The Cache Creek Conservancy Nature Preserve is 130-acres of wetlands, grassland and riparian habitat off of County Road 20 in Yolo County, California.  It’s well-maintained, easy to walk through, and has a lot of year-round opportunities for wildlife viewing.  

• Easy to Locate? Yes
• Pet Friendly? No. No pets allowed.
• Easy to Walk? Yes. Walking areas are well marked and maintained. The riparian habitat can be a little rough in the wet season.
• Is there a Fee? No
• Are there Restrooms? Yes, port-a-potties
• Is there Accessible Parking? Yes, but it’s kind of limited so car-pool is you’re able
• Other Notes:  The conservancy doesn’t really keep regular hours, so it’s best to call first to make sure the gates are open to the public.

See my FLICKR account for more albums of photos taken at this location throughout the last several years.

The wetlands area boasts a pretty boardwalk and viewing platform form where guests can see a large variety of water birds and even a colony of beavers (who have a large lodge built near the rear of the wetlands area).  Deer, raccoons, owls and raptors are also frequent visitors to the place, and you can spend time looking for tracks and scat around the property if you like.  Maps and lists of birds and animals are available in the visitor’s center.  One part of the property also holds a Tending and Gathering Garden of native plants used by local Native American tribes.

The place is used a great deal for educational and research purposes, but offers the public an easily-accessible introduction to the wild lands throughout Yolo County.  No dogs or horses are allowed on the grounds.  The place is open almost every weekday, but there is limited access over the weekends.  For more information, see their website.

How to Get to the Cache Creek Conservancy Preserve

The easiest way to get to the preserve is to take Interstate 5 to the city of Woodland and exit onto Main Street.   Follow Main Street west toward Esparto, all the way out of town.  Along the way, Main Street becomes Highway 16.

• You’ll come to a point where there’s a fork in the road: Highway 16 goes to the left and County Road 22 goes to the right. Take the RIGHT fork here and continue on County Road 22
• You’ll go past a large veteran’s cemetery and eventually come to a “Y”-junction. Again, take the RIGHT fork of the “Y” onto County Road 94B.
  • Stay on County Road 98B.  You’ll go past the Yolo Flyers Club and cross a small narrow bridge.
• After about a mile, you’ll come to a T-intersection.  You’ll see a sign for the Woodland Stallion Station on the corner. Turn LEFT here onto County Road 20 and follow it to the gates of the preserve, which will come up on your left.  ((Take care when driving through this area as there are often deer in the road.))

34199 County Road 20, Woodland, CA 95695
It’s always a good idea to call first to make sure they’re open.
(530) 661-1070