Sketching at Three Bridges Oak Preserve

Sketch and journal on this nature walk at Three Bridges Oak Preserve on Tuesday, April 15, starting at 10 am and lasting approximately 2 hours. Spring has come to Three Bridges and everything is leafing out and blooming.  There’s much to see on this easy loop trail:  we’ll stop to draw and identify plants, birds and anything else we find. We can also look for bear marks (scratching on trees). There’s a creek to cross. Although we often sponsor this hike on weekends for children, this Tuesday morning walk is being offered for adult persons but curious people of all ages are welcomed. Art materials are provided, and you can take your sketchbook home with you. Meet at the Three Bridges parking area in Atascadero (35.458096, -120.688223).

Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for changing weather.  A plant list for Three Bridges Oak Reserve can be found on our website here. There are no bathroom facilities along the hike route. Rain or threat of rain cancel or postpone this trip.

Please register and sign a liability waiver below for this event.

Click here to register in English

Click here to register in Spanish

Intertidal Zone Beach Walk

Join Faylla Chapman, Sally Krenn, and Sharon Iranpour for a visit to the intertidal zone during low tide to learn about the multitude of algae species that inhibit the rocky shores in San Luis Obispo County. This afternoon of beach walking and bird watching will occur at China Cove in Estero Bluffs State Park, Cayucos, CA.  We will view any plants of interest as we walk across the bluff trail and then go down to the beach where we will see the rocky intertidal and beach wrack before strolling up the beach to observe birds and other things of interest.  Villa Creek flows into the sea at the northern-most point of this area.

Meet at the Villa Creek turnout (35.458567, -120.961201). Going north on Highway 1 from Cayucos, this is the sixth parking lot on the left after Highway 1 becomes two lanes, and is the last turnout before Highway 1 turns north towards Harmony.

Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, hat, sturdy shoes that can get wet, binoculars, and dress in layers for changing weather. There are no bathroom facilities along the hike route. Rain or threat of rain cancel or postpone this trip.

Please sign the Liability Waiver and register for this event by clicking this link.

Dune Plants of Montaña de Oro State Park

Join us for a plant walk through the coastal habitat at Montaña de Oro State Park in Los Osos, including the fore and back-dunes, coastal scrub and maritime chaparral plant communities. We will also identify any shore birds we may encounter along the way. This is a moderate hike in loose sand with an elevation gain of 300 feet, 2.5-miles roundtrip, and a maximum of 2.5 hours. Meet at the Sand Spit parking lot located at the end of Sand Spit Road in the park (35.300317, -120.872514).

Please sign the liability waiver HERE to register for this event.

Bring water, snacks, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for changing weather.  A plant list for Montaña de Oro State Park can be found on our website here. There are no bathroom facilities along the hike route but there are bathroom facilities farther in the park near Spooner Ranch House Visitor Center. No entrance or parking fees are required. Rain or threat of rain cancels or postpones this trip. Be prepared to walk in very loose sand.

Photo by Bill Waycott.

CANCELED: Back Roads of the Carrizo Plain

THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO FORECAST OF RAIN. Possible rescheduling of this Carrizo Plain trip in late April. Check back here for details. In the meantime, we recommend you check our calendar here for the many other hikes, wildflower show, native plant sale, workshops, and meetings CNPS-SLO and others are sponsoring in April and May. You can also plan your own trip to the Carrizo Plain and we encourage you to check the BLM Carrizo Plain National Monument website and social media for most up-to-date information on the status of the wildflower bloom, and travel and safety conditions at this beautiful remote area.

Remember, seasonal wildflower blooms can vary from year to year even week to week. They are not simply a theatrical production for human enjoyment. They are important ecological events when plants use flowers to create seeds for their future generations. The flowers deviously attract and feed butterflies, native bees, birds and other animals to increase their seed production. Recent weather events like rain, drought, wind and freezing temperatures along with longterm climatic change and human activities can affect the amount and types of wildflowers that bloom at any one point in time. We encourage you to enjoy the variety of a bloom when you are hiking, look for animals visiting flowers, and see if you can detect subtle changes and how environmental conditions are shaping that bloom. As the season progresses, you can also look for and learn about the interesting shapes and sizes of developing seeds. Protect the bloom by staying on trails.

—————————————————BELOW CANCELED——————————————————

This year, the chapter’s spring field trip to the Carrizo Plain will focus on the southwestern side of the valley, as well as a possible ascent up Caliente Mountain Road. This outing will last the entire day. Only vehicles with high clearance (HCV) can be used on this field trip. HCV ground clearance should be 9 inches or higher. Please make carpool arrangements on your own before the event if you do not have a HCV. Limited seating in an HCV may be available at meet-up location, but not guaranteed.  Otherwise, participants without space in an HCV may wish to tour on their own the main roads in Carrizo Plain that do not require an HCV. Many roads in the Carrizo Plain can be difficult to travel after recent rains. Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas as this is a remote area without nearby services.

Meet at the Santa Margarita Park and Ride Lot on the Santa Margarita/CA-58 East exit off Highway 101, Lat/Long 35.383290, -120.628037.

Please sign the liability waiver HERE to register for this event.

A plant list for the Caliente Range of the Carrizo Plain can be found on our website here. You can also go to our website here to purchase wildflower books for Shell Creek, Highway 58 and the Carrizo Plain; some items are ebooks which need to be downloaded before you hit the trail. Some of the ebooks are free!

Bring water, lunch, snacks, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for changing weather.  Come prepared because this is a long and fun day. There are limited bathroom facilities along the hike route. Rain or threat of rain cancels or postpones this trip.

Photo: Caliente Range on East side of Carrizo Plain, 2023, Bill Waycott