The Folsom Lake State Recreation Area surrounds Folsom Lake in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. It is located near the city of Folsom, California, about east of Sacramento. General The park was established in 1956 after the creation of the Folsom Dam. Folsom Lake is the ninth largest reservoir in California and a major recreational asset for the Sacramento area. It consists of two reservoirs: Folsom and Natoma. About 2 million people visit the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area every year. Generally, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area experiences hot summers and mild winters. Campgrounds in the area consist of the Peninsula Campground, Beals Point Campground, Negro Bar, and Avery's Pond. The lake and recreation area offer opportunities for hiking, biking, running, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, water-skiing and boating. Fishing offers trout, catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass or yellow perch. Visitors can also tour nearby Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park (once called "the greatest operative electrical plant on the American continent"), which from 1885 to 1952 produced 11,000 volts of electricity for Sacramento residents. For cyclists there is a bicycle path that connects Folsom Lake with many Sacramento County parks before reaching Old Sacramento. The park also includes Lake Natoma, downstream from Folsom Lake, which is popular for crew races, sailing, kayaking and other aquatic sports. The primary recreation season coincides with the spring and summer months when temperatures are in the 80s, 90s and 100s. Visitation is highest from April through September. In the spring months when school is still in session, evenings and weekends are the times of highest lake activity. There are 95 miles of trail at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. These trails are used by hiker, bicyclists, runners, and horseback riders. A portion of the Western States/ Pioneer Express Trail between Sacramento and Carson City, Nevada also runs through the park. A paved bicycle trail loops around Lake Natoma, linking to Beals Point and the American River Bike Trail. History Native Americans of the Maidu or Nisenan tribe inhabited the land around Folsom Lake for thousands of years. During the winter, they lived in permanent villages around the American River and in the summer made temporary homes made of bark. The Nisenan used local resources found around the lake like acorns and berries to trade with coastal tribes. They wove their baskets from willow,