RecFest is back along Tuolumne River in Modesto. See how volunteers spruced up the spot

John Holland
·2 min read

RecFest has returned to the Tuolumne River, with fishing, paddling, biking and other fun near downtown Modesto.

The free event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23, between the Seventh and Ninth street bridges in Tuolumne River Regional Park.

COVID-19 canceled the annual gathering from 2020 to 2022. A too-high river level pushed the 2023 version from spring to fall. This year’s RecFest will be on the fifth day of spring, about the greenest the park will get all year.

The 21 sponsors include the Tuolumne River Trust, which advocates for the waterway from its Sierra Nevada headwaters to the sea. The group is seeking volunteers.

“We are thrilled to extend an invitation to you and your family for an exciting day at the Modesto RecFest, a vibrant celebration of outdoor recreation and community spirit along the beautiful Tuolumne River” an email alert said.

People interested in paddling can borrow kayaks, canoes, life vests and other safety gear. The only age limit is for fishing, which is for attendees 15 and younger. Poles and lures will be provided.

Everyone can try out the park’s new disc golf course. They can learn about orienteering, which involves compasses and other methods, and birdwatching.

This section of the park has paved paths, useful for wheelchairs, strollers and street bicycles. Hikers and mountain bicyclists can hit a dustier trail downstream from the event.

Visitors should bring their own picnic lunches and drinking water to RecFest. Various local agencies, nonprofits and businesses are co-sponsors.

Volunteers, including Johansen High junior Jesus Atayde, left, clean up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river clean-up along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Volunteers, including Johansen High junior Jesus Atayde, left, clean up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river clean-up along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Volunteers clean up park for RecFest

The river park is seven miles in all, between Mitchell and Carpenter roads. Despite the size, it gets relatively low use due to safety, trash dumping and other concerns.

The nonprofit Operation 9-2-99 does frequent trash cleanups between Ninth Street and the Highway 99 bridge. The most recent was March 9 to prepare for RecFest, extended to the boat ramp nearing completion in west Modesto.

The 62 volunteers plucked about a ton of refuse, including two shopping carts and five tires, organizer Chris Guptill said. It was the 99th cleanup since the group’s 2014 launch. The total haul: 674 tons of trash, including about 1,400 carts, 2,000 tires, 2,900 hypodermic needles and 4,000 batteries.

Volunteers pick up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river cleanup along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Volunteers pick up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river cleanup along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.

River park is updating master plan

RecFest happens in the park’s Gateway section, which someday could be the centerpiece. It has a small amphitheater and restored floodplain along with the paths. It eventually could get more gathering spaces and easier access on foot and bicycle from downtown.

The park is drafting a new master plan, updating a 2001 document, which could be released for public comment this spring. It will lay out possible projects and funding sources.

The park’s governing board consists of two Stanislaus County supervisors, two Modesto City Council members and one Ceres Council member.

Volunteer Jennylyn Patague picks up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river cleanup along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Volunteer Jennylyn Patague picks up trash as part of the Operation 9-2-99 river cleanup along the Tuolumne River in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 9, 2024.