Bike Lodi: Beautiful 55 Mile Delta River Ride

Have you ever gone out on a bike ride and wanted to just keep going?  Everything is clicking, you’re feeling great yet you have reached that point in your ride where you know you need to turn around and head back.  Riding any further is just too far.  You ask yourself, “How fun it would be to just keep going?” Reluctantly you turn around and head back. 

If you’ve ever been there we encourage you to try this ride:  “Delta River Ride to Sacramento with Return by Train.”  It’s not a loop or a circle.  It’s not an out and back.  It’s a 55-mile destination ride where you just keep going, one way, all the way to Sacramento.  Oh, you’ll get home all right.  That’s the beauty of this ride.  Just aim for downtown Sacramento and the Amtrak Station for the 5:10 back to Lodi.  Have your ticket and roll the bike on the train no charge.  In that 55 miles, you will experience some of the finest scenery and historic river towns this area has to offer.  Miles of quiet roads through riverside woodlands and endless views of area farmland are your constant companions on this ride. 

From Downtown Lodi you make your way to Lodi Lake where you ride the bike path along the edge of the water. 

Leaving town on quiet, country roads.

Riding through the endless agricultural land that surrounds Lodi.

Historic farms dot the landscape.

Getting to Thornton on Bike from Lodi

Rolling into the town of Thornton under a tunnel of trees.

Our first stop is Primo’s Bakery in Thornton. They are very bike friendly. 

Fueling up for our big day ahead.

Great off the beaten path stop in Thornton. This home is one block off the main route, but is worth the slight detour.

No one is sure what is going on here, but we all loved it.

Entering the Delta! South Fork of the Mokelumne River

Riding across Staten Island. Home of the best soil in the world.

Lunch Stop at Gusti’s Restaurant and Bar

Although it was too early for lunch, Gusti’s Restaurant and Bar is a one-of-a-kind destination for those visiting the Lodi Area. 

Another quiet levee road off the main path.

Checking Out Walnut Grove

Welcome to Walnut Grove, one of the coolest little towns in the Delta.

A local Ironworker turned this old theater into a beautiful art gallery that displays his work in Downtown Walnut Grove.

Hands down the best ice cream on the Delta.

Biking to the Historic Town of Locke

The Historic Chinese town of Locke. It’s a brief detour off the main route, but so worth it. It truly is a town frozen in time.

Restroom break, public restrooms located in the town of Locke right next to the Locke House Museum.

Downtown Locke.

An inviting place for visitors to sit and enjoy a game of tic tac toe.

Old steel draw bridge in the town of Walnut Grove

Sacramento only 29 more miles!

Ride along the scenic Sacramento River.

Entering Clarksburg by Bike

As we entered the Clarksburg area we found this sign directing visitors to the areas blossoming wine industry.

You know those roads you never knew existed? This is one of them. Arguably, the most beautiful stretch of road in the entire Delta.

Treelined single lane road with virtually no traffic. 

Enjoying the fall and winter colors during our ride

Waukeena Rd. the stuff road bikers dream of. 

Cabbage farm in full swing.

Tons of beautiful properties as you enter the town of Clarksburg.

Husicks Tap House by Bike

When we got to town we stumbled into Husicks Tap House. They feature several local wineries, artists, and musicians. This is a great stop on the route for lunch, a drink, or just a quiet place to sit and enjoy the delta breeze.

Live music Saturday’s and Sunday’s

We were treated to a sample of pear cider that they had just finished brewing the day before. It was incredible!

The menu at Husicks. I had the tri-tip sandwich with coleslaw, I would highly recommend it!

The Bike Lodi crew bellied up to the bar.

Husicks seemed to be the hub for the local art scene as well.

Local potter on display at Husicks.

We break for wine!

Dropping into West Sacramento. We’re getting close now! 

After a brief ride on the shoulder, you connect with a network of bike lanes and bike paths the rest of the way through town.

Connecting with the “Rails to Trails” path through West Sacramento.

Riding past Raley Field.

The Tower Bridge! We’ve officially made it to Sacramento.

Don’t forget to get a picture in front of the Tower Bridge!

Riding through Old Town Sacramento on the way to the Amrak station.

Riding through Old Town Sacramento on the way to the Amrak station. 

We had a pit stop at Practical Cycles in Old Town Sacramento. They specialize in electric bikes, cargo bikes, and folding bikes. They have a beautiful space and friendly staff, it was well worth the stop.

Taking Amtrak Home with Our Bikes

On the left is Jeff Pell, our ride lead, and on the right is our photographer Dan Arbuckle.

Walk on bike parking on Amtrak.

After a quick trip on the train we made it back to Lodi! Thanks Jeff for the amazing adventure. 

If you want to plan a Lodi biking adventure, check out our cycling guide for more routes, tips, and trip-planning.