Big Basin
Fuel Reduction Workday3 hours
Join us for a volunteer workday creating brush piles in the Redwood Grove of Big Basin and assisting with fuel reduction efforts and forest management. This important work will support the park in managing the fuel load and preparing fo ...
Plant Walk2 hours
Join us for a guided program about the native plants at Big Basin State Park. During this program, we will learn to identify a handful of native plants, and chat a bit about their life histories, traditional uses, ecologies, etc. This p ...
Redwood Grove Guided Walk1 hour
Come learn about the story of Big Basin, past, present, and future, while wandering beneath massive old-growth Coast Redwood trees! This program addresses the cultural history of the area including Indigenous groups, as well as natural ...
Butano
Guided Hike at Butano State Park1 hour 30 minutes
Join a State Park Interpreter and enjoy the flora and fauna of Butano State Park on this moderate 2.5 mile loop. This hike features creekside riparian habitat, redwood forest, and oak woodlands. Hike includes a short section of steep te ...
Junior Rangers at Butano State Park1 hour
Discover the wonders of the natural world through activities, crafts, experiments, and nature walks! Each week will feature a nature journaling workshop as well as a unique activity. This program is for 7 - 12 year olds and will meet at ...
CASPBA
Women's Weekend 202524 hours @ $350.00
Fri. June 27 - Sun. June 29, 2025 (Price is for whole trip not just 24 Hrs) Please note: You are now BEGINNING the registration process. You must complete & submit your liability waiver via our registration process. Please find a lin ...
Skyline Sojourn 202524 hours @ $400.00
Thurs May 29 - Sun. June 1, 2025 (Price is for whole trip not just 24 Hrs) Please note: You are now BEGINNING the registration process. You must complete & submit your liability waiver via our registration process. Please find a link ...
Adventure Among the Ancients24 hours @ $325.00
Fri. July 11 - Sun. July 13, 2025 (Price is for whole trip not just 24 Hrs) Please note: You are now BEGINNING the registration process. You must complete & submit your liability waiver via our registration process. Please find a lin ...
A Moonlit Adventure (One-Nighter)24 hours @ $225.00
Sat Aug 9 - Sun. Aug 10, 2025 (Price is for whole trip not just 24 Hrs) You are now BEGINNING the registration process. You must complete & submit your liability waiver via our registration process. Please find a link to our liabilit ...
Castro Adobe
Castro Adobe Open House15 minutes
Discover the history of the Castro family, and their two-story adobe hacienda built 180 years ago. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon touring the Rancho San Andres State Historic Property in Watsonville CA. Learn about the Vaquero culture and ...
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Guided Walk at Bean Hollow State Beach1 hour 30 minutes
Join a State Park Educator and enjoy the flora, fauna, and coastal views on this leisurely 2 mile out-and-back along the bluffs between Bean Hollow State Beach and Pebble Beach. Hike is mostly flat with some mild elevation gain and loss ...
Guided Walk at Burleigh Murray Ranch2 hours
Walk-ups welcome!!! Join State Park Docents on a leisurely two-hour walk. Take a journey back in time along Mills Creek at Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park. This walk will be a 2.5 miles round trip hike with only a small gain in ele ...
Guided Walk at Gray Whale Cove2 hours
Walk ups welcome! Join State Park Docents for a two-hour hike along the scenic Gray Whale Cove Trail at State Parks’ McNee Ranch at Montara. Enjoy a moderate 2 mile hike overlooking the California coast. From the trail you will be abl ...
Henry Cowell
Sandhills Guided Walk2 hours
Join us to explore the sandy hillsides of the SC Mountains! This is one of the most sensitive and delicate ecosystems in the greater Santa Cruz Area, known as the Sandhills, and we will be learning about the organisms that call it home, ...
Tree Identification2 hours
During this program, you'll learn about a few in-tree-guing plant species residing in the Santa Cruz Mountains! On this 1 mile walk, we'll be chattin' about tree identification and observing a handful of species along River Trail and in ...
Redwood Grove Guided Walk2 hours
These programs offer an opportunity to explore the Redwood Grove, experience an old-growth redwood forest filled with ancient trees over 200 ft. tall, and connect 1:1 with park staff. During this adventure, you'll learn about redwood l ...
Birdwatching2 hours
Join us to share an experience with resident and migratory birds around the park, learn about their life histories, ecology, identification tips and field markings, and even vocalizations! These programs typically follow up to 1 mile o ...
Park Workday2 hours
Join one of our workdays to help out and make a difference restoring habitat and maintaining your park! Workdays include Native Plant Garden, Watershed Restoration, Invasive Plant Removal, and Fuel Reduction Workdays. Specific descripti ...
Basket Weaving Workshop2 hours
Basket Weaving Workshop - During this basket weaving workshop from 10:00am-12:00pm, you will learn how to weave your very own basket out of local Ponderosa Pine needles and not so local rafya. This opportunity will pique your interest i ...
Fall Creek Guided Hike3 hours
Get ready to explore Fall Creek! On this multi-mile, moderately graded hike, we'll either be following Fall Creek to the historic Barrel Mill and Lime Kilns, Pine Flat to Lost Empire Trail, or Sunlit to Lost Empire Trail.
Natural Bridges State Beach
Tide Pool Tour at Natural Bridges1 hour 30 minutes
Explore our spectacular tidepools on this 1.5 hour guided tour. Meet at the Visitor Center. Bring layered clothing and good walking shoes. Day use fee for vehicles is $10. For more information, please call (831) 423-0871.
- State Parks Stewardship Day
2 hours
Make a big difference with a small part of your day. Join our community event to remove invasive plant species and restore our natural habitat. Bring plenty of water, gloves and tools if you have them. Wear closed toed shoes, long pants ...
New Brighton State Beach
King Tide Beach Walk1 hour 30 minutes
Come down to the beach to experience king tides by joining us for a negative tide and sunset stroll on a 2-mile roundtrip adventure from New Brighton State Beach to Capitola. We will encounter interesting geological features in a coasta ...
Pigeon Point Light Station - General
Lighthouse History Walk45 minutes
Join us for a 45 minute walking tour of the historic grounds of Pigeon Point Light Station. Meet by the fence in front of the first cottage. Hear tales of whalers, bootleggers, shipwrecks, the building of the lighthouse, the “Wickies” a ...
Rancho del Oso
Birdwatching2 hours
Come spend the morning lookin' at a handful of bird species and learn about their behaviors, life histories, and diagnostic features. We're sure to see year-round residents in addition to seasonal migrants. Program meets at the Visitor ...
Guided Walk: Marsh Trail/Hoover Loop Trail1 hour
Join us on a 0.5-1.5 mile tour based on group preference. Trails available are the Marsh Trail, the Hoover Loop Trail, or both. Our Nature and History Center will be open to explore immediately after the walk.
Seacliff State Beach
Guided History Walk at Seacliff1 hour 30 minutes
Join a State Park docent on this one hour-long stroll to the Aptos Creek Bridge and back to get the lowdown on Rafael Castro, Claus Spreckels, the development of Aptos, Seacliff Park, the "Madman of Seacliff", and the story of the Concr ...
The Forest of Nisene Marks
Guided History Walk: Under the Redwood Trees at Forest of Nisene2 hours 30 minutes
Delve into forest history—and prehistory—with a 3-mile, 2.5-hour walk to the Loma Prieta town site the saw mill and fossils deep inside the redwood forest. Bring water and snacks. Meet at the Porter Picnic Area two miles past the kiosk. ...
First Day Hike in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park4 hours
Join us for a four mile, 4 hour walk to the site where the town of Loma Prieta was located and the hidden spot deep in the redwood forest where marine fossils can be found. We will encounter the remains of the old lumber mill, follow ...
Wilder Ranch State Park
Wilder Ranch Backcountry Hike5 hours
On this hike we will be discovering the natural history of Wilder Ranch as well as the people and forces that shaped it. Be prepared to explore for 5 hours on this 8 mile hike with 1000 ft. of elevation gain. Bring your binoculars if yo ...
Guided Coastal Walk at Wilder Ranch2 hours 30 minutes
On this 2.5 mile family friendly walk, we’ll explore the plants, animals, and geology of our coastal bluffs. Bring water, hat, closed toe shoes, layered clothing, and binoculars if available. Meet next to park map in Wilder Ranch main p ...
Historic Ground Tours at Wilder Ranch1 hour
Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860's cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian ...
Guided Coastal Birding Walk at Wilder Ranch3 hours
On this 2.5 mile hike, be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces, with many stops to view the many birds, plants, and scenery along the way. You will help each other spot and identify birds! Bring your binoculars if you have them, clothes ...
