is. It is deceiving when you first pull in as to just how expansive this place is when you start to walk on the trails that come off of the parking lot and meander all around and away from the parking lot in many directions. The lake is much larger in size than it also first appears to be. Don't sell this park short based on the only thing you really see initially which is a open but poorly laid out parking lot with gravel just beyond. This place has A LOT to offer to fishermen, kayakers, walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and more. Bathrooms are clean but there are only 2 for the whole place! Plenty of picnic tables and a ton of walking trails and bicycling paths to keep you busy and in great shape! Lake is able to be fished in, kayakers seem to really...

There's several trails that you can explore where you could do biking, jogging or just take a leisure walk. It's a pet friendly park too. You can rent canoes near the parking structure. Not sure how much though. Or you can also bring your own canoe or boat. We did some people fishing. We took a 5 mile hike and the weather was just about right at 72F. We park near the Dos Cayotes restaurant along Folsom and took the trail at the back. There are picnic tables along the trail. This is also a good spot where you can take an hour long lunch and enjoy a quiet break. If you're working near or just happen to visit the area... I'd recommend checking the trails. You can even hike your way to the nearby factory outlets...now that'll be a different...