Salmon Viewing Map | The Bay Institute

Salmon Viewing Map

Amazingly, there are still places you can still see wild salmon spawning in the San Francisco Bay area and Central Valley during September through March.

Click on the link below for an interactive map of the best places to view salmon in the Bay Area and Central Valley. Best times for viewing in each site and additional information are at the bottom of this page.

Salmon Viewing in the Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area

Click on the fish viewing symbol on the map to bring up a Google Map for the salmon viewing location. Viewing locations on Battle Creek, the Feather, American and Mokelumne Rivers are near hatcheries. These hatcheries were built because nearby dams eliminated critical salmon habitat. Ask a hatchery employee where the best viewing areas are to help you locate salmon spawning in the river.

Many of the rivers have local non-profit groups dedicated to the conservation of the creek or river and improving salmon habitat. Check with these organizations to learn more about local salmon populations.

There is no guarantee that you will see salmon or steelhead when you visit these viewing sites, especially given their depleted populations. All these sites have salmon or steelhead at some point during most, if not all years, and are great locations to visit. Other creeks and rivers in the Bay Area and Central Valley have salmon or steelhead, but the runs are intermittent or do not have good publicly accessible viewing areas.

Sacramento River

September-December

Self-guided tour on Sacramento River Trail

Clear Creek

October and November

Self-guided viewing along Clear Creek Greenway

Battle Creek

October and November

Self-guided nature trails in wildlife areas and Salmon Festival at hatchery

Butte Creek

Late September and early October

Historical covered bridge, guided tours, trails