Picture of sacramento river taken off Ord Ferry Road January 2007

The Sacramento River begins very near Mount Shasta and stretches all the way to California's delta — making it California's longest river. Along the way there are many public access sites on the Sacramento River to enjoy a lazy day on the water, boat, or fish. Sacramento River paddleboating is great, with whitewater rafting & kayaking upstream from Lake Shasta and flatwater canoeing and river tubing downstream from Lake Shasta. The river is very popular with Chico's student population for tubing during Labor Day weekend. A common access point is nearby Scotty's Landing (Beer Can Beach) and just off Highway 32 where it crosses the river. Another popular access spot is Ord Bend Park just before Ord Ferry Road meets State Route 45. It has a boat ramp and is right across from a huge gravel bar and slough.

Please remember that while swimming and tubing can be lots of fun, the river does have zones of swift currents and the water's temperature can cause hypothermia.

The Sacramento River is important to King and Chinook Salmon and various other endangered fish.