Online reservations for school and group tours at Sutter’s Fort are available now through ReserveCalifornia!
Click this link to reserve your spot today!On the Activities page, select “Sutters Fort SHP” from the Place drop down and then choose a date. Once you’re ready to reserve, select “Sign Up!” and follow the prompts to complete your tour booking.
You can also continue to reserve a group tour by calling the Contact Center at 1-866-240-4655.
Reinterpreting Sutter’s Fort
California State Parks recently completed a plan that changes the interpretation of history at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park to be more inclusive, complex, and accurate.
Download the Interpretation Master Plan
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park sits in Midtown Sacramento in an area that has been the homeland of the Nisenan people since time immemorial. From 1839 to 1849, Sutter’s Fort was the economic center of the first permanent European colonial settlement in California’s Central Valley. Its founder was a Swiss immigrant named John Sutter who named his vast Mexican land grant “New Helvetia.” During that time, the Fort catalyzed patterns of change across California. No one felt those changes more acutely than the diverse Native peoples whose lives were transformed by the Fort’s presence. Many different Native people helped build the Fort, and their exploited labor made the Fort’s many industries possible. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma in 1848 started the gold rush that ultimately undermined Sutter’s businesses at the Fort and led to an even greater exploitation of Native people across California.
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is open daily for self-guided tours. Please call for a list of upcoming of events and programs, or follow us on social media.
Location and Parking
The park is located in Midtown Sacramento in the block bound by K, L, 26th, and 28th Streets. The Fort is entered through the East Gate facing 28th Street. There is no on-site parking. Street parking is available and metered by the City of Sacramento. A limited amount of bus parking is available on K Street near 27th Street, and on L Street near 29th Street.
Passes Accepted
We accept the following passes at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park: Adventure Pass, Distinguished Veterans Pass and the Historian Pass.
Friends of Sutter’s Fort Museum Store
The Sutter’s Fort Museum Store is temporarily closed.
Photography
Photography is permitted in Sutter’s Fort and the surrounding park for personal use. Tripods and standing flash are not permitted. Commercial photography is not allowed anywhere on park grounds without a permit. Permits can be obtained through the California Film Commission. Visit www.film.ca.gov for more information.
Facility Rentals
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is available for events and gatherings with an approved permit and fee. For more information, please contact Francesca Martella at (916) 893-3534 or at Francesca.Martella@parks.ca.gov.
