▁the ▁southern ▁part ▁of ▁Sac r amento , ▁California ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁river ▁being ▁located ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁off ▁campus . ▁C RC ' s ▁mas cot ▁is ▁the ▁Haw k ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁ha w ks ▁that ▁inhab it ▁the ▁river ▁area . ▁ ▁Geography ▁ ▁Flow ing ▁from ▁the ▁western ▁slope ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁Sierra ▁Nev ada ▁mountains , ▁the ▁Cos umn es ▁starts ▁as ▁North , ▁Middle ▁and ▁South ▁for ks ▁cutting ▁can y ons ▁through ▁the ▁El ▁Dor ado ▁and ▁Am ador ▁County ▁Gold ▁Country ▁before ▁conver ging ▁just ▁east ▁of ▁Highway ▁ 4 9 . ▁The ▁North ▁F ork , ▁about ▁ ▁long , ▁begins ▁at ▁the ▁Sing leton ▁Spr ings ▁in ▁El ▁Dor ado ▁County , ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁Le ek ▁Spring ▁Valley , ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level . ▁It ▁flows ▁west , ▁past ▁the ▁un in cor por ated ▁community ▁of ▁Me iss , ▁receiving ▁Van ▁Horn ▁Creek ▁and ▁But te ▁Creek ▁from ▁the ▁right . ▁At ▁Som erset , ▁it ▁is ▁joined ▁by ▁its ▁largest ▁trib ut ary , ▁Camp ▁Creek , ▁from ▁the ▁right . ▁Below ▁Camp ▁Creek ▁it ▁flows ▁through ▁the ▁gran ite ▁narrow s ▁of ▁the ▁Cos umn es ▁River ▁G orge , ▁a ▁popular ▁rock - cl im bing ▁area . ▁The ▁river ▁then ▁turns ▁ab rupt ly ▁south ▁and ▁passes ▁Nash ville ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Middle ▁F ork ▁near ▁Enter prise . ▁ ▁The ▁Middle ▁F ork , ▁ ▁long , ▁also ▁starts ▁in ▁El