Sand Cove Beach

It was actually very clean and nice I went out and sat out in the sand was very surprised how clean the area was but it was just a very nice place to be in and not crowded

very pretty spot, clean and everyone was respectful. Not packed at all when I went. This place is a really cool find

I almost didn't come to this "beach" because the most recent review made it sound like it wasn't going to be worth it. However! That's incorrect. Sand cove is actually pretty decent and nicer than what the Yelp pictures show. There is sand and a cool body of water that you can swim, wade or float. Lots of people brought their own Inflatables/kayaks/floating devices/etc. Loaner life jackets for kids are provided at the entrance. No dress restrictions that I noticed. I was able to go in the water with tights/shorts/tshirt and no one gave me a hard time about it. The temperature of the water was perfect to dip into. We went on quite a hot day and all the shaded areas were taken. The "beach" was definitely packed. Families with little kids, teenagers and loud music, couples hanging out, sunbathers and lots of dogs. No bbqs/fires or alcoholic beverages allowed. Some people were smoking. I didn't see any picnic tables. You have to bring your own beach towels or chairs. I'd also recommend water shoes. The sand could get really hot. You can't really walk around much. This is a sit down or swim kind of place. Not really much else to do but it's better than nothing. This is someplace young children would find much joy in. The dogs here also looked very happy. I'd consider it pretty safe and a nice place to check out at least once. We were there the whole day and noticed the best time to come would be after 5pm. That's when most people pack up and leave so the beach is less crowded. Parking is limited and there are two portable bathrooms in the lots which seemed to be unmaintained. Pay for parking online or at the booth. It's $3.00 for 4 hours or $6.00 for 8 hours.

First time here was a year or so back and it was such an amazing little gem! We attempted to go again this past Monday and found it was closed. A sheriff ranger was onsite and we talked to him and he mentioned that it'll be closed indefinitely. He didn't mention why but I have a feeling it's due to past storms that came through. If you're planning to go here I advise to check with county sheriff office first because just a couple days ago it was mentioned to be closed indefinitely.

One of Sacramento's hidden gems (although not so hidden anymore). Small parking lot gets full by noon, or earlier, so plan your visit accordingly. Parking is $4 for 4 hours and can be paid on the parkmobile ap or at the kiosk. I'm pretty confident parking enforcement checks often and hands out tickets freely to those parked illegally. You've been warned! There are trashcans and 2 porta-potties in parking area. No bbq'ing allowed. Grab a life vest for your kid on your way down to the beach. They are right there, free to use and could save your baby!!! Lots of swimmers, anglers, dogs, and kids sharing this little riverfront "beach" off Garden Highway. Keep it classy, Sacramento, and pick up after yourselves and your dogs. There are just a few coveted shady areas, so bring your canopies, tents, umbrellas, chairs, blankets, sunscreen, and hats. Another warning: that sand gets super hot! My feet were burning in flip flops just walking through. It's also a busy spot for boaters and jet skiers. We witnessed many who, sadly, did not respect waterway etiquette or rules. I've heard it gets pretty ratchet later in the afternoon, although the Saturday we were there, it started in the morning. LOLThis is a nice little spot to fish or lounge by the water, as long as you find a parking space and don't mind crowds. You've been warned.

Almost exactly 2 years ago I would have HIGHLY recommended this spot but in the past 2 months I can barely bring myself to give it 3 stars. I still love the sand, (clear than usual) river water and fishing here but not the crowd and chaos. Maybe its still got some peaceful charm in the middle of the week but this is your warning to prepare to leave by 3pm and definitely get the hell out of there before 5pm on the weekends. In the past month I've watching things go from bad to worse after 3pm. We've been arriving between 10:30-11am to find an already half full parking lot and families settled along the shoreline. We usually choose a spot on the far left closer to the trail so we are able to socially distance our selves from the crowd and fish where others aren't swimming. As the day passes you will noticed less spacing between groups on the beach and more boats and jetskis chopping up waves and also parking along the shoreline bringing more people. While I'm fine with this, for the most part since we are away in our own space it gets annoying when: 1. People blast their music from their boats and every other word is the F word. (No consideration for the young kids around) 2. People do not pay attention to the current and continuously drift in the water to where our fishing lines are settled. (Yes, we've hooked a few people before.) 3. People purposely walk infront of our chairs and fishing poles where we have settled without considering social distancing.Last weekend was a breaking point for me. We were in a very small sandy area surrounded by rocks on our left, right and behind us. Our fishing poles and chairs were spread out along with my son's toys. To my surprise a family came by and the parents actually told their two young children to come down and play in our area! They just started playing right next to my son's chair and toys. After I politly put a mask on my son and asked them to move further down the trail they ignored me. So as I prepared to cast my pole I asked them again and the father told me there were rocks over there. Sorry man, we were here first. I explained that none of them were wearing masks and we are trying to social distant. Finally they left. But can you believe that? You don't just walk into someone's area and start playing! That's like walking on someone's lawn or in their house!We've been staying longer but will definitely be leaving by 3pm from now on. The past few times have been quite a spectacle at 5pm. The beach becomes a spring break party nightmare and trying to get my 3 year old and parents out of their becomes a concern of safety and embarrassment. Meanwhile in the parking lot is line of cars trying to come in as police are ticketing those illegally parked on the grass and levy. The lines get so long that it becomes difficult to back out of parking spots and people lack the courtesy to move even though they want your spot. I kid you not. I even asked the guy blocking our SUV if he would mind backing up so that we could leave and he could have our spot. He actually told me he was going to wait in line to park on the grass (where police were giving tickets.) There is so much more I could rant about- the trash being left behind, crowding, drunken fools, smell of pot in the air, thong bikinis, social indecency... the list goes on but for now I will stop here and hope they raise parking rates or impost some better park regulations and monitoring because I'd hate to see this little gem get destroyed.

Nice place to take the family. Gets pretty crowded during the summer though. Wish they had more parking and a real bathroom. Also, if you like swimming far out just be careful because some boats dont slow down! Other than that it's a nice, pretty location. The water wasn't super deep so the younger kids were able to enjoy splashing around. They also had life jackets that you could borrow while there which was awesome. Parking was like $3 on the parking app. Bring an umbrella for shade as it gets pretty hot!!!

Now that is's opened again, it didn't take long for everybody to use this spot as their own trash receptacle. It used to be nice here. Now it's full of crap.

It was closed when I tried to visit a few days ago. I'm guessing the locals shut it down. Honestly it should be open right now but perhaps the local park rangers have a reason.

I wonder why its been closed so long now I have tried coming here on multiple occasions and it's closed off every time