River Access and Parks
The River Parkway Trust is now the primary provider of public access to lands once closed to the public, offering nature walks and field trips to a variety of locations along 
the San Joaquin River Parkway and public fishing operations at Sycamore Island, Ball Ranch and Camp Pashayan .
This Parks and River Access webpage will provide information about the places you can visit along the San Joaquin River Parkway. The access points are listed based on their location along the Parkway beginning with Millerton Lake and ending with Camp Pashayan. Contact information, maps, and driving directions are included. For additional information about what to expect at each property, please call our Parkway Concierge Jesse at 559-248-8480 ext. 101 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
A special thanks goes out to the San Joaquin River Conservancy for making it possible for the Trust to open Sycamore Island, Ball Ranch and Camp Pashayan. We'd also like to thank the San Joaquin River Restoration Program and the US Bureau of Reclamation for their support to provide public fishing access at Ball Ranch.
Millerton Lake Recreation Area
Entrance fee: $7 per car
Open Daily, 6am - 6pm, October through March
6am-10pm, April through September
20 mile northeast of Fresno via Highway 41 and Highway 145
Managed by California State Parks
Over 40 acres of shore land for swimming, fishing, and boating. Good hiking opportunities and wildlife.
Visit the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area webpage for additional details and contact information.
San Joaquin Fish Hatchery
Free
Open Daily, 7:30am – 4pm, parking available
From Fresno, take Highway 41 north to Friant Road. Follow Friant Road east 9 miles; left on Flemming Road (San Joaquin Fish Hatchery Sign will be on your right).
Self guided tour available. Learn about the life cycle of a trout, feed the fish and take a peek at the trophy trout near the front of the property. For information call (916) 358-2820.
Friant Cove
Free
Open Daily
Friant Cove is a park-and-ride and fishing access point in the town of Friant, on the corner of Friant Expressway and the Road 206 bridge. Friant Cove is owned by the San Joaquin River Conservancy and managed by California State Parks, Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. Friant Cove is open 7 days a week, and includes a hand-carried canoe launch, fishing, picnic tables, and restroom. For information, call (559) 822-2332.
Lost Lake Park
$5/vehicle
Open daily, 7am-10pm, April-September
Open daily, 7am-7pm, October-March
Take Highway 41 north to Friant Road. Follow Friant east 8 miles, park entrance will be on your left.
This 305-acre county park features riverfront picnic and barbecue facilities, restrooms, open wildlife habitat, boat launch, and a self-guided nature trail. Along the trail you’ll witness a variety of bird life as well as native American grinding holes in the boulders bordering the river. Straight across the river from the south end of the picnic area, you will see a tree that is home to a large flock of black-crowned night herons, Snowy egrets, Great Blue Herons. Even an occasional bobcat can be spotted in the undeveloped areas of the park.
Ball Ranch
Open Saturdays and Sundays, 6am-5pm, through June 16
$6 per car
Click here for a map to Ball Ranch
The Ball Ranch property includes a large fishing pond accessible for fishing from the bank or by small boat. There is no boat ramp on the pond, so boats are limited to those that can be hand carried to the bank. Visitors should bring their own water and snacks.
Wildwood Native Park
Free
Open every Friday-Sunday and holidays, 7am-7pm
Take Highway 41 north, exit Rio Mesa, turn right onto the frontage road, turn left on the access road for Cobb's Tree Farm and Wildwood Mobile Home park; the gate for Wildwood Native Park is straight ahead.
This park is owned by the San Joaquin River Conservancy and managed by the City of Fresno. Amenities include restrooms, parking and river access for boating (hand carried craft only) and fishing. For more information, you can contact the Conservancy at (559) 253-7324.
Woodward Park
$5/vehicle
Open daily, 7am-10pm, April-September
Open daily, 7am-7pm, October-March
Take Highway 41 north, exit right on Friant road, left on Audubon, turn right into park.
This beautiful park is operated by the City of Fresno and offers many amenities, including restrooms, picnic sites with barbecues, several ponds and streams, the Shin Zen Friendship Garden, 3 playgrounds, and access to the Lewis S. Eaton Trail and Jensen River Ranch. For more information, check the City's website at http://www.fresno.gov/.
Jensen River Ranch
Open daily
Below the Woodward Park bluffs lies Jensen River Ranch, a 167-acre property owned by the San Joaquin River Conservancy. The River Parkway Trust is currently working on a restoration project on the site that includes habitat restoration, a trail network, and picnic sites near the river. For now, the property is accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians from the Lewis S. Eaton Trail and via Woodward Park. River access is currently available from an interim loop trail, which runs between the two pastures, along the riverbank, and then back toward the bluffs. While you're on the loop trail, be sure to look for Mexican Elderberry bushes, host to the threatened Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle.
Sycamore Island
$9/vehicle, $5 per trailer (no charge for boats/canoes/kayaks carried in the bed of a truck), $4 discounted entry during the last 90 minutes
Open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays opening at 6am
Closing time varies with the season: Feb-March 5:30pm, April-May 7pm, June-Aug 8:30pm, Sept 7pm, and Oct 5:30pm
Take Highway 41 north, exit on Children's Blvd, turn left onto road 40, which turns into Ave 7 1/2, click here for map to bait shop
Sycamore Island Ranch is a 350-acre natural area conveniently located in Madera near Valley Children's Hospital along the San Joaquin River.
- Fishing - One of the best fishing spots along the San Joaquin River and home to a variety of species of fish (bass, catfish, blue gill and crappie)
- Trails - Nature trails for wildlife observation and relaxing walks
- Picnicking - Picnicking under the shade of huge Sycamore and Oak trees
- Amenities - restrooms, bait shop and refreshments are available
For more information call 801-8690 or visit our Sycamore Island Facebook page facebook.com/SycamoreIslandPark.
Camp Pashayan
$6 per vehicle, $5 per trailer
Open Saturdays and Sundays, 6am to 5pm, March 16-July 14
Fishing-Picnicking-Swimming-River Access
From Herndon, turn N on Weber and follow it to the end - Weber ends at the entrance to Camp Pashayan.
