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The Effie Yeaw Nature Center, in Ancil Hoffman Park, is an award-winning environmental and cultural education center within the American River Parkway. The center offers a wide variety of hands-on educational activities and exhibits for all ages.

Who Was Effie Yeaw?

A leading spirit in the movement for protecting Sacramento’s natural environment, Effie Yeaw’s vision stimulated powerful support for environmental causes such as adoption of a county tree control ordinance, formation of the Save the American River Association (SARA) and establishment of the American River Parkway.

During the 1950’s and 1960’s, she promoted appreciation for plant and animal life, protecting our streams and preserving heritage oaks and plant seedlings. She cultivated heightened awareness, especially among young people.

She was a teacher by trade and continued teaching about nature well into retirement; she influenced the lives of thousands of children whom she, and those she recruited, led into the fields, woods, and river paths in search of the living worlds within the natural environment.

When Mrs. Yeaw passed away on January 3, 1970, the organizations she had served so well proposed that the planned interpretive nature center in Ancil Hoffman Park (at the time, no funds were available) be named in her honor. The Effie Yeaw Interpretive Center, erected at the edge of the natural area formerly known as Deterding Woods, was opened and formally dedicated on June 19, 1976.

How to Get There:

From Auburn:
Take I-80 west towards Sacramento
Take Madison Ave. east exit (left at end of exit ramp)
Turn right on Manzanita Ave.
Manzanita Ave. turns into Fair Oaks Blvd; stay on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Turn left on Palm Drive (called Marconi Ave. to right)
Turn right on California Avenue
Go two Blocks and turn left on Tarshes Drive (entrance to Ancil Hoffman Park)
Past entrance kiosk, continue on Tarshes Drive to stop sign
Turn left at stop sign (San Lorenzo Way) and continue to the Nature Center

From Davis or Downtown Sacramento:
Take I-80 east towards Sacramento
Take Highway 50 east
Take Watt Avenue north exit
Turn right on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Turn right on Van Alstine Ave. (called El Camino Ave. to the left)
Turn left on California Ave.
Go one block and turn right on Tarshes Drive (entrance to Ancil Hoffman Park)
Past entrance kiosk, continue on Tarshes Drive to stop sign
Turn left at stop sign (San Lorenzo Way) and continue to the Nature Center

From Elk Grove:
Take I-80 east towards Sacramento
Take Highway 50 east
Take Watt Avenue north exit
Turn right on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Turn right on Van Alstine Ave. (called El Camino Ave. to the left)
Turn left on California Ave.
Go one block and turn right on Tarshes Drive (entrance to Ancil Hoffman Park)
Past entrance kiosk, continue on Tarshes Drive to stop sign
Turn left at stop sign (San Lorenzo Way) and continue to the Nature Center

From Placerville:
Take Highway 50 west
Take Sunrise Ave. north exit
Turn left on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Turn left on California Ave.
Go about six blocks and turn left on Tarshes Drive (entrance to Ancil Hoffman Park)
Past entrance kiosk, continue on Tarshes Drive to stop sign
Turn left at stop sign (San Lorenzo Way) and continue to the Nature Center