Fresno does not have to look far for successful examples of how to bring locals and visitors to a river parkway. In Bakersfield, the Kern River Parkway boasts the longest municipally-owned bike trail in the country. In Sacramento, the American River Parkway hosts archery tournaments, a “Burger Battle” between local chefs and firefighters, and large festivals for rock and country music fans. … But, in Fresno, access to the water and revenue-generating activities along the parkway or adjacent to it are limited in comparison to other Central Valley cities. And a lot of Fresnans still don’t know that they can enjoy their river. According to existing plans, the Fresno-Madera parkway will one day offer a full trail system along 22 miles of the San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to Highway 99. However, the path to completion has been far from simple, or speedy.