A sign by the river read:

Fishin Great
Trashin Ain't
If you are going to play
Please haul it away
Your 'Trash' that is

$250 Reward for reporting dumping
$1,000 fine for littering

High tension power lines and wind generators littered the landscape. Which is worse, the power lines and wind generators or the soda can discarded and barely visible in the grass?

The island is mostly covered in native grasses. Extremely retro, 1940-style power transmission towers dominated the scene.

At one time, a steel cable was strung between this power/telephone pole and something now missing across the road.

West Sherman Island Road ran along the northwest edge of the island, from Highway 160 behind, to Sandy Beach Park ahead around the bend.

The tall high-tension towers of the previous century made an interesting contrast to the street light that was self-powered with solar energy. Solar cells charged a battery during the day, and the battery lit the lamp during the night. No connection was needed to a grid.

The entrance to Sandy Beach Park was littered with rules. There was a $US 5.00 fee charged for entry, but the entry booth (barely visible ahead) was unmanned that day. So the money had to be stuffed into a metal box. The fee was for parking. No fee was charged to enter, so bicycles and pedestrians could use the park for free.

A sign inside the park labeled the area as dual-use:

Sherman Island
Wildlife Habitat and
Recreation Area

What we found was that the emphasis was on recreational use. There were no marked paths through the roughage to access any wildlife areas.

Well maintained restrooms were typical of a heavily used recreation area. This beach was a popular wind surfing training and practice area.

Horrible park, tried camping with my 10 yrs old son, didn't last more than a few hours. everything camping is about can't to do there. Dirty, flooded, no tent, no fire, locked after 8 pm even though some people kept coming and going, rude Park keeper, etc . Camped right outside the gate. Much better and free.

A picnic area was bordered by high, impenetrable growth.

At the far end of the park was a boat launch area. The sign read:

Notice to Boaters

5 m.p.h.

1. Within 100 ft. of Bather
2. Within 200 ft. of:
  A. Bathing Beach
  B. Swimming Float
  C. Diving Platform
  D. Life Line
  E. Passenger Landing In Use
  F. Landing Where Boats Are Tied

Harbors & Navigations Code 855.2

A copious parking area was provided for vehicles with boat trailers. Beyond to the left was additional parking for sail and kite boarders.

Sign read:

Lower Sherman Island

Funded by
The state Wildlife Conservation Board
Department of Fish And Game
The State Department of Boating And Waterways
And the Federal Aid In Sport Fish Restoration program
Operated and maintained by Sacramento County

Very little wildlife was seen in this wildlife area. Here was a scrub jay perched on a barbecue.

Mount Diablo could be seen from the parking lot in the park. Notice the density of shrubs bordering the park. Other than paths worn by kite and sail boarders to access the water, no nature trails were available.

A board was paddled slowly and carefully into the boat launch dock. The best way to see wildlife around Sherman Island is probably by boat.