We know you’ve been looking forward to attending in-person Mind Walks–the wait is now over! In 2023, the Central Coast State Parks Association (CCSPA) and California State Parks will be hosting both in-person and virtual opportunities for Mind Walk Lectures. View our schedule here!
The Mind Walks program, founded by Ray Easton, was hosted in person for several years in Morro Bay from January to March in collaboration with California State Parks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CCSPA and CA State Parks continued these programs online as Virtual Mind Walks, allowing folks near and far to connect to California’s Central Coast. COVID gave us the opportunity to expand our topics, audience and speakers as we offered free, online programming opportunities all year long from 2020 to 2022.
Now that staffing, funding, and health guidelines allow for it, we will alternate monthly between in-person and virtual presentations. In-person presentations will take place in San Luis Obispo, and virtual presentations will continue to be hosted via Zoom. Virtual will be the 3rd Friday of the month at 1 PM, and in-person will be the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 4:30 PM.
Mind Walks feature a variety of subjects from experts covering topics aimed at stretching the mind of the avid lifelong learner, highlighting recreational, natural, and cultural history topics as they relate to the Central Coast. Some fan-favorite topics include Mountain Lions, Landscape Development at Montaña de Oro State Park, the Morro-Islay Volcanic Chain, Construction History of Hearst Castle, California Fire Ecology, and many more! Virtual presentations are always recorded and added to the State Park YouTube channel within 2 weeks of its broadcast.
Our first Mind Walk of the year, “Welcome to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery: A Northern California Legacy,” will be held virtually on Friday, January 20 at 1 PM PST. Led by Stephanie Ambrosia (Interpreter II with CA Department of Fish and Wildlife), join to hear how the hatchery plays a key role in the American River system and the life history of native salmon and trout who call our waterways home. Hear a brief history of the site and how it continues to link local community members to the river next door. Learn more and sign up for this lecture here.
The first in-person Mind Walk will take place on February 15th at 4:30 PM at the San Luis Obispo Public Market. The speaker is being finalized; subscribe to our e-newsletter to be the first to know when it’s announced!
There will be a general admission fee of $5 for anyone 18 and older, and guests ages 17 and under may attend for free. Friends of CCSPA receive free entry to in-person lectures along with a guest, as long as they show their Friend of CCSPA card. If you aren’t already, become a Friend of CCSPA today by making a donation of as little as $35! Free Mind Walk admission is just one of the many perks available.
Upcoming topics for this year will cover oak trees, native Olympia oysters in Morro Bay, bobcats, and more. We are still actively recruiting speakers but are always on the lookout for additional topics! If you are a subject matter expert of a relevant topic and are interested in presenting a Mind Walk, or know of one, please contact Community Outreach Manager Monica Rutherford at programs@centralcoastparks.org or call (805) 548-0385.
The Mind Walks program is underwritten by the Thomas E. and Mary Kathryn Eltzroth fund and supported by the Central Coast State Parks Association. If you would like to help support the Mind Walks program, consider making a donation to CCSPA today!
We hope to see you in-person, virtually, or both this year!
