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.
Adventures with Nature
Explore the Natural Beach: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
Friday, September 22, 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; 2 hour.
Estero Bluffs Rocks! Guided Geology Beach Walk
Saturday, September 23, 10:30 AM – 12:30 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 link to Google Map Directions.
Guided Walk along the Exercise Trail at
Morro Bay State Park
Saturday, September 23 – 11:00am – 12:00pm
Join a State Park Interpreter on a winding hike through a diverse coastal scrub and salt marsh habitat. Learn about this unique area and the animals that call it home while enjoying views of the estuary, salt marsh and Cerro Cabrillo mountain.
Morro Bay Museum of Natural History at 11am. Approximately 1 mile of moderate walking. Dress in layers for coastal weather, bring water and sunscreen. Binoculars will be provided.
Guided Tidepooling at Montana de Oro State Park: Hazard Reef
Saturday September 29th 3:00PM – 4:00 PM
Join California State Park Interpreter Derek 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.
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. Park address is 3550 Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos, CA 93402. Look for the announcement board propped against the tree. There is 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; 1 hours.
Guided Beach Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
Friday, October 6th 10:00PM – 12:00PM
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; 2 hour.
White Point Vista: Guided Walk at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History
Saturday October 7 at 11:00AM – 11:30AM
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.
Two equestrian riders, girls on horseback, in low tide reflections at sunset on Morro Strand State Beach 29 Oct. 2008. Michael “Mike” L. Baird Canon SD950 point-and-shoot snapshot. This photo has some Lightroom 2 gradient treatment applied: gold bottom-to -center; blue top-to-center toning.
Explore the Natural Beach: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
Friday October 20th at 10:00AM – 12:00PM
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; 2 hour.
White Point Vista: Guided Walk at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History
Saturday October 21st from 11:00AM- 11:30AM
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.
Estero Bluffs Rocks
Guided Beach Walk at Estero Bluffs State Park Rocks
Friday October 27th from 2:00PM – 4:00PM
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 link to Google Map Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/xq62m6v2dDnGJEsZ6
Guided Tideooling Exploration at Hazard Reef in Montana de Oro State Park
Sunday October 28th from 4:00PM– 6:00PM
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. Look for the announcement board propped against the tree. There is 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.