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.

Explore the Natural Beach at Morro Strand State Beach – Friday, February 3, 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. Family, easy and moderate through soft sand. 1 mile; 1 hour.

Windy Cove Mud Flats and Tide Pools – Friday, February 3, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Join California State Park Volunteer Faylla for a walk to Windy Cove below the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History. Learn about the plants, the mud and the organisms that inhabit the muddy intertidal zone.

Meet outside near the entrance to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, located at 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay CA 93442. Wear shoes that can get muddy – no loose sandals or bare feet. Dress in layers for the coast. Family, Easy, 1 hour.

White’s Point Vista – Saturday, February 4, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Join California State Park Volunteer Norma at Morro Bay State Park to explore how forces that created the estuary continue to change it today.  Enjoy a short walk to view the estuary and learn about the forces that created this watery world that serves as home to marine and terrestrial animals.  Learn how you can help conserve the estuary for future generations. Dress for windy weather; wear sturdy shoes.

Meet outside near the entrance to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, located at 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay CA 93442. Wear closed toed sturdy shoes and dress in layers for the coast. Bring water, camera, and binoculars. Family, moderate, with incline and uneven, rocky surfaces. ½ miles, ½ hour.

Montaña de Oro State Park Bluff and Tidepool Walk – Saturday, February 4, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Join California State Park Volunteer Sally at Montaña de Oro State Park to learn how plants and animals adapt in the coastal environment with extreme weather and tides. Walk the bluffs and look for whales, birds, otters and seals. You will be enlightened about some local history on the walk. Then explore the tidepools and its inhabitants at Corallina Cove during low tide.

Meet at the north Bluff Trailhead in Montaña De Oro State Park, located adjacent to the Valencia Peak trailhead, just 200 yards south of Spooner Ranch house. Wear closed toed sturdy shoes, that can get wet, and dress in layers for the coast. Bring water, camera, and binoculars. Family, easy and moderate, with steps down to the beach and uneven, slippery rocky surfaces. 2 miles, 1.5 hours.

Oceano’s Beavers – Saturday, February 11, 10:oo AM – 12:00 PM

Please RSVP by calling 805- 474-2664. 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 a plus. Moderate walk; 0.5 miles; 2 hours. All ages welcome. No dogs.

Explore the Natural Beach at Morro Strand State Beach – Thursday, February 16, 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. Family, easy and moderate through soft sand. 1 mile; 1 hour.

The Story of the 9 Sisters at Los Osos Oaks Reserve – Saturday, February 18, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Join State Park Volunteer Faylla to see and learn about the geologic features of the San Luis Obispo area. Morro Rock is the most famous of a chain of volcanic peaks and is part of a series of mountains known as the Nine Sisters, or also called the 7 Morros.

Meet at the entrance to the reserve, 1801 Los Osos Valley Rd, Los Osos, CA 93402. Parking lot is 0.7 miles east of South Bay Blvd on Los Osos Valley Road. Wear close-toed sturdy shoes, sun protection and dress in layers. Chance of poison oak. Bring water, camera, and binoculars. Family, easy and moderate. 0.5 mile, 1 hour.

White’s Point Vista – Saturday, February 18, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Join California State Park Volunteer Molly at Morro Bay State Park to explore how forces that created the estuary continue to change it today.  Enjoy a short walk to view the estuary and learn about the forces that created this watery world that serves as home to marine and terrestrial animals.  Learn how you can help conserve the estuary for future generations. Dress for windy weather; wear sturdy shoes.

Meet outside near the entrance to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, located at 20 State Park Road, Morro Bay CA 93442. Wear closed toed sturdy shoes and dress in layers for the coast. Bring water, camera, and binoculars. Family, moderate, with incline and uneven, rocky surfaces. ½ miles, ½ hour.

Estero Bluffs Rocks – Saturday, February 18, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Join California State Park Volunteer Norma to explore the beach and rocky shoreline of Estero Bluffs through the lens of a geologist. Learn about various land formations and see rocks that are thousands of years old that have shaped the coastline.

The walk is along the uneven dirt bluff top trail and then along a sandy shoreline; however, there is a section of the walk where the trail goes down a steep, narrow, sandy incline of about 15 feet from the bluff to the beach. Stable footwear recommended. The distance to the parking area is 1.5 miles from the beginning of the two-lane start of Hwy 1 going north from Cayucos.  Look for the State Park sandwich board display sign. See attached map and GPS coordinates below.

Link to Google Map Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/xq62m6v2dDnGJEsZ6

Shoreline Treasures – Sunday, February 19, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Please RSVP by calling 805- 474-2664. When the high tide recedes shoreline treasures are revealed. Join State Park Docent Peggy for a group exploration of the unique flora and fauna of the intertidal zone. The treasures you might find include shorebirds, marine mammals, mollusks and crustaceans, jellies, and more! Discover their relationship to each other and the shoreline environment on this fun 1.5-mile walk.

Meet in the plaza area at the tables by the public restrooms across from Fin’s Bar & Grill, 25 W Grand Avenue, Grover Beach. Wear sun protection and dress in layers for the coast. Uneven, soft sand terrain. No bare feet. The walk is 1.5 miles and will last 1-1.5 hours. Suitable for children 6 years and older. No dogs.

Boardwalk to Butterflies to Beach – Saturday, February 25, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Please RSVP by calling 805- 474-2664. This dynamic guided walk covers many highlights of Pismo State Beach including monarch butterflies and Pismo clams. Join State Park Docent Becky for an easy 1-mile walk starting along the boardwalk trail to Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove and returning by way of the beach. Learn more about the places you visit! Whether you are a long time resident or just passing through, come and discover the plants, animals, history, and ecology of this popular part of the Central Coast.

Meet in the plaza area at the tables by the public restrooms across from Fin’s Bar & Grill, 25 W Grand Avenue, Grover Beach. Dress in layers. Wear comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. Other helpful items include binoculars, a camera, water, birding and/or plant books. Easy walk; 1 mile; 2 hours. All ages welcome. NO DOGS.

Salt Marsh to Mud Flats – Sunday, February 26, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

The salt marsh and mud flats are a natural part of the estuary habitat.  Join California State Park Volunteer Faylla to explore along a path from the State Park Marina through native plants to the salt marsh and on to the mud flats.  Learn the history of the salt marsh and see the plants and animals living in and on these specialized environments.

Meet at the Southeast end of the Marina Parking Lot in Morro Bay State Park. Dress in layers for the coast and wear sturdy shoes. Bring binoculars and sun protection. Family, easy, uneven and slippery wet terrain, ½ mile, 2 hours.