RECOMMENDATIONS. IT’S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT’S TIME TO EXPLORE OUTDOORS. BRIAN HICKEY JOINS US WITH A LOOK AT HIGHWAY 50 AND SOME EASY TO MISS NATURAL BEAUTY. THEY ARE PART OF THE PATCHWORK OF GREENERY THAT CANVASES THE FOLSOM LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA. OH LOOK, A GIANT CHAIN FERN! BUT UNLESS YOU STOP TO APPRECIATE THEM, WE HAVE WOOD FERNS. THERE’S A BUNCH OF PATCHES HERE, AND THEN THESE COOL LITTLE GUYS ARE CALLED MAIDEN FERNS. YOU MIGHT WALK OR RIDE RIGHT PAST THE FERNS. THAT ARE A FASCINATING PIECE OF THE AREA’S FLORA. THEY ARE REPRODUCED BY SPORES, SO THEY’RE NOT LIKE THE COMMON PLANTS THAT YOU SEE AROUND HERE. MANY VARIETIES OF FERNS GROW ALONG THE STREAMS AND ARE SCATTERED ALONG THE SHADY FLOOR OF THE OAK WOODLANDS. SO CHECK IT OUT. IT’S THE POLYPODY. THIS IS THE OTHER KIND THAT WE HAVEN’T SEEN YET, AND IT HAS SPORES UNDERNEATH. NICOLE BARTON AND LENA CO ARE INTERPRETERS FOR THE STATE PARKS, HELPING VISITORS DISCOVER AND UNDERSTAND THE AREA’S BIODIVERSITY. LEADING FREE GUIDED WALKS EVERY SEASON IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST, AND THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LOOK AT, SOMETHING NEW TO DISCOVER, INCLUDING BIRDS, TREES AND ROCKS. AND THIS WEEK, FERNS. THE GOLD BACK FERN HAS THIS REALLY NICE GOLDEN SORT OF POWDER. THOSE ARE THE SPORES, AND IT’S ONLY CERTAIN ONES, ONLY CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR. SO DON’T MISS THE SHOW. LACE UP YOUR BOOTS AND EXPLORE OUTDOORS WITH THESE EXCEPTIONAL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES AT FOLSOM LAKE. FREE GROUP HIKES ARE LIMITED TO LESS THAN 20 PEOPLE, AND YOU MUST MAKE A RESERVATION AND GET NOTIFIED OF UPCOMING WALKS AND TALKS. YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARK’S NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. YOU CAN
A closer look at California’s fascinating ferns | Explore Outdoors
Visitors to Folsom Lake State Recreation Area can explore a variety of ferns with the help of knowledgeable guides from California State Parks.
Updated: 9:37 PM PST Dec 5, 2025
Ferns are a fascinating part of the flora at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, offering visitors a chance to explore the diverse greenery with the guidance of California State Parks interpreters. Leenna Keo, an interpreter, explained that the area features wood ferns and maiden ferns, which reproduce by spores, unlike common plants.”Check it out, it’s the polypody fern. This is the other kind we haven’t seen yet, and it has spores underneath,” pointed out fellow interpreter Nicole Barden. Barden and Keo lead free guided walks to help visitors discover the area’s biodiversity, including birds, trees, rocks, and this week—ferns.”Every season is completely different from the last and there is always something new to look at, something new to discover,” Barden said. “The gold back fern has this really nice golden sort of powder. Those are the spores and it’s only certain ones and certain times of the year.”Visitors are encouraged to lace up their boots and explore the outdoors with these exceptional guides at Folsom Lake.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
FOLSOM, Calif. —
Ferns are a fascinating part of the flora at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, offering visitors a chance to explore the diverse greenery with the guidance of California State Parks interpreters.
Leenna Keo, an interpreter, explained that the area features wood ferns and maiden ferns, which reproduce by spores, unlike common plants.
“Check it out, it’s the polypody fern. This is the other kind we haven’t seen yet, and it has spores underneath,” pointed out fellow interpreter Nicole Barden.
Barden and Keo lead free guided walks to help visitors discover the area’s biodiversity, including birds, trees, rocks, and this week—ferns.
“Every season is completely different from the last and there is always something new to look at, something new to discover,” Barden said. “The gold back fern has this really nice golden sort of powder. Those are the spores and it’s only certain ones and certain times of the year.”
Visitors are encouraged to lace up their boots and explore the outdoors with these exceptional guides at Folsom Lake.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel