The American River Canyon area sits north of the American River, across Lake Natoma from Historic Folsom’s Sutter Street. There are two large neighborhoods in this area….American River Canyon North & American River Canyon South. Oak Avenue Parkway separates the two, and ARC North is defined by the large waterfall at the entrance to the community.
There are also three small PUD communities of small lot patio homes…Canyon Ridge in ARC South, and Cascades and Canyon Falls Village in ARC North. More on these homes here… Each community is distinctive in architecture, home sizes, ages, and HOA dues.
American River Canyon South
- Age of homes: 1980s….most homes built during 1983-1987
- Size of homes: 2,000 – 5,000 square feet. The largest homes are located along Dawn River Way and Waterview Way. Several of these homes have a great view of historic Folsom and Lake Natoma, but also come with road noise from Greenback which sits below these homes at the bottom of the hill.
- Style of homes: varies…..many have stucco exteriors, both single story and two story homes
- Lot sizes: larger than many communities in Folsom….several are 0.25 – 0.33 acre lots
- HOA? Yes, but a small one, currently $360/year to cover association management, rules and regulations, and signage throughout the community.
- Mello Roos? No.
- Many homes have large driveways or three car garages, which keeps more cars off the streets. Several homes have space for RV parking which gets tougher as communities get newer. There are a lot of single story ranch homes which is also getting harder to find. Trees are mature and established and the parkway along ARC is impeccably maintained.
- One thing I find missing is the lack of parks and green space in this neighborhood – something that some young families find attractive. There is a nice trail system nearby, but no play structures or picnic areas within ARC South that I’m aware of. You’d need to go across to ARC North or another neighborhood to meet up with other young families.
- Additionally, the shopping center at the corner of ARC Drive and Oak Avenue Parkway has never seemed to do very well…the grocery store has sat vacant for years and changed hands several times before then. Shopping would be in Orangevale or across the other side of the river in Folsom….a little more of a drive, but not bad at all. The shopping center does currently have a Starbucks, restaurant, small gym, and a few other businesses.
- School boundaries – see below
American River Canyon North
- Age of homes: 1980s – 1990s, with some homes in the 2000s. There are still some vacant lots in this neighborhood for sale as well.
- Size of homes: Most homes are over 3,000 square feet in size, but there are some smaller homes as well. Larger homes are in the 4,500-5,500 range.
- Style of homes: Homes in ARC North feel newer and larger than ARC South….they also are more custom with a wider range of styles and architecture types, ranging from mediterranean to victorian to contemporary and everything in between.
- Lot sizes: I like ARC North because the lot sizes are similar to ARC South…larger than many other newer areas in Folsom. Most lots in ARC South are approximate a quarter acre to a third acre or larger, which is great for pools and space between neighbors. The homes feel luxurious and custom which really makes the area feel like one of the more higher end neighborhoods in Folsom.
- HOA? Yes, but a small one, currently $100/year to cover association management and rules and regulations.
- Mello Roos? Due to the slightly older age of these homes, there is no mello roos in this community, which equals a great savings in this area when compared to other homes! There is currently $320/year in lights and landscaping bonds.
- One thing you’d want to keep an eye out are that there are some above ground powerlines that run through the neighborhood. There’s still some shake roofs in the area which are likely nearing their expiration. ARC North has the same issue as ARC South in regards to shopping amenities, as I noted above.
Both are great neighborhoods and would be a wonderful place to live.
Did you know that part of American River Canyon South falls outside of the Folsom Cordova School District? That’s right! The west side of American River Canyon Drive in is currently zoned for San Juan School District schools and the primary schools would be Orangevale schools. That being said, here’s what the Folsom Cordova School District website says as of 2019:
American River Canyon households: Folsom Cordova Unified School District will treat American River Canyon families living in the shared area with San Juan Unified as “FCUSD resident students” to Carl Sundahl Elementary, Sutter Middle School, and Folsom High School. Families will first need to initiate the Inter-district Transfer request from San Juan Unified to request to attend Folsom Cordova Unified schools. The affected streets will appear in the street name search below with a “YES” in the ITP column. February 2019 source: https://www.fcusd.org/Page/2456
That being said, I wonder what will happen to this process once all the new homes/families in Folsom Ranch start impacting attendance numbers. Will this change? Who knows!?
Click here for current Folsom Cordova School District boundary information.
Current American River Canyon Listings
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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Square footage and acreage, if quoted has not been verified by seller or broker. Buyer to verify any/all facts & figures when purchasing home.
