Folsom Lake State Recreation Area spans the American River near Folsom, where reservoirs created by Folsom and Nimbus dams transformed the landscape in the 1950s for flood control, water supply, power, irrigation, and recreation. Established in 1956, the park covers 19,564 acres and includes busy Folsom Lake and quieter Lake Natoma. The area also preserves much older human history: Maidu and Nisenan communities lived here for thousands of years, and Gold Rush mining towns such as Mormon Island and Rattlesnake Bar later rose on their former lands. Today it is a major Sacramento-region destination for boating, trails, camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing.