Monumental Questions - Cache Creek Bridge Brings Opportunity for Recreational Renewal

Andrew Fulks • December 5, 2022

The old bridge over Cache Creek, which only allowed foot traffic, has been replaced!

With news that the Road 40 (aka. Rayhouse Road) bridge over Cache Creek is complete, it is important that people realize both the opportunities as well as the challenges that come with it being almost 14 years since the original bridge was condemned. One of the issues with areas that have reduced public and maintenance access over such a long time is that many if not all of the people in charge of management of the area have moved on or in some cases, have passed away. Their successors won’t necessarily know the backstory of an area and what needs to take place after the access issue has been resolved. They, and even much of the general public, won’t know the historical context of the area and may only be familiar with the current conditions, not how the area was before the bridge was condemned.


Though not yet a National Monument, in 2008 the Fiske Creek canyon area of the Blue Ridge in Yolo County was a hub of recreation opportunity for residents of the region. Yolo County has the Lower Cache Canyon Regional Park day use area next to the creek where the rebuilt bridge crosses. Before 2008, BLM actively managed the canyon lands as well as a number of trails, including the Blue Ridge Trail north and south, Fiske Creek Trail, and Frog Pond Trail. There was a primitive camp at the south end of the Fiske Creek Trail along Fiske Creek Road, complete with concrete fire pit and picnic table. The Blue Ridge South Trailhead was reachable by 2-wheel drive car back then. Buck Island campground, a remote wilderness camp along Cache Creek at the end of Langs Peak Road was a draw for family camping. BLM invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Buck Island campground and it features two precast concrete restrooms. Buck Island was also the put-in for two rafting concessions, allowing them to run two-day wilderness trips that explored different parts of the river between days.


Then, in 2008, Caltrans condemns the low-water bridge over Cache Creek as the footings are undermined. This is also the year of the financial crisis, so Yolo County, no longer able to cross the bridge with a road grader, opts to cease maintenance of Rayhouse Road. BLM, also unable to cross the bridge and with Rayhouse Road now unmaintained, can no longer get a road grader to the upper areas to maintain Fiske Creek Road and Langs Peak Road to Buck Island. BLM can’t get inmate crews up to the Fiske Creek Trail or Blue Ridge Trail South trailhead, as busses can no longer travel over the bridge or the unmaintained Rayhouse Road. Volunteer crews can’t feasibly access the Fiske Creek and Blue Ridge South trailheads to maintain the trails, as they are many miles away and the day would be done by the time one was able to walk the old road to the trailhead.


This inability to cross the bridge, which led to lack of maintenance on the dirt Rayhouse Road, begins the downward spiral of recreation opportunities and management. Rayhouse Road suffers from massive erosion as winter rains and runoff plug the culverts, causing flow across the road and vertical eroded edges where it travels down the bank. The same thing happens on BLM’s Fiske Creek Road and Langs Peak Road, rendering them impassible. Lacking the maintenance from inmate and volunteer crews due to vehicle inaccessibility, Blue Ridge Trail south of Fiske Peak becomes overgrown and almost impassable. Fiske Creek Trail suffers the same, with overgrown brush making it very difficult find and to follow. Buck Island, now only accessible by motorcycle or quad and no longer having active ranger patrols, begins to see vandalism. The rafting concessions lose a quarter of their business, as they can no longer offer the 'wilderness' overnight trip. Marijuana growers move into Fiske Creek Canyon and near New Cacheville, as the Sheriff no longer patrols the area. Several fires, including the 2009 Oasis fire and 2015 Rocky and Jerusalem fires are difficult to access due to the lack of a bridge. A portable pontoon bridge is installed to allow firefighting efforts during the 2015 fires as well as the 2018 County fire. CalFire grades Rayhouse Road, but only for fire suppression efforts during those events, so it washes out immediately after the rains begin as the grading is not performed with longevity in mind.


Yolo County and Tuleyome began pushing for bridge replacement almost immediately after it was condemned in 2008, but it was the subsequent fires that made the bridge a priority. Thanks to our State Representatives, funding was secured for the design and replacement of the bridge. In 2020, construction is began on a replacement and the bridge has just been opened! 


The bridge replacement gives us the opportunity to restore management and recreation opportunities in the Fiske Creek Canyon area of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.


There are opportunities such as:


*Yolo County can now access Rayhouse road and resume maintenance


*BLM can restore maintenance of Fiske Creek Road and Langs Peak Road, now that Rayhouse Road will be again accessible


*Once Fiske Creek Road is restored, Fiske Creek Trail and Blue Ridge Trail south can be brushed, re-opening the trails for the public.


*Frog Pond Trail can be rebuilt after damage from CalFire during the County Fire last summer.


*Fiske Creek Campground can be re-opened.


*Buck Island will again be usable for the general public via access from Highway 16.


However, with an almost entirely new BLM and County staff, there isn’t an internal push to repair and re-open all of the trailheads, campgrounds, and access roads that can be restored after the bridge is replaced. It is up to us to advocate for repair and restoration of this amazing recreational resource, and let our leaders and land managers know we want to regain what we had 14 years ago.


This area is a substantial part of the National Monument, the only part of the monument accessible within Yolo County, and is a beloved public resource. I am hoping the replacement of the bridge spurs both conversation and action between BLM, Yolo County, and non-profit groups like Tuleyome, to prepare for future public use of the area. A plan is needed to deal with the increased public access that will result from the bridge begin restored. Working together, we can make the area like it was prior to 2008, or even better! With restored public recreational access, and with access for ranger and sheriff patrols, the public and natural resources will benefit from completion of the new Road 40 bridge over Cache Creek!


-Andrew Fulks


Tuleyome Advisory Council Member

RECENT ARTICLES

Upcoming Tuleyome Certified California Naturalist Course

By Nate Lillge • November 10, 2026
Tuleyome, the expert organization on the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, is offering a multi-week Certified California Naturalist course in early 2027. Instruction focuses on the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region while providing participants with skills and resources that are applicable anywhere to increase their knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of the natural world. The Certified California Naturalist course is presented by Tuleyome in partnership with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. This 8-week course is offered from January to March in 2027, with classes occurring on eight consecutive Fridays plus at least three field trips. Friday classes will be held in downtown Woodland with field trips to northern Inner Coast Range Mountains and western Sacramento Valley. No advanced degrees or previous naturalist experience is required. The UC California Naturalist Program introduces Californians to the wonders of our unique ecology and engages the public in study and stewardship of California’s natural communities. The program uses a science curriculum, hands-on learning, problem-solving, citizen science, and community service to instill a deep appreciation for the natural communities of the state and to inspire individuals to become stewards of their local resources. In addition to in-person instruction, students are required to attend field trips in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region. Field trips consist of low-impact walking trips and auto-tours, so they are suitable for all fitness levels. Impromptu walks are also often provided by the instructors as time permits to give participants even more experience in the field. More information is available on our website . Questions about the course should be directed to Nate Lillge at nlillge@tuleyome.org .

Hiking and Trail Building - Enjoying the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Region

By Nate Lillge • November 10, 2026
With the arrival of cooler temperatures, Tuleyome has been able to get people outside to enjoy the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Region. Cowboy Camp, located a mile south of CA-20 on CA-16, is a great starting point for anyone exploring the BLM-managed lands between Cache Creek and Bear Creek. As it's name suggests, it is very popular with equestrians but is also a great place for bird watchers, hunters, hikers, mountain bikers, and astronomers. In October, Tuleyome's Program Director, Nate Lillge, led a small but adventurous group on a 9-mile hike through Craig Canyon and Thompson Canyon. Despite hearing reports and seeing signs of Tule Elk, the herd remained illusive. True to the areas name, however, many horses were seen on the trail and in Bear Creek. Pictures from the hike are available on Flickr . Tuleyome co-founder and member of Tuleyome's Advisory Council, Andrew Fulks led a crew at Valley Vista Regional Park to continue our trail work with Yolo County. We were excited to be joined by seasoned trail crew members and gratefully surprised that Bob Schneider, another co-founder and member of Tuleyome's Advisory Council, joined us! Check out the workday photos here . Be sure to check out our upcoming events ! We look forward to seeing you on the trail soon!

Enjoying Outside - The Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival

By Kristie Ehrhardt • November 10, 2026
I genuinely want to go, I have wanted to for years but I annually find myself looking at the calendar and open-palm smacking my forehead because I let it slip past me again. In case you haven’t deduced by the title, I’m talking about the Sandhill Crane Festival! I think my delinquency issue stems from the fact the arrival of the cranes coincides with my daughter’s arrival date as well. Apparently little kid birthday party planning consumed any of the surplus space left in my brain after working all week. Over the years she’s had delightful birthday parties with her little buddies at the charming and educational Folsom Zoo Sanctuary (that one was my favorite), the quintessential Sacramento lil’ kid party spots like Funderland and Fairytale Town, and a stinky bouncy house place that smelled like dirty socks and sweaty little kids. Unfortunately, while being deep into her girly-girl era and following the sub-teen status quo, my kiddo never wanted a destination birthday party at a festival for big, gray birds. Consequently, during the crane’s advent, I was always knee deep in cupcakes and party favors; but, seeing as how this year she’s turning 24 (time goes way too fast!) I find myself relatively unrestricted for at least a bit of the jubilee and so I shall finally go. The Sandhill Crane Festival began in 1997 through a partnership with the Lodi Sandhill Crane Association, the City of Lodi, the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and a throng of local volunteers and fellow crane enthusiasts. The goal of the festival was, and still is, to promote Sandhill Crane conservation focusing primarily on California’s Delta region. The Delta is where the saltwater from the San Francisco Bay combines with freshwater from major rivers such as the Sacramento and the San Joaquin (along with other smaller waterways), creating the largest estuary on the West Coast. This ecosystem is a vital piece of the Pacific Flyway - one of four flightpaths for migrating birds in North America. The Pacific Flyway reaches from the Arctic tundra in Alaska south to Patagonia in South America. This flyway belt is about 4,000 miles long and 1,000 miles wide. Without conservation efforts here the birds traveling thousands of miles twice a year would have a tough time surviving the trip if the refueling and resting stops were not available to them or healthy enough to support the cranes and the other one billion birds that use the flyway biannually. Sandhill Cranes ( Antigone canadensis ) are hard to miss. They stand about five feet tall and have wingspans that range between five and seven feet - equivalent to Michael Jordan and LeBron James. They usually weigh-in around twelve pounds; that’s like a gallon of paint taking to the sky for about 2,000 miles. If their stature doesn’t impress you, their voices will. Their rolling, reverberating calls are a result of their anatomy. Their trachea (wind pipe) is very long and coils around their breastbone which lowers the pitch and amplifies the sound. Sandhill Cranes are social and live in pairs with their life-long mates or in family groups. When it's time for them to journey north or south, large groups of unrelated cranes congregate to migrate, forage and roost together as one large group. They’re among the oldest living birds in North America with fossils dating back an estimated two and a half million years ago; most modern-day birds’ lineages are estimated to be less than two million years old. Beginning in October, thousands of them begin to arrive here in the Central Valley from their northern breeding grounds to spend the winter months. Cranes are impressive aviators and take advantage of thermals to conserve energy on their journey. Some individuals can cover 500 miles a day! They fly with their necks and legs extended creating quite a spectacle in the sky with their silhouettes and their voices. Lodi isn’t the only place that celebrates Sandhill Cranes; Monte Vista, Colorado and the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee also host Sandhill Crane Festivals! If you’re interested in viewing these living dinosaurs here at home, pack up the family and of course your binoculars and take the short drive to Lodi. The festival is centered at the Hutchins Street Community Center at 125 S Hutchins Street, Lodi, CA and officially kicks off on November 6th and continues all weekend wrapping up on the 8th. But wait, there’s more (!) - there are some bonus pre-festival tours scheduled for November 4th and 5th. Admission is free for the main indoor exhibit hall, lectures and vendor areas and paid tickets are required for guided tours, boat cruises, workshops and special events. Tours include the Woodbridge Ecological Preserve, Staten Island and surrounding natural areas. The tours help educate visitors about how wildlife preserves and agricultural lands alike provide critical wintering habitat for resident and migratory bird species and highlight the presence of this magnificent and enduring species. They’re only here for a short while and if you’d like to come eye to eye with a five foot tall bird wearing the most spectacular scarlet crown you’ve ever seen, visit the festival with other Sandhill Crane aficionados. If you can’t make it that weekend, you can still see the cranes by visiting the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve and/or the Cosumnes River Preserve from October through February. Please note before you go that you will need a Lands Pass or a hunting or fishing license to enter the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve. To learn more about the festival and to book a tour, view scheduled presentations and workshops, learn more about the art show, vendors or exhibits, please visit https://lodisandhillcrane.org/about-the-festival/ . Back to the birthday parties… my kiddo just graduated with a biology degree and I know for a fact that she would now be thrilled to celebrate her birthday with the Sandhill Cranes! Times do change, Sandhill Cranes, it turns out, do not.