Join Docent Peggy on a guided stroll through the native plant gardens at Oceano Campground to discover what’s in bloom. Who knows what we will find, so bring binoculars if you have them. Oceano Lagoon often surprises us with interesting birds and other wildlife! This is a great opportunity to learn more about native plants from a local expert while spending a little time outdoors exploring!

Saturday, April 4th 9:30-11am Meet at the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center, 555 Pier Avenue, Oceano

Please RSVP at 805-474-2664 so we know how many to expect. See you there!

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. 

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.

Join a State Park Interpreter on an easy, 1 hour long walk on the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park. Enjoy scenic ocean views while learning about local geology. Meet at the Bluff Trail trailhead, just south of the historic Spooner Ranch house, at 10am on Sunday, April 19 and 26, 2026. Dress in layers, wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Cameras and binoculars are encouraged! Rain will cancel this walk. 

Join a State Park Interpreter on a moderate hike down to the beach followed by an interactive geology program at Hazard Reef in Montaña de Oro State Park. Enjoy scenic ocean views while learning about local geology.

Meet at the Hazard Reef Trailhead Parking Lot at 10am on Monday, April 20 and 27, 2026. The 1-hour program will begin at the parking lot and end at the beach to encourage further tidepool exploration.
Dress in layers, wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and bring plenty of water. Cameras and binoculars are encouraged!

Rain will cancel this walk.

Celebrate Earth Day with California State Parks! Join CA State Park Interpreter Bre for a guided tide pooling experience. Meet at the bottom of the stairs at W.R. Hearst Memorial Beach. Together, we will walk south of the pier to investigate the tidepools exposed during low tide. While exploring, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the amazing resiliency of tidepool creatures and use tools such as field guides and iNaturalist to identify your finds.  

 Please wear sturdy shoes that can get wet. Rain will cancel this event.

Join State Park Interpreter Lily for a two-mile guided stroll along Moonstone Beach Boardwalk to embark on a deep dive into seabirds and their unique adaptations!

While walking, we’ll take in in the beautiful view, learn about how local species survive in marine environments, and discuss what we can do to help protect our web-footed friends. 

We will meet at the Santa Rosa Creek Parking Lot, located on the southern end of the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk, at 10:00 a.m. Please dress in clothing and shoes that are comfortable for a two-mile walk. 

Rain will cancel this event.

Join State Park Interpreter Victoria and explore tidepools while participating in a community science project! The community science project is called Sea Slug Search with a purpose of documenting sea slugs in this area to assist researchers who are tracking sea slug populations. 

Please be sure to download iNaturalist iOS or Android and create an account if you don’t already have one. Join our iNaturalist project at this link: [link will be added soon]

Meet at the Hazard Reef Trailhead Parking Lot, which you can find at this google map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hj6pdLEE91tKUTRG9

We will walk approximately 0.5 miles to and from the parking lot on an unpaved trail with steps to/from the tidepools (approximately 1 mile total in addition to any walking throughout the tidepools).

Come prepared for chilly weather wearing layers. Bring a bottle of water, sunscreen, and make sure to wear non-slip shoes that can get wet. 

Rain or stormy weather will cancel this event.

Help keep the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery clean and healthy for both wildlife and visitors! Together, we will pick up trash along the rookery boardwalk and parking lot to help protect wildlife like elephant seals and squirrels and keep the rookery beautiful for visitors.

Meet us at the large interpretive sign on the south end of the parking lot at the main elephant seal viewing area on Wednesday, June 10, from 10:00 am – 11:30 am to join in on the fun. Gloves and trash bags will be provided.  The rookery is ADA accessible and parking is free.

Thank you for helping to care for our shared public lands!

Join a California State Park Interpreter for a hike on the Coon Creek Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park. Meet at the southernmost parking lot in the park on Sunday, June 14 at 10:00 AM for a guided hike that focuses on using mindfulness techniques to deepen our experience in nature while supporting both mental and physical well-being. This is a moderate, 2 mile out and back hike that includes one short but steep elevation change. All ages are welcome. Please bring water, wear sturdy shoes suitable for hiking, and dress in layers to stay comfortable in changing coastal weather.

Join State Park Interpreter Victoria and explore tidepools while participating in 2  community science projects! The community science projects are called Snapshot Cal Coast and Solstice Sea Star Search. “By creating a real-time, statewide snapshot of current species ranges, we’re building a community of observers that provides valuable data for scientists at local, regional, and state levels, and answering targeted research questions in support of the California Coast.” (https://www.calacademy.org/calcoast) 

Please be sure to download iNaturalist iOS or Android and create an account if you don’t already have one. Join our iNaturalist project at this link: [link will be added soon]

Meet at the Hazard Reef Trailhead Parking Lot, which you can find at this google map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hj6pdLEE91tKUTRG9

We will walk approximately 0.5 miles to and from the parking lot on an unpaved trail with steps to/from the tidepools (approximately 1 mile total in addition to any walking throughout the tidepools).

Come prepared for chilly weather wearing layers. Bring a bottle of water, sunscreen, and make sure to wear non-slip shoes that can get wet. 

Rain or stormy weather will cancel this event.