Hinkle Creek Nature Area

Right outside your front door... beautiful serenity to free your mind,365 days a year...beautiful memories of yesterYear??

There is a QR sign at the beginning of the trail to guide you through the posts along the trail about nature & site information. Amazing trail that was a fun one mile loop hiking trail located below the Lew Howard Park along the Hinkle Creek.When we went for our annual New Year's Day hike we took our granddaughter who is 4 and she had a blast. Walk on the wild side and discover the nature area, fresh air, and be on the lookout for the Secret Fairy Garden, there are also some Native American grinding holes along the trail by the creek but they may be difficult to spot as it's alittle overgrown.There are minimal elevation gains but when its has been raining prior; be careful there are some wet areas along the trail that pool water and can be muddy & slippery. We talked with a family with a jogging stroller and they were struggling since was alittle muddy on the hill area. But when dry they said they have no issues going through trail. Great to know for when we bring my 2yr old grandson in his jogging stroller. If your littles have more energy to get out be sure to check out Lew Howard park it's a short drive up the hill from the trail parking lot. Kids Playground, picnic benches, bathrooms and great views of the area.

Really nice area to go for a short walk. Plenty of shade, and a nice creek with tadpoles that runs through it. It has a cute fairy garden that children seem to really enjoy.My negative: my husband and I have attempted to walk here on two occasions, and each time we had to deal with people who had aggressive OFF-LEASH dogs. The owners would scream at us "HE'S FRIENDLY!!!" (as they were maniacally running behind their out-of-control, growling dogs. This was NOT OKAY! We should be able to enjoy this area without being terrified by off leash and out-of-control aggressive dogs. Please! If you bring your dogs here, PLEASE have them on a leash! It is terrifying for those of us who are simply trying to enjoy a nice trail walk to be aggressively met by a snarling, growling dog. We haven't returned since the last horrid experience. Such a shame, as all residents should be able to enjoy this nice area without being terrified by aggressive dogs. PLEASE leash your dogs! Thank you!

Amazing little loop hike with a creek for my pup, people there but not too many people so social distancing was possible as it is a single person trail. The trail starts off with a little fairytale town / shrine of some sort. The path is in sun most of the way so bring your water bottle for sure!Summer is rattlesnake season. They love to sun bathe stretched out on the path, so be viligant about scoping out the path in front of you, especiallyif your dog goes first. We did not see any on our walk today - so yay!Have fun

Hinkle Creek Nature Area is located in Folsom, California. The nature area consists of a nature center as well as walking trails. These can be seen just prior to entering "Lew Howard Park. For those visiting the nature center or the walking trails, a small gravel parking area in front of the nature center can be found.The history of "Hinkle Creek" goes way back to the early 1800's. This area where the nature area is currently located used to be open space area which was between housing developments and Lew Howard Park. But due to a rash of burglaries and motorcycle vandalizing the landscape, the developer decided to transfer ownership to the City of Folsom in late 70's. Today you will find an converted fire station which now house classrooms and educational material for the public as well as schoolchildren to learn about the environment, and the history of Hinkle Creek. One of the trail is paved and the other one is dirt. Both trails wind through natural habitats and nature areas. There are also educational material along the trail explaining the different habitats and plants found along the creek. The Nature Center hours are normally 8am - one hour after sunset. I found the dirt trail to be quite wet and muddy on my last visit. So be prepared ! Always be aware of your surroundings and be safe when walking the trails ! Enjoy !

Lovely little loop. Half of it is in sun on pavement, and the other half is a shaded and lovely dirt trail, with a short section that is a little steep and rocky. Adding the hill on Baldwin Dam Road and a short uphill road in Lew Howard Park directly north of the Hinkle Creek building gives me a great 1-hr workout.

Its a good place to go for a short hike , the area is so calm and nature, it has s bridge as well

One of our favorite go-to hiking areas in the Folsom area, if you're looking for a relatively easy and quick trail. Perfect for littles with a lot of appropriate adventurous encounters. Water, boulders, creatures, playground and bridge are but a few experiences you'll get to enjoy. Great photo ops as well.

Beautiful spot and easy trail with young kids. There is a short portion of the trail that is along a busy/noisy street but still really enjoyed this spot. My kids also liked the playground and there were clean restrooms nearby which is always nice.