10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park
This park unit is fully open. State Parks will continue to use a monitor and adapt strategy to meet any new guidance it may receive from local and state public health officials as COVID-19 is still present and still deadly, especially for the elderly, immune-compromised and the unvaccinated.
COVID-19 Guidelines (February 16, 2022)
Recreate Responsibly
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:
COVID-19 Guidelines (February 16, 2022)
Recreate Responsibly
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:
- Know Before You Go – Prior to leaving home, check the status of the park unit you want to visit to find out what restrictions and guidelines are in place. Have a back-up plan in case your destination is crowded. Stay home if you are sick
- Plan Ahead – Some restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap/hand sanitizer.
- Play It Safe – Find out what precautions you should take when exploring the outdoors, especially if this is your first time visiting the State Park System. Learn more at parks.ca.gov/SafetyTips.
- Be COVID-19 Safe – State Parks continues to meet guidance from local and state public officials as COVID-19 is still present and still deadly. Effective March 1, 2022, state guidance recommends that all individuals, regardless of vaccine status, continue masking in indoor settings, such as museums and visitor centers. Universal masking remains required in specified high-risk settings. Please plan ahead as local county guidelines may differ from state guidance and visitors are urged to follow county guidelines when required. Read the latest COVID-19 guidance at COVID19.ca.gov.
- Leave No Trace – Leave areas better than how you found them by staying on designated trails and packing out all trash. Do not disturb wildlife or plants.
Phone Number
(916) 445-4422
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
Yes
Dogs allowed only in park surrounding Sutter's Fort. Only service animals allowed inside fort gates and in exhibit areas.
Driving Directions to Sutter's Fort SHP
The park is located in midtown Sacramento between K and L Streets and 26th and 28th Streets.Traveling on I-80, from San Francisco:
Take Business 80/Hwy 50 east. Take the Business 80 exit (north towards Reno) to the N Street turn off. Travel straight on 30th Street then turn left under the freeway at L Street to the Fort which will be located on your right.
Monday - Saturday, bring quarters for the parking meters. Parking is free on Sundays.
Online reservations are not available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
TRAIL USE
Bike Trails
Hiking Trails
Bike Trails
Hiking Trails
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Exhibits and Programs
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Museums
Family Programs
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Exhibits and Programs
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Museums
Family Programs
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Reinterpreting Sutter’s Fort
California State Parks is working on a plan to fundamentally change how history is interpreted at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park to be more inclusive, complex, and accurate. Visit interpretingsuttersfort.org to learn about these efforts.
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park sits in Midtown Sacramento in an area that has been the homeland of the Nisenan people since time immemorial. From 1839 to 1849, Sutter’s Fort was the economic center of the first permanent European colonial settlement in California’s Central Valley. Its founder was a Swiss immigrant named John Sutter who named his vast Mexican land grant “New Helvetia.” During that time, the Fort catalyzed patterns of change across California. No one felt those changes more acutely than the diverse Native peoples whose lives were transformed by the Fort’s presence. Many different Native people helped build the Fort, and their exploited labor made the Fort’s many industries possible. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848 started the gold rush that ultimately undermined Sutter’s businesses at the Fort and led to an even greater exploitation of Native people across California.
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is open daily for self-guided tours. Please call for a list of upcoming of events and programs, or follow us on social media.
For general Sutter's Fort State Historic Park information, please call (916) 445-4422
Location and Parking
The park is located in midtown Sacramento between K and L Streets and 26th and 28th Streets. The entrance is located on 28th Street between K and L Streets (East Gate).
Driving Directions Traveling on I-80, from San Francisco - Take Business 80/Hwy 50 East (north towards Reno) to the N Street turn off. Travel straight on 30th Street then turn left under the freeway at L Street to Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park that will be located on your right.
Parking –Street parking is available metered by the City of Sacramento.
Facility Rentals
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is available for weddings, events, and gatherings with an approved permit and fee. For more information, please contact Francesca Martella at (916) 893-3534 or at Francesca.Martella@parks.ca.gov.
Friends of Sutter’s Fort Museum Store
The Museum Store provides a large variety of gifts and publications relating to Sutter’s Fort and California history. The store is non-profit and operated by the Friends of Sutter's Fort Association in cooperation with the California State Parks.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
Summer and spring can be hot; fall and winter can be cold. Layered clothing is advised.
Photography
Photography is permitted in Sutter’s Fort and the surrounding park for personal use. Tripods and standing flash are not permitted.
Commercial photography is not allowed anywhere on park grounds without a permit. Permits can be obtained through the California Film Commission. Visit www.film.ca.gov for more information.