POSTPONED – Santa Rita Ranch

TO BE RESCHEDULED due to rain-saturated conditions on the ranch. Check back for new date for a field trip to Santa Rita Ranch with retired Cal Poly professor David Keil and Senior Restoration Ecologist Lindsey Roddick of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, the property’s new owner. This historic ranch west of Templeton includes 1700-acres of actively grazed grasslands, oak woodlands, riparian forests, the upper watershed of Santa Rita Creek which drains to the Salinas River, a large lake, and even some serpentine outcrops. The property provides habitat and wildlife corridors for bear, pumas, bobcats and other wildlife and is currently open to the public only on docent-led hikes.

Registered participants will be sent the specific meeting location on Old Creek Road south of Highway 46. There will also be a carpool from the City of San Luis Obispo leaving at 9:15am. You must be on time to get in the gate and it will be locked behind us so no-one can leave early. Bring water, snacks, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for changing weather.

All participants must RSVP no later than [NEW DATE TO BE DETERMINED] to reserve a spot for this hike by emailing billDOTwaycottATgmailDOTcom with “Santa Rita Ranch” in the subject line and indicate if you will be joining the carpool from SLO or driving your own vehicle to the ranch.

Here is a link to the ranch webpage.
A plant list is available here.

Rain or threat of rain cancels or postpones this field trip.