Adventures With Nature

Adventures with Nature

Adventures with Nature Programs are guided walks and talks facilitated by California State Park Staff and Volunteers. All ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. These fun, free programs are exploratory in nature, revolving around cultural and natural resources in the coastal California State Parks in San Luis Obispo County. No dogs, please. Rain and/or inclement weather will cancel all outdoor events. For a full list of upcoming events, please check our event calendar.

Stars Over San Simeon: Astronomy Program

Saturday, February 1st 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Join us for a night under the stars!  Meet California State Park Interpreter Bre for a one hour astronomy program, where you will learn to find many of the constellations in the winter night sky while listening to the fascinating stories behind them.  This program will be held on the grassy field in the upper parking lot of William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach.
Please bring camp chairs or blankets to sit on and a flashlight. Dress in warm layers so that you can comfortably sit outdoors on a chilly evening.
Rain will cancel this event.

Sea Otters of Morro Bay State Park: Virtual Field Trip

Tuesday, February 4th 11:00 AM -11:45 AM

Morro Bay State Park is located on California’s beautiful central coast and features wetlands, mudflats, coastal scrub and more! Many different animals and plants call Morro Bay home, including a very special marine mammal, the Southern Sea Otter.

Join Interpreter Libbie to explore and learn about Morro Bay’s unique estuary habitat, the sea otters that call it home and how we can help protect this threatened species!

Pre-Registration is required.

Register here:

https://ports-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wIDNiwSdRQGe4QgKlL6L-A

CANCELED DUE TO RAIN – Guided Beach Walk at Morro Strand State Beach

Friday, February 7th 10:00 AM -12:00 PM

Join California State Park Volunteer Sharon for a guided beach walk to discover what gets washed up along the sandy shoreline and compare the fresh items with those deposited earlier during high tide! Find and identify items left behind by the tide. Learn about how to identify these fun and fascinating items, such as shells, barnacles, seaweeds and more! Explore their relationship to each other and the sandy beach environment.

Meet at the tables next to the campground kiosk at Morro Strand State Beach, off Yerba Buena Street and Highway 1 in Morro Bay.

Wear closed toed sturdy shoes and sun protection; dress in layers for the coast and bring plenty of water. All ages welcome for this easy-paced walk, which includes moderately strenuous terrain with walking through soft sand.

1 mile; 2 hours

Rain or stormy weather will cancel.

The Monarch Butterfly Experience with Latino Outdoors

Saturday, February 8th 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Latino Outdoors Central Coast and Central Coast State Parks Association invite you to join us for a State Parks Interpreter led walk at the Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach to observe and learn about the butterflies and their incredible migration.

The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove generally has one of the largest overwintering western monarch populations. Learn more about monarch butterflies at CA State Parks, Xerces Foundation, or the Center for Biological Diversity. Enjoy a stroll out to the beach to see additional wildlife and plants. Parking at the grove in Pismo is free.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera and binoculars. All ages welcome. Register today! Signed waiver required.

 

Latino Outdoors Central Coast y la Asociación de Parques Estatales de la Costa Central lo invitan a unirse para una caminata guiada por un intérprete de parques estatales en Monarch Butterfly Grove en Pismo Beach para observar y aprender sobre las mariposas monarca y su increíble migración.

El Monarch Butterfly Grove de Pismo State Beach generalmente tiene una de las poblaciones más grandes de mariposas monarca occidentales que pasan el invierno. Obtenga más información sobre las mariposas monarca en CA State Parks, Xerces Foundation, o el Centro para la Diversidad Biológica. Disfrute de un paseo por la playa para ver más vida silvestre y plantas. El estacionamiento en el bosque en Pismo es gratuito.

Use zapatos cómodos y traiga su cámara y binoculares. Todas las edades son bienvenidas. ¡Regístrese hoy! Se requiere una exención firmada.

Hazard Canyon Tidepool Walk

Saturday, February 8th 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Join California State Park volunteer Sally for a guided walk through coastal scrub and sand dunes to the beach to see seaweeds and marine animals and learn about the geology of the area.

Park address is 3550 Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos, CA 93402. Meet in the Hazard Reef Trailhead dirt parking lot on the right side of the road, 1.6 miles south of the main Montana de Oro State Park entrance sign. It’s the large dirt parking lot across the road from the park residencies.

There is a short but steep hike down through the canyon to the beach that includes traversing large stairs. This program is considered moderately strenuous, as there is some walking required through wet, slippery streams, through soft sand, and out on the rocky shoreline with unstable footing.

Wear sun protection and closed-toed sturdy shoes that can get wet. Dress in layers for the coast. Bring water, camera, and binoculars. 1 mile; 2 hours.

Oceano’s Beavers

Saturday, February 15th, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Join State Park Docent Dan to learn about the beaver’s physical adaptations, their role in our country’s westward expansion, why they were hunted, and their local history. Enjoy an easy-paced walk around the Oceano lagoon as we search for evidence and signs of beaver activity.

Meet at Oceano Dunes Visitor Center at the Oceano Campground, 555 Pier Ave, Oceano. Dress in layers with comfortable walking shoes. Bring insect repellent and water: binoculars are a plus.
Moderate walk; 0.5 miles; 2 hours. All ages are welcome. Please RSVP by calling 805-474-2664.

Little Rangers: Animal Habitats

Sunday, February 16th 10:00-11:00 AM

Join us to learn about the different places that animals call home! This program will begin at 10 am with a book and small lesson with Interpreter Sarah and then students will be released into self-guided stations.
Meet at Oceano Dunes Visitor Center at the Oceano Campground, 555 Pier Ave, Oceano. The program is intended for ages 3-6. RSVP is required to attend: You can RSVP by calling (805)-474-2664.

Coon Creek Native Plant Walk

Monday, February 17th 9:30-11:30 AM

Join California State Park Volunteer Sally to learn how plant communities thrive along the central coast and maritime environments. Enjoy a 1.5 mile walk along the lush Coon Creek riparian corridor, located at the far south end of Montaña de Oro State Park. Learn how to identify diverse plant species and a bit about the history of this beautiful canyon.

Meeting site: Meet at the farthest south parking lot in Montaña de Oro State Park, located 1 mile south of Spooner’s Cove. Arrive early as parking is limited and may fill up.

Materials: Wear closed toed sturdy shoes with good traction and dress in layers for the coast. Hiking poles are recommended for anyone needing extra stability on the initial steep decline down into the canyon from the parking lot; the rest of the trail this program will cover is relatively flat and considered easy to moderately strenuous. Bring water, camera, and binoculars.

1.5 miles, 2 hours.

*There is limited cell phone service coverage in this area of the park.

Elephant Seals of Hearst San Simeon State Park: Virtual Field Trip

Wednesday, February 19th 10:00-10:45 AM

Join California State Park Interpreter Bre for a deep dive into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephants Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park during this live, virtual field trip! We will observe elephant seals from the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery – the largest mainland elephant seal rookery in the world, while investigating the incredible adaptations that allow elephant seals to migrate thousands of miles per year, go months without eating, and dive thousands of feet deep.

Registration is required at https://ports-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y4Tk9Q47TneEIcjkSDmWqg#/registration

To learn about PORTScasts offered at state parks all throughout California, please visit https://ports.parks.ca.gov/2-portscast/portscasts-calendar/

Guided Beach Walk at Morro Strand State Beach

Friday, February 21st 10:00 AM -12:00 PM

Join California State Park Volunteer Sharon for a guided beach walk to discover what gets washed up along the sandy shoreline and compare the fresh items with those deposited earlier during high tide! Find and identify items left behind by the tide. Learn about how to identify these fun and fascinating items, such as shells, barnacles, seaweeds and more! Explore their relationship to each other and the sandy beach environment.

Meet at the tables next to the campground kiosk at Morro Strand State Beach, off Yerba Buena Street and Highway 1 in Morro Bay.

Wear closed toed sturdy shoes and sun protection; dress in layers for the coast and bring plenty of water. All ages welcome for this easy-paced walk, which includes moderately strenuous terrain with walking through soft sand.

1 mile; 2 hours

Rain or stormy weather will cancel.