come home
watch the salmon
Right now, wild Chinook salmon are finishing a journey of hundreds of miles to spawn in our rivers. Our free guide shows you seven places to see them on the Tuolumne, Stanislaus, and Merced, all within a few hours of the Bay Area.
Your field guide to the salmon run
Every fall, Chinook salmon swim from the Pacific, through San Francisco Bay and the Delta, back to the very gravel where they hatched. From early October through December, you can watch them dig nests, spawn, and complete one of nature's great journeys. This five-page guide tells you exactly where to go.
inside the guide
Seven viewing spots on three rivers, from easy roadside bridges to short riverside trails, with addresses and parking tips
When to go and what to look for, so you know a salmon nest when you see one
How to be a good river neighbor, because one careless step can crush eggs hidden in the gravel
A first look at our restoration work on the Tuolumne, including a site you can visit
Share your salmon photos
Spotted a salmon? Show us!
Send us your salmon photos and videos, and we may feature them on our website, newsletter, and social channels, with credit to you.
Two ways to share:
Email: Send your photos to staff@yosemiterivers.org with "Salmon sighting" in the subject line. Tell us where and when you took them, and how you'd like to be credited.
Social: Tag us on Instagram @yosemiteriversalliance or Facebook Yosemite Rivers Alliance, and use #KeepYosemiteFlowing.
The salmon you'll see this fall made it past dams, droughts, and degraded habitat to get here. Your gift helps us restore the rivers they depend on: reviving streamside habitat on the Tuolumne, planting trees that shade and cool the water, and training the next generation of river stewards.
Every dollar stays in the watershed, protecting the rivers that 3 million people and 600+ wildlife species depend on.