The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is arguably the most overlooked natural gem in the Golden State.
Many Californians don’t see it in the same league as Yosemite Valley, Big Sur, or Malibu Beach.
The reason?
It’s the water.
The Delta — since Sam Brannan, the publisher of the San Francisco newspapers ran around Portsmouth Square in March 1848 clutching copies of his newspaper with the earth-shattering news along with a flask of gold in his hand shouting “Gold, gold from the American River” — has been the ends to seemingly everyone else’s means in California.
It’s water ferried people and supplies to the gold country.
It’s water that was dirtied by hydraulic mining that ripped apart the Sierra in the search for every ounce of gold.
It’s water that was diverted to build great cities on California’s coastal plains.
The Delta and water are intertwined in the Golden State’s psyche and day-to-day reality.
Given that 70 percent of all California’s water passes through the Delta’s 1,100 miles of wandering waterways, it’s understandable.
But the Delta is more than just a conveyance to divert water to South San Joaquin Valley farms, Silicon Valley cities, and Los Angeles Basin faucets.
It is the only river delta on the Pacific Coast of the Western Hemisphere.
That makes it a mega-stop over on the Pacific Flyway for millions of birds from over 350 species.
As such, it is a bird watcher’s paradise.
It is an inverted delta — where the narrow end is at the interface with the seafront and the wider end farther inland.
It is a configuration that generates substantially more fish diversity and marine life than a non-inverted delta.
That makes it an angler’s paradise.
The geology of an inverted Delta is more conducive to winds.
That makes it ideal for sailing and sailboarding enthusiasts.
All of this means the Delta, that serves as the confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River that drains 60,000 square miles, is more than just a part of a linchpin in the waterworks system for cities and farmland.
Plenty of water sports & camping options
The Delta is the go-to-place for folks that like to play on the water, especially from mid-spring to early fall.
You’ll find ideal waterways for sailing and sailboarding on the Delta’s western side as the winds never seem to stop.
It’s a big area for water skiing and even those more at home on personal watercraft.
There are those that indulge in kayaking, canoeing, and spending days on end exploring the Delta on a rented houseboat.
But by far the biggest water enthusiasts are anglers followed by those cruising the seemingly endless waterways relaxing on board a boat while working on tans or searching for quiet coves to swim or break out the paddle boards.
You’ll even find sculling clubs with the largest being in Stockton to capitalize on the turning basin in the deep channel at the Port of Stockton.
Fishermen will find plenty of striped bass, perch, crappie, catfish, steelhead, black bass, sturgeon and more. The offerings are so plentiful that there are a number of fishing derbies in the winter and spring.
And if you’re looking for a mini-vacation or even a weekend outing, you have an RV or are into camping, the Delta offers nearly 50 campgrounds and RV parks with more than 2,800 spaces.
One of the best ways to view the options is to log on to the Delta Chambers and Visitors Bureau’s website.
A number of marinas, besides having boat launches, also offer RV camping spots. Marinas typically have restaurants, general stores, and, of course, boat launches. Many also offer picnic areas, boats and even trailer rentals, full RV hookups, other watercraft rentals, and even swimming pools.
One marina does stick out a bit when it comes to families.
It’s Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Resort at Tower Park near Lodi, west of Interstate 5, accessed via Highway 12.
There are interactive pools, waterslides, kid (and big kid) attractions such as jumping pillows, swimming beaches, and of course dining and a general store. You can stay in your RV, rent a cabin, or even go for the glamping options. And that is in addition to renting kayaks for hitting the Delta waterways or accessing the marina to launch a boat.
The place for savoring birds and wildlife is Brannan Island State Recreation Area. That’s because amid its maze of islands, marshes, and waterways of the Delta, the recreation area on Frank’s Tract is a protected marsh. It is why you will find 76 species of birds along with mink, river otters, beavers, and muskrats. You will also find 140 plus campsites along with the ability to hit the water for the water sport of your choice.
The best time to venture into the Delta that lies 55 percent within San Joaquin County and the rest in Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties? Summer in the Delta offers days where the temperatures peak in the high 90s while the Delta breezes cool things off at night. Fall is more temperate with a touch of fall foliage and the skies filled with migrating birds. Winter may mean fog and dealing with mud but when it comes to being able to find peace and quiet, much of the Delta is off the charts. Spring marks the return of warm days and a tendency for water to be clearer as it is when the peak of the Sierra runoff meanders its way through the Delta to the San Francisco Bay and ultimately the Pacific Ocean.
A SUNDAY DRIVE
Meandering levee roads, brunch, and the unique town of Locke
By Dennis Wyatt
Hugging the Sacramento River a mile north of Walnut Grove you’ll find Locke.
It’s a fairly small collection of mostly wooden structures built so close that you could literally open a window of one home to that of another and pass a jar of Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard.
Locke is considered to be the only town in the United States built by the Chinese for the Chinese.
It came into its own in 1915 when a fire destroyed the Chinatown in nearby Walnut Grove displacing hundreds of Chinese families. Homes were built on small lots crammed close together on leased land. At one time, several thousand Chinese lived in and around the community. They were among continuous waves of immigrants from China in the 19th century. The first came to seek their fortune searching for gold. The next surge were labored to help build the transcontinental railroad.
Chinese immigrants did more than just build a railroad. Between 1860 and 1880, they drained and reclaimed 88,000 acres for farmland to set the stage for the endless miles of levees that today hold back the waters of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers as they flow toward the San Francisco Bay.
Chinese no longer dominate the Locke population that has dwindled down to several hundred people within the miniscule township covering 14 acres.
Main Street, which has a width more like an alley, has several restaurants, an art gallery, museums, and a smattering of stores. The town’s older, well weathered structures, are a magnet for enthusiasts of photography and art looking for new subjects.
It’s a far cry from the teeming Locke of a century ago when it was dubbed the Monte Carlo of California. The moniker was a nod to the five gambling halls. But there were also speakeasys, brothels, and opium dens.
Locke is part of the central eastern edge of the Delta, arguably the most compact area when it comes to experiencing a wide sampling of what it offers on and off the water. Nearby, is the Ryde Hotel with its popular Sunday brunches.
A Sunday drive that encompasses brunch or lunch at dining spots in either Walnut Grove or Galt include pleasing views as you traverse roadways perched atop levees.
There are stretches of heavily wooded river, orchards, and farmlands.
You can also cross draw bridges as you explore the area.
If you want to indulge in, or simply view, Delta water recreation, it is just a short drive to the north off Highway 12 to transverse the much ballyhooed 10-mile Delta Loop along the Mokelumne River and other water ways. There’s a collection of marinas that are clearly popular with boating enthusiasts, given the boat traffic on the river in the summer.
At last count there were four restaurants where you can dine overlooking the Delta.
None of this is meant to dismiss other areas of the Delta where you can find a town such as Rio Vista with easy access to the water, recreation areas, parks, restaurants, and stores to poke around in, that surround some of the richest farmland in California. But the central eastern edge of the Delta is arguably the best place to get a taste of what the region offers.
