May 16, 2025 / Author: the Railyards
May is Bike Month and the Sacramento region has plenty of opportunities for citizens to get cycling - to work, to play, and to reach some big goals.
Celebrated from coast to coast, National Bike Month in May is a time to celebrate the physical and environmental benefits of bicycling.
Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists since 1956, Bike Month in May encourages more people to try bicycling for recreation and transportation.
Replace your commute with a cycling trip, reduce your global footprint, get some exercise, try something new, or simply enjoy the pleasure of cycling through Sacramento. Whatever your motivation, May is the perfect time to get out for a ride.
Cycling in Sacramento
Sacramento’s 2040 General Plan outlines a vision of becoming a “national model of sustainable, equitable growth and community development,” and that includes an emphasis on bicycle use.
The 2040 General Plan becomes the blueprint for the development and conservation of the City, policies that guide land use and capital investments. Among these are a commitment to make active transportation modes like walking and bicycling more convenient and attractive.
Bicycle-friendly highlights in Sacramento’s plan include:
Increase Bicycling and Walking: Striving to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals.
Bicycling Safety: Prioritizing designs that strengthen the protection of people bicycling and separate bikeways from driving traffic wherever feasible.
Street Design Standards: Prioritizing comfort and travel time for walking, bicycling, and transit, while managing vehicle speeds and traffic volumes.
Improve Bicycling Connectivity: Plan and seek funding for a continuous, low-stress bikeway network consisting of bicycling-friendly facilities that connect neighborhoods with destinations and activity centers throughout the city.
Bicycling is widely recognized as a sustainable mode of transportation and an effective solution for reducing short-distance trip-related climate impacts.
Cycling is also considered an effective solution for chronic diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Studies suggest that a mere 30 minutes per day of cycling could help lower incidents of diabetes, stroke, and heart failure.
Cycling creates a stronger sense of community, reduces noise pollution, makes cities nicer, and, best of all, is a fun recreational activity.
Feeling inspired to take a ride? Sacramento has incredible cycling opportunities for seasoned bicycle enthusiasts as well as those just getting started.
Nationally Recognized Bike Trails of Sacramento
May brings ideal weather for first-time and established cyclists. And when it comes to bike trails, the Sacramento region simply can’t be beat.
Sacramento is home to numerous awe-inspiring bike trails, from the Sacramento River Rail Trail to Elk Grove Creek Trail, Miners Ravine Trail in Roseville, and Clarksburg Branch Line Trail.
But the crown jewel in Sacramento’s expansive bike trail network is the American River Trail. The 32-mile-long American River Trail, used by approximately 5 million people annually, was once known only as the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail.
The original trail dates back to the 1800s, when Jedediah Smith created a trail stretching all the way from Old Sacramento to Folsom. When automotive travel became the main mode of transportation, the trail sat, unused, for decades.
Rediscovered in the 1970s by cyclists, the trail was paved to be enjoyed again and is recognized as one of the best bike trails in the nation.
The American River Trail connects to Folsom’s 45+ miles of paved trails that wind cyclists through greenbelts, dedicated open space corridors, wooded areas with native oaks, through wildlife habitats, and past creeks, streams, lakes, and rivers.
Notable destination: Only 2.5 miles long, but a very big connection between Folsom’s trail network and the American River Trail, the newly completed Johnny Cash Trail in Folsom now makes it possible for bikers to jump from a ride along the river to a ride along Folsom Lake, by way of the famed prison that Johnny Cash performed at 50 years ago. Take a ride on the Johnny Cash Trail, and you can see the first public art installation, Cash’s Pick, along Sutter Street in Historic Downtown Folsom.
Bike Month is a time to focus on enjoying bicycles for their recreational and environmental benefits, and Sacramento is the perfect region in which to do it. Whether you’ll be gliding your beach cruiser through midtown, taking your road bike out on the paved trail, or hitting the dirt path on your mountain bike, May is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the best that Sacramento has to offer.
