The Long Way
Sacramento County
A picnic table and a grill sit under a large tree by a grassy field.
Plate I. Picnic area, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A boat docked at a wooden pier on a body of water.
Plate II. Boat dock, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
People enjoy tubing and swimming in a lake on a sunny day.
Plate III. Swimmers in the water, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A bench sits near a river with fields in the background under a cloudy sky.
Plate IV. River view, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A boat ramp extends into a wide river under a cloudy sky.
Plate V. Boat dock at Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A wooden dock extends out over a body of water under a bright sky.
Plate VI. Wooden pier, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A wooden pier extends into a calm river bordered by green trees and foliage.
Plate VII. Fishing pier, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov
A hare sits in tall dry grass.
Plate VIII. Jackrabbit in grassy field, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. From parks.ca.gov

Brannan Island State Recreation Area

Rio Vista, Sacramento County, California. State recreation area.

Details

Map. Rio Vista, Sacramento County, California. Larger map
Where
Rio Vista, Sacramento County, CA. No street address stated. Directions
When
Park hours are from sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Season
High use from May through October; late fall, winter and early spring much slower paced.
Getting there
The park is located on Highway 160 between the Bay Area and Sacramento, a few miles south of the city of Rio Vista, in Sacramento County. The park can be found on the lower peninsular extension of Brannan Island, and is surrounded by the Sacramento River on the west, Three Mile Slough on the southeast, and Seven Mile Slough on the northeast.
Fees
Vehicle Day Use: $10.00 Boat Launch: $7.00.
Access
A Life Jacket Lending Board will be available, however no Lifeguarding Services are currently provided.
Walk-in or reserve
ReserveCalifornia's website.
Phone
(916) 777-4004
Website
parks.ca.gov
Managed by
California State Parks.

Serves as an entryway to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, with opportunities for camping, boating, swimming, walking, and great fishing.

Notable Events

  1. 1921About 335 acres of marshland on the southern tip of Brannan Island, owned by Peter Cook, was acquired by the Sacramento-San Joaquin Drainage District of the State Reclamation Board for use by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. parks.ca.gov
  2. 1926The site was used as a dumping ground for sand and silt raised from the riverbed during the dredging and widening of the Sacramento River channel, filling it with spoils. parks.ca.gov
  3. 1950The Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce began an initiative to nominate the area to become a State Park. parks.ca.gov
  4. 1950sThe Division of Beaches and Parks granted permission to Travis Air Force Base to establish a boat harbor on Seven Mile Slough for Air Force personnel. parks.ca.gov
  5. 1950A transfer of the property's title to the California Division of Beaches and Parks set the stage for the creation of the park. parks.ca.gov
  6. 1965The park opened, expanding access to the bountiful natural and cultural resources of the Delta to more Californians. parks.ca.gov

People

  • Peter Cook, Owner of the park site before it was acquired by the Sacramento-San Joaquin Drainage District of the State Reclamation Board (1921).
  • Samuel Brannan, Namesake of Brannan Island; led a group of 238 fellow Mormons from New York to California aboard the ship Brooklyn in 1846 and founded the short-lived New Hope settlement (1846).

Sources

  1. parks.ca.gov/?page_id=487
  2. parks.ca.gov/Gallery/487
  3. parks.ca.gov/brannanisland
  4. parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31889