Paddleboarding Lake Natoma

We arrived at Black Miner’s Bar State Recreation Area around 8:30 a.m. one Sunday morning to paddleboard on Lake Natoma. Other paddlers were already filling the parking lot, getting ready to head out onto the sparkling blue water.

Lake Natoma is a smaller lake along the lower American River, just downstream of Folsom Dam. We launched from Black Miner’s Bar, which sits just across the lake from Historic Folsom. There’s a small parking fee, and if you don’t have your own paddleboards, Lake Natoma Rentals is located here also.

On a recommendation, we decided to paddle upstream first and float back down. The current was a bit stronger in some areas, but nothing too difficult to manage. The water was a brilliant, sparkling blue, dotted with ducks and geese, while the shoreline was lush and green. We came across several rocky coves that made for nice spots to take a break and soak in the scenery.

By the time we made our way back down, the lake was noticeably busier. We wrapped up around 11 a.m., and by then, the parking lot was full.

Funny enough, we had originally planned to paddle the day before but showed up around lunchtime only to find a line of cars down the road waiting to get in. So we decided to try again the next morning, and we’re glad we did. If you’re planning to paddle on a summer weekend, arriving early makes a big difference!

This was such a fun experience, and we’d definitely recommend it. We wrapped up our morning with a delicious lunch at The Fat Rabbit, just across the bridge – highly recommend that too.