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Introducing Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento River, California’s largest, carved out the northern half of the Central Valley. The river runs down the northern mountains from Shasta Lake before hitting the valley basin above Red Bluff; from here it snakes leisurely through the state capital and fans across the delta before meeting San Francisco Bay. The valley has a subtle beauty, particularly in spring when fruit orchards are in full blossom. In fall the leaves turn gold and in early winter the sky teems with migratory birds following the path of the Pacific Flyway. In summer’s oven temperatures the sky is bleached and the landscape parched, but the river flows as steadily as ever.
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Most travelers on their way from the Bay Area to the Gold Country or Lake Tahoe pass through Davis and Sacramento. All of the Valley’s other sights require just a minor detour.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
