Folsom
Folsom Parks have their own page
Orangevale
Orangevale Parks have their own page
Rancho Cordova Area (Selected Parks)
Including Rancho Cordova, Gold River, Mather, La Riviera, & Rosemont
4103 Eagles Nest Rd, Mather CA
This park bordering Mather Lake features two colorful playgrounds that are on the larger side (one tot and one for older kids). Also a good place to see vernal pools in the spring. $5 Parking fee required year round. Don’t forget to pick up a parking pass so you don’t get an expensive ticket! (photo by Juee R.)
Prospect Hill Park1184 Prospect Hill Drive, Gold River CA
This seven acre park is five minutes past the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, and offers a large play structure with multiple tunnel slides and curved climbing walls. (Photo Courtesy of Cordova Recreation and Park District)
Riviera East Park9580 Mira Del Rio Dr, La Riviera
This park is off Bradshaw Rd.
Approx 20 min from central Folsom. (Photo Courtesy of Cordova Recreation and Park District)
Henley Park9343 Henley Way, Rosemont
The park includes a play area and grassy field.
(Photo Courtesy of Cordova Recreation and Park District)
3566 Rockdale Drive, Rancho Cordova
This 8 acre neighborhood park has a unique rubber turf hillside with climbing equipment, as well as other unusual modern play equipment. (Photo Courtesy of Cordova Recreation and Park District)
Rancho Cordova‘s parks & rec department has a list (with pictures) of all their parks with links to descriptions.
Fair Oaks
Fair Oaks parks have their own page
Citrus Heights Area
Including Citrus Heights, Antelope, Carmichael, McClellan, & North Highlands
7350 Roseville Road, Foothill Farms (Sacramento)
The old wood and metal play structure at this park is no more and has been replaced with two fun play structures with several small shade towers and lots of slides. No bathrooms. Other reviews of this park caution the neighborhood is fine during the day, but not recommended at night. (Photo by Margaret M.)
Freedom Park 3200 Freedom Park Drive, McClellan
This park is right next to the aerospace museum, and the playground is actually shaped like a rocket-ship. This park also has a space-themed sprayground.
Approx 29 minutes from Central Folsom. In North Highlands area west of Citrus Heights. (Photo by Sacramento Sidetracks)
Madera Park8046 Wonder Street, Citrus Heights
a 16 acre grassy park with big trees, and a partially fenced play area. The play area includes a mix of older metal climbing items, swings, and modern plastic play structures with a log cabin theme. Trees provide shade on the play structures and swings at some times of day.
Approx 24 min from central Folsom.
(Photo by Sunrise Recreation and Park District)
Antelope Community Park8012 Palmerson Drive, Antelope
This park features bright and colorful play equipment that is different than your average local park, with almost a children’s carnival theme. Notable equipment includes a polyhedron with a 3d spider-web inside made of rope, four person see saw, triple slide, and colorful vertical grid to climb.
Approx 35 min from central Folsom.
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Eugene H. Ahner (Manzanita) Park
5499 Manzanita Ave, Carmichael
Two play structures with bright red and blue paint, and lots of roof towers on the structure creating partial shade, as well as mature trees and lots of grass surrounding the play area that may provide shade at some times of day.
Approx 25 min from central Folsom.
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Review4701 Gibbons Drive, Carmichael
17.5 acre park with almond & olive trees, two play structures, one for toddlers, and a large colorful one for older kids, a red tire-swing, sit-in jeep structure, sand pit, see-saw worm, and rockers.
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Pheasant Rd at Quail Rd, Carmichael
A small neighborhood/mini park just west of Fair Oaks with a play structure remnicent of Cinderella’s carriage. (Photo by Sally Dunbar)
Carmichael Park5750 Grant Avenue, Carmichael
A 38 acre developed community park. Although the play structure for older kids is worth a visit too, and there are plenty of other ammenities such as disc golf, this park may be particularly approachable for younger toddlers with rubber-turf and a large play area with toddler sized slides and tunnels and games. (Photo by Carmichael Recreation and Park District)
Photos6855 Flaming Arrow Drive, Citrus Heights
A 4.3 acre park with a large expanse of play area. The picture may not show this clearly, but there is a pirate ship play structure similar to Erven Park in Roseville.
Approx 23 min from centaral Folsom. (Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Photos5848 Ridgepoint Drive, Antelope
Seven acre park with two play structures with climbing tunnels, a tunnel slide with windows, and other standard play equipment. (Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Photos3425 Elverta Road, Antelope
A 12.9 acre park with two colorful play structures including a tunnel that looks like a fish tail, a chair swing, baby and regular swings, and other fun and “accessible playground” elements. And a shade canopy.
(Photo by Sunrise Recreation District)
6306 Outlook Drive, Antelope
Kids who love trains will especially like this park. This 1.84-acre park has has one largish play structure, a spring teeter totter, swings, and a toddler-sized play structure that looks like a set of train cars.
(Photo by Sunrise Recreation District)
Review7801 Auburn Boulevard, Citrus Heights
This huge 53 acre park has several play structures spread throughout the park. Some are fenced, some aren’t. Some are sunny, some have large mature shade trees keeping the slides cool.
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Crosswoods Park
Photos6742 Auburn Boulevard, Citrus Heights
This 15 acre park next to the Sylvan Oaks library has a fun looking play structure, and a nature area where you might see wild rabbits, turkeys, or birds.
McClellan is part of the North Highlands Recreation District.
Sacramento (Selected Parks)
601 Alhambra Blvd, Sacramento
This 32 acre park has a scenic pond with geese near a large brand new playground (2013) with elements that look like a river boat, a street trolley, rock wall, tree house, and more. Over 2000 volunteers helped assemble the new play structures in under a week to rebuild McKinley Park. Approx 28 min from central Folsom. In east Sacramento. (Photo by City of Sacramento Department of Parks & Recreation)
Review2115 6th Street, Sacramento
This playground has a unique solar system/space theme. Three play areas include: a rubber surfaced play area for infants under the age of 2, a tot lot for pre-school age children, and an adventure play area for school age children, and a sand play area with diggers and a sand play table with a scoop like the one at Folsom City Park. Accessible playround also includes a merry-go-around, swings, spring riders, group rocking units, self propelled spin play units, independent climbing apparatuses and play units with sound features.
Approx 28 min from central Folsom. Near 6th & U St. Downtown Sacramento
(Photo by Julietta B.)
3301 Sixth Ave, Sacramento
This park has a super-fun amusement park/carnival theme. The play structure is roller-coaster-esque. There are giant statues of popcorn, an ice cream cone, and a candy apple. There is a small play structure that looks like a street-car/trolley. The toddler structure is decorated like a carnival and train and has several animal sculptures. (Photos by City of Sacramento, Nikk C.)
4033 Cresta Way, Sacramento
This clean and green Arden-Arcade area park has two play structures, both with large shade canopies, a teeter-totter, play-house, and robot-looking play feature. Lots of small kids with their parents and caregivers in the mornings.
Approx 26 min from central Folsom
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
2201 Cottage Way, Sacramento
This park’s tot-lot was built in 2010 designed for kids 5 and under. It has a shade canopy, net climber, and curved rock wall. Howe park also contains additional play structures, sports fields, and a creek with a fishing pier.
Approx 29 min from central Folsom.
(Photo by Fulton-El Camino Recreation & Park District)
4700 Westlake Pkwy, Sacramento
This north Sacramento park has youth and tot play structures under large shade canopies. The tot one has lots of slides and is on the larger side for a tot playground. It also has a sandbox. (Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Burberry Community Park
2400 Burberry Way, Sacramento, CA
North Natomas area. Has large shade canopies, two play structures, a nautical ship theme, free-standing arched monkey bar climbers, and swings. This park also has large public art that looks like colorful leaves of a giant plant.
Approx 39 min from central Folsom
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
3601 Duckhorn Dr, Sacramento
A bright and colorful playgroud with whimsical butterflies and flower decorations. The park also has an actual hummingbird and butterfly garden.
Approx 35 min from central Folsom
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Shasta Community Park
7407 Shasta Avenue, Sacramento
This southwestern Sacramento park near Cosumnes River College has a Treasure Island/Swiss Family Robinson theme. (Photo by Billy Hustace)
Reichmuth Park
6135 Gloria Drive, Sacramento
Pocket Area. This park was redone in 2016 to have a detailed fire-station themed park. Bathrooms available.
(2780 Marby Drive, North Natomas)
This fun western/ranch-themed park has a large shade canopy over the play area, an interesting sea of basketball hoops, and supposedly has a water mister area among its other features. Note that this Valley Oak park is in North Natomas, but there is a second park with the same name in the Arden-Arcade area. (photos from Google, Yelp)
3795 Saintsbury Drive, North Natomas
Witter Ranch park has a farm/ranch theme for its play structure, and shade canopy too! (Photo by Scott T.)
Autumn Meadow Park
Photos5674 Northborough Drive, Sacramento
This 6-acre Natomas area playground has a large shade canopy over a large play structure.
(Photo by Kids Busy Book)
Fort Natomas
2921 Truxel Rd, SacramentoThis park has a castle/fort layout including even a pirate ship bit. If you like castle park in Folsom, you’ll like this park too.
Sacramento Parks & Rec has an ammenity guide for their most popular parks, and an alphabetical list of all parks.
DowntownGrid has a photo list of parks near downtown Sac.
Elk Grove (Selected Parks)
9550 Mainline Dr. Elk Grove, CA
This recently built park (opened in 2012) has an african theme, with elements looking like part of a tree-house or jungle. It features unique play equipment like large disc swings, a climbing ladder, and shaded toddler playground. Also has a water spray area with animal sculptures like a giraffe that dump water, and adult workout equipment. (Photo by Sacramento Sidetracks)
Stephenson Family Park
5511 Dorcey Drive, Elk Grove
There are two play structures at this Egyptian themed park. A small, gated, playground area for 5 and under and a big kid playground that is great for all ages. And a pyramid sandbox. (Photo by Sacramento Sidetracks)
Elk Grove parks are listed on the website of Cosumnes Community Services District.