Cosumnes River Preserve

If you head South on the I-5 about midway between Sacramento and Stockton you will find a little gem of a place called Cosumnes River Preserve. It is a lovely location to stop and take in the local birds of the area. A visitor center is located close to the parking lot where you can find out more about the landscape and wildlife of the preserve. If you have a canoe or other small water craft you can head out and explore the waterways. Or if you have two active kids, like me, you can just let them explore the wooden paths that take them into the wetlands. When I take my girls I bring along our drawing journals, colored pencils and a book on local birds. We then turn our fieldtrip into a scavenger hunt. Who can spot a bird, find it in the book, and then draw it in the journal.