| Below are just a few of California's beautiful natural places The Nature Conservancy has helped to protect. To find a preserve near you, use our online preserve map. We hope you'll come and visit! |
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| Amargosa River Natural Area |
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Location: Born from springs rising in the Oasis Valley near the town of Beatty in southwestern Nevada, the Amargosa River flows 125 miles into California’s Death Valley National Park.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: : Primitive camping available. Other recreational activities include hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing and birdwatching.
For more information and directions:
Bureau of Land Management
Barstow Field Office
(760) 252-6000
blm.gov/ca |
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| Winding largely underground beneath the parched Mojave Desert, the Amargosa River surfaces occasionally to form lush oases in an arid landscape. These ecologically rich sanctuaries provide a haven for unique species that exist nowhere else on Earth. The best time to visit the Amargosa River Natural Area is from October through April. Bring plenty of water, come prepared for the desert climate and enjoy the many recreational activities the natural area has to offer. |
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| photo: © Bill Christian/TNC |
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| Andrew Molera State Park |
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Location: In the Big Sur area, 20 miles south of Carmel.
Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset.
Fees: $8 day use fee.
Visit: Overnight camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The park includes miles of trails for hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders.
For more information and directions:
Andrew Molera State Park
(831) 667-2315
parks.ca.gov |
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| In the 1960s, Nature Conservancy acquisitions along the Big Sur coast and in the foothills of the Monterey Peninsula led to the creation of Andrew Molera State Park and Jacks Peak County Park. The former Molera family ranch is home to a remarkable diversity of native plants and wildlife, including reintroduced California condors. From the park’s headlands and sandy beach, visitors can spot sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions in the swaying kelp forests of Monterey Bay. |
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| photo: © Mark Godfrey/TNC |
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| Angelo Coast Range Reserve |
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Location: About 150 miles north of San Francisco, near the town of Branscomb in Mendocino County.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: Open to the public for day hikes. “No appointment necessary,” says reserve manager Peter Steel, “show up, sign in and take a hike.”
For more information and directions:
Angelo Coast Range Reserve
(707) 984-6653
angelo.berkeley.edu/ |
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| The Angelo Coast Range Reserve is part of a 7,915-acre living laboratory managed by the University of California’s Natural Reserve System. The property features numerous creeks that feed into the Eel River as well as towering redwoods and Douglas-firs that provide shelter for ringtails, voles, Pacific giant salamanders and many other forest inhabitants. Listen and watch for pileated woodpeckers and northern spotted owls. |
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| photo: © Walt Denson |
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| Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
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Location: Two hours east of San Diego.
Hours: The visitor center is open daily October through May and on weekends from June through September from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Fees: No fee.
Reservations: For campground reservations call Reserve America at (800) 444-7275.
Tours: Call (760) 767-4205 for information on tours and activities.
For more information and directions:
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
(760) 767-5311
anzaborrego.statepark.org |
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| Springtime brings colorful wildflower displays to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Brittlebrush, chuparosa, ocotillo, sand verbena, brown-eyed evening primrose and more explode across California's largest state park. In addition to viewing wildflowers, visitors can explore the park's badlands, washes, canyons and rugged peaks on 100 miles of hiking and riding trails and 500 miles of dirt roads. |
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| photo: © Richard Herrmann |
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| Big Morongo Canyon Preserve |
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Location: The Preserve begins about one-half mile southeast of the town of Morongo Valley in the Little San Bernardino Mountains and opens at the bottom of Big Morongo Canyon into the west end of the Coachella Valley northwest of Desert Hot Springs.
Hours: The Preserve is open daily throughout the year, from 7:30 am to sunset.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: Open to the public for day hikes. No reservations necessary.
For more information and directions:
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
PO Box 780
Morongo Valley, CA 92256
(760) 363-7190
www.bigmorongo.org/ |
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| Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is a hidden desert oasis located between the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Melting snow from the surrounding San Bernardino Mountains feeds a series of perennial springs throughout the preserve. Big Morongo supports a wide variety of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, lizards, tree frogs, and more than 240 species of birds. |
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| photo: © Carolyn Mead, Friends of Big Morongo Preserve |
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| Boggs Lake Preserve |
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Location: Eight miles south of Clear Lake. The parking lot for Boggs Lake is on Harrington Flat Road, half a mile southeast of the intersection with Bottle Rock Road.
Hours: The preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: A short nature trail circles around adjacent to the lake.
For more information and directions:
The Nature Conservancy
(415) 777-0487 |
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| Formed by a volcanic eruption more than a million years ago, Boggs Lake lies in a lush northern California forest of oak, madrone, Douglas-fir and pine trees. The preserve is home to a thriving and fluctuating vernal pool, an important and threatened habitat in California. Offering visitors one of the most unique displays of vernal pool flora in the state, the 153-acre preserve also provides habitat for frogs, newts, fairy shrimp and a shifting population of birds. |
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| photo: © The Nature Conservancy |
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| Carrizo Plain National Monument |
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Location: On the Central California coast, 60 miles east of San Luis Obispo.
Fees: No fee.
Tours: During April and May, free docent led guided tours visit Painted Rock on Saturdays, and Wallace Creek on Sundays. All tours are by reservation only, although add-ons are accepted on a space-available basis. Contact the Goodwin Education Center at the number below for reservations or to plan special group tours on weekdays.
For more information and directions:
Carrizo Plain National Monument
(805) 475-2131
ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/carrizoplain.html |
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| At the heart of Carrizo Plain is mirage-like Soda Lake, lying in a bed of unbroken grassland and surrounded by the Temblor and Caliente mountain ranges. Here, in an area of great cultural significance to Native Americans, the Chumash and Yokuts peoples traded, gathered food and held ceremonies in the shadow of Painted Rock. Today, the plain remains a lush paradise of native grasses and colorful wildflowers, home to San Joaquin kit foxes, giant kangaroo rats, and the San Joaquin antelope squirrels. |
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| photo: © Harold E. Malde |
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| Channel Islands National Park |
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Location: Off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura.
Fees: No entrance fee. $15 per night for camping.
Hours: The park is open year round.
Reservations: Advanced reservations are required for transportation to the islands, camping, and for private boaters landing on The Nature Conservancy property on western Santa Cruz Island.
Tours: Park naturalists lead interpretive hikes on the islands.
For more information and directions:
Channel Islands National Park
(805) 658-5730
nps.gov/chis/
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| Channel Islands National Park is made up of five rugged islands and the waters that surround them. The islands are home to more than 2,000 species of plants and animals, including 145 found nowhere else on Earth. Outdoor enthusiasts and explorers can enjoy year round activities such as scuba diving, snorkling, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, as well as seasonal attractions such as whale watching and beautiful wildflower displays. |
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| photo: © James Martin |
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| Coachella Valley Preserve |
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Location: In Southern California, east of Palm Springs.
Hours: Trails open daily sunrise to sunset. Visitor Center open daily in winter, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fees: No fee.
Tours: While the preserve's fragile dunes are protected from unguided access, the palm oases are all available to explore.
For more information and directions:
Center for Natural Lands Management
(760) 343-2733
coachellavalleypreserve.org |
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| Colorful sand dunes and mesas give the Coachella Valley Preserve a distinctive Southwestern feel. Along the central gorge and up the lean ridges, raptors scout for lizards while migrating gnatcatchers and sparrows may linger in the palm oases for weeks. These lush habitat islands, with their pools and streams, harbor some of the region's most species-rich natural communities. |
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| photo: © Harold E. Malde |
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| Cosumnes River Preserve |
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Location: Central California, south of Sacramento.
Hours: The preserve is open daily sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at selected times on weekdays.
Fees: No fee.
Tours: In addition to vehicle-accessible viewing sites and guided road tours, the preserve offers self-guided hiking trails with river access, and canoeing and kayaking opportunities in spring and summer.
For more information and directions:
Cosumnes River Preserve
(916) 684-2816
cosumnes.org |
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| Flowing 80 miles from the Sierra foothills to the cattails and wetlands of the San Joaquin River delta, the Cosumnes River wends through California's agricultural heart, the Central Valley. Yet it is also a place where, from late September to early March, thousands of endangered sandhill cranes roost and forage in rice fields planted specifically to attract them. Although by late February the cranes have usually begun their journey north, a few remain through mid-March to glean the fields and finish raising broods. |
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| photo: © Mike Eaton |
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| Cuyamaca Rancho State Park |
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Location: 50 miles east of San Diego, 15 miles south of Julian.
Fees: $6 per vehicle.
Reservations:To reserve a campsite contact ReserveAmerica at [800] 444.PARK.
Visit: The park is open to the public year-round.
For more information and directions:
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
(760) 765-0755
parks.ca.gov |
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| Featuring blossoming meadows, magnificent panoramic views and cascading streams, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park comprises some of the most unusually diverse wildlife habitats in San Diego County. Cuyamaca Rancho State Park provides passage and a home to mountain lions, deer and rabbits. Wildlife lovers are joined in their enthusiasm for the park by bikers, equestrians, hikers and campers, who all find something to appreciate in the park’s 100 miles of trails. |
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| photo: © Harold E. Malde |
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| Elkhorn Slough Reserve |
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Location: Central California coast, on Monterey Bay.
Hours: The reserve is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
Fees: $2.50 day-use fee for visitors 16 and older to walk the trails; children are free.
Tours: Docent-led tours every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. All tours meet at the visitor center. There's also an early birding walk the first Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m. No notice or reservations are needed for groups smaller than six. No additional fee for tours.
For more information and directions:
Elkhorn Slough Reserve
(831) 728-2822
elkhornslough.org |
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| Flushed by the cycling tides of Monterey Bay, Elkhorn Slough meanders more than seven miles inland through tidal flats, creeks and marshes, all teeming with aquatic plants. From upland trails, visitors overlook coastal dunes, oak woodlands and rare maritime chaparral. Its unique setting has made Elkhorn Slough one of the Western United States' premier birdwatching sites, designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society and the American Birding Conservancy. |
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| photo: © Rebecca Wells |
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| Fairfield Osborn Preserve |
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Location: Nestled in Sonoma County’s interior coast range, Fairfield Osborn Preserve’s gentle, oak-dotted landscape graces the northwestern slope of Sonoma Mountain.
Fees: Naturalist-led hikes are $3 for adults, free for children under 13.
Visit: : Open to the public for guided hikes and natural history workshops during fall and spring.
For more information and directions:
Fairfield Osborn Preserve
(707) 795-5069
sonoma.edu/org/preserve |
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| Formerly a Conservancy project, Fairfield Osborn Preserve is now owned by Sonoma State University and used as a research and education site. This protected landscape harbors a dazzling array of natural communities within its 411 acres, including mature oak woodlands, evergreen forests, native bunch grasslands, vernal pools and perennial fishless streams. Spring brings abundant wildflower displays and neotropical migratory birds, including the spectacular Lazuli bunting. |
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| photo: © Mark Godfrey/TNC |
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| Forest of Nisene Marks State Park |
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Location: Southern Santa Cruz Mountains.
Hours: Open year-round, sunrise to sunset.
Reservations: Primitive trail campsites are available by reservation; campers must backpack in via a six-mile, intermediate-level trail.
For more information and directions:
Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
(831) 763-7062
parks.ca.gov |
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| The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park rises steeply from sea level to peaks and ridges as high as 2,600 feet. Towering redwoods and lush undergrowth create a rich habitat for many species. Visitors can explore the remarkably varied terrain by hiking, jogging or biking the park's 30 miles of trails. Listen for bird songs and the rushing flow of nearby creeks. |
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| photo: © Dan Kelly |
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| Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve |
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Location: On the central California coast, just south of Pismo Beach.
Hours: The preserve is open to the public year-round, from 6 a.m. to dusk. Visitor Center hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Fees: No fee.
Tours: There are several volunteer-led hikes each week. Special tours for groups can be arranged by reservation. Contact the Dunes Center Web site below for more information and hike schedules.
For more information and directions:
Dunes Center
(805) 343-2455
dunescenter.org |
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| The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve comprises 18 miles of Earth's most biodiverse coastal dune-lagoon ecosystem. Featuring the highest dunes on the west coast, the preserve offers many surprising vistas and harbors 1,400 distinct species of birds, plants and animals. In spring, yellow giant coreopsis, indigo dune larkspur and vivid orange California poppies color the dune mat. Endangered California least terns make their nest in hidden sand pockets along the dunes. |
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| photo: © Treve Johnson |
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| Irvine Ranch Wildlands and Parks |
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Location: In Southern California's Orange County, stretching 22 miles north and south between the Coast Range mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
Hours: Registration is required for most programs.
Tours: Public access is limited mostly to docent-led tours for hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, and special programs for children, birders, and artists. The tours change with the seasons, and must be reserved due to limited space.
For more information and directions:
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
irvineranchwildands.org |
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| Prior to 1992, the Irvine Ranch and its rugged, scenic canyons were unavailable to all but cattle, cowboys and descendants of its namesake, rancher James Irvine. Now the Ranch's urban neighbors explore extensive oak and sycamore woodlands that have largely disappeared from Southern California. The Ranch offers docent led tours throughout the reserve's many natural wonders, such as sandstone bluffs, seismic cataracts and sweeping views of the Pacific. |
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| photo: © Stephen Francis Photography |
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| Jepson Prairie Preserve |
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Location: Northeastern Solano County.
Hours: The preserve is open during daylight hours.
Tours: In springtime, trained docents lead walking tours of the preserve on weekends. A short self-guided nature trail is available on weekdays.
For more information and directions:
Solano Land Trust
(707) 432-0150
solanolandtrust.org |
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| From March to May, the 1,600-acre preserve is decorated with shallow ponds ringed in brilliant yellow, orange and purple flowers. The preserve features one of the best remaining examples of native bunchgrass prairie in California, and its hard claypan soil provides rich habitat for vernal pool wildlife and dozens of native plants. |
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| photo: © Jaymee Marty/TNC |
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| Kaweah Oaks Preserve |
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Location: Southwest of Sequoia National Park.
Hours: The preserve is open from dawn to dusk all year round.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: The preserve offers self-guided trails and docent-led nature walks.
For more information and directions:
Sequoia Riverlands Trust
(559) 738-0211
sequoiariverlands.org |
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| Kaweah Oaks Preserve harbors four different habitat types, including one of California's last remaining valley oak riparian forests. The Preserve supports more than 300 plant and animal species, including the gray fox, great horned owl and Nuttall's woodpecker. Visitors in May and June will enjoy elderberry blooms and snow-white yerba manza flowers. |
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| photo: © Mark J. Dolyak |
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| Kern River Preserve |
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Location: Southern Sierra Nevada, less than 60 miles northeast of Bakersfield.
Hours: The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset including all holidays.
Fees: No fee.
For more information and directions:
Audubon-California
(760) 378-2531
kern.audubon.org |
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| Designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, every year the preserve attracts more than 200 nesting and feeding bird species. Nature events and festivals take place year-round; check the preserve's web site for details. |
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| photo: © Bob Barnes, Bob Barnes & Associates |
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| Lanphere Dunes Preserve |
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Location: Northern California coast, on Humboldt Bay, just west of Arcata.
Hours: The preserve is open by permit only. Permits can be obtained by completing a docent-led tour (see below).
Fees: No fees
Tours: Docent-led tours on the first and third Saturday of every month. (Meet at 10 a.m. at Pacific Union Elementary School, 3001 Janes Road, Arcata.) See contact information below to arrange other group tours.
For more information and directions:
Friends of the Dunes
(707) 444-1397
friendsofthedunes.org |
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| Lanphere Dunes is a spectacular place to view late summer wildflowers, watch migrating waterfowl or simply comb the waveslope for sand dollars. Along a strip less than a mile wide, you'll find crashing surf, 80-foot-high sand dunes, seasonal swales and hollows and dense beach pine forest. The western snowy plover, a sparrow-sized shore resident, nests in the dunes' sheltered sandspits and sparse vegetation. |
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| photo: © S. Sweet |
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| McCloud River Preserve |
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Location: North of the Sierra Nevada, at the southern end of the Cascade Range.
Hours: The preserve is open daily, sunrise to sunset, and closed during the winter months.
Fees: Free to the public.
Reservations: Ten spots are open to the public at any one time to fish using catch and release techniques. Five of these fishing places may be reserved a least a few weeks in advance through the Conservancy's San Francisco office. Individuals are allowed five bookings per season and two bookings per month. The remaining five fishing spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information and directions:
The Nature Conservancy, California Program
(415) 777-0487
http://nature.org/california |
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| Beneath the slopes of Mount Shasta, the McCloud River snakes through the valley forest providing excellent habitat for Shasta rainbow trout and exotic brown trout. Wildlife is abundant in the 2,330-acre McCloud River Preserve. Mountain lions, black bears, ringtails and gray foxes roam the dense conifer and oak forests, Shasta salamanders scale limestone outcroppings, otters glide through calm river pools, and osprey and bald eagles soar. |
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| photo: © J. Clifton Meek |
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| Pinnacles National Monument |
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Location: 80 miles south of San Jose.
Hours: The east side of the monument is open 24 hours a day for hiking. The west entrance of the monument opens each morning at 7:30 and closes each night.
Fees: $5.00 per vehicle and $3.00 for walk-ins.
Reservations: For camping reservations, please visit www.recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777.
Tours: Join a Park Ranger to learn more about geology, animals, plants, and human history at Pinnacles National Monument. Programs include daytime talks, guided hikes, night hikes, and campground programs. Weekly schedules are posted on the Pinnacles web site or at visitor centers and bulletin boards throughout the park.
For more information and directions:
Bear Gulch Visitor Center
(831) 389-4485
nps.gov/pinn/ |
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| Located at the southern end of the Gabilan Mountains, Pinnacles National Monument provides a dramatic playground for outdoor enthusiasts offering rock climbing, bird watching, night hiking and cave exploring. In addition to its stunning rock formations and talus caves, Pinnacles features miles of rolling native grasslands and valley oak woodlands — two increasingly rare habitat types in California. Its temperate mediterranean climate supports a vast array of native plant and animal diversity including the endangered California condor, 14 species of bats and 10 percent of the country’s native bee species. |
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| photo: © Darin Busby |
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| Ring Mountain Open Space Preseve |
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Location:Marin County, 15 miles north of San Francisco.
Hours: Ring Mountain Open Space Preseve is closed between sunset and sunrise.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: Open to the public for day hikes. No reservations necessary.
For more information and directions:
Marin County Department of Parks and Open Space
Room 415, Marin County Civic Center
3501 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903 USA
Tel (415) 499-6387
www.co.marin.ca.us/ |
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| Ring Mountain boasts a remarkable array of native plants and wildlife just 15 miles north of the bustling metropolis of San Francisco. This special corner of Marin County features unusual serpentine soils and distinctive rocky outcrops that provide a haven for seven rare and endangered plants, including the Tiburon Mariposa lily. Ring Mountain’s rolling ridge line offers stunning 360-degree views of the Bay Area, making it a favorite among botanists, geologists, historians and hikers alike. |
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| photo: © Lynn Lozier/TNC |
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| Sacramento River |
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Location: Rises near Mount Shasta and flows 350 miles south to San Francisco Bay.
Visit: Public access sites are located at many points along the river, including:
Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area:
Take Interstate 5 to Corning exit, which becomes South Avenue. Follow South Avenue east to the recreation area.
Bidwell State Park:
From Chico, travel west on West Sacramento Avenue to River Road. Big Chico Creek Day Use Area is approximately two miles south on River Road. Pine Creek Landing is about two miles north on River Road.
For more information and directions:
Sacramento River Guide
to Recreation and Public Access
sacramentoriver.org |
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| The riparian forest of the Sacramento River provides breeding habitats and migratory stopover sites for more than 135 species of native birds, including warbling vireo, blue grosbeak and yellow-billed cuckoo. Birding is just one of the popular activities to enjoy along the Sacramento River. Abundant hiking, boating, fishing and camping opportunities are available at nearby state parks and recreation areas. |
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| photo: © Grant Johnson |
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| San Elijo Lagoon |
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Location: Between Solana Beach and Encinitas in San Diego County.
Hours: Trails open dawn to dusk.
Fees: No fee.
Visit: Visitors can hike, jog or walk on trails that pass through six different plant communities.
For more information and directions:
San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy
(760) 436-3944
sanelijo.org |
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