Summer 2010 Scheduled EcoAdventures - Registration required
$15 per person fee - non-members
$5 per person - members
No one is turned away for inability to pay

Full Moon Hikes in Austin Creek SRA and Sonoma Coast SP
Stewards in association with CA State Parks are proud to offer Full Moon Hikes!  Bring your favorite local legend or ghost story, and a sense of adventure!  We will be doing a moderate/strenuous 3-4 mile hike, lasting approximately 3 hours depending on stops.  Constellation spotting, wildlife sightings with black lights, storytelling, and the beauty of our State Parks by the light of the moon will be the focus of our hikes.  Come enjoy this unique opportunity to explore the trails after dark!  Dress in layers, wear good hiking shoes and bring a small flashlight just in case.  No dogs and no drugs/alcohol!  Please leave valuables at home or carry them with you.  All hikes will start ½ hour after official sunset. These hikes are not for inexperienced hikers-you must be in good physical condition!

Register online

Hikes at Sonoma Coast SP will meet and park at the Shell Beach Parking Lot - See map
Saturday, September 18, 2010, Meet 7:45pm
Saturday, October 23, 2010, Meet 7:00pm
Saturday, November 20, 2010, Meet 5:30pm     

Register online                        

Jenner Headlands Hikes
Stewards is very pleased to offer hikes on the new Jenner Headlands acquisition in partnership with the Sonoma Land Trust and the Wildlands Conservancy. Each hike will leave from the Russian Gulch State Park parking area, which is approximately 3.2 miles north of the town of Jenner along Highway 1.  Traveling north the parking lot is located on the left side of the road (west).  Please plan on arriving at the parking lot promptly at 10am.  At this location we will provide a brief presentation about the property, fill out required liability forms, and then organize carpools to drive to the entrance located off of Highway 1.

We will be out hiking from 10:30am to 3:00pm so please bring food and water for the day.  There is a restroom available, which we will be reaching midway through the hike, but right now there are not facilities at the Russian Gulch State Park parking area, so please plan accordingly.  There is a public restroom in the Jenner Visitors Center parking lot in the town of Jenner.  At this time we cannot accommodate dogs on the trails so please leave them at home, and smoking is prohibited.

Register online

Jenner Headlands Coastal Hike
Saturday, August 21, 2010, 10:00 am to 3:30 pm - FREE EVENT

The hike will take place along the coastal headlands of the property. This strenuous 4.0-mile roundtrip hike will ascend more than 800 feet in elevation.  Along the way, hikers will be greeted with dazzling views of the Sonoma Coast (on clear days!). Some sections of the route are especially rough with uneven footing so please wear sturdy hiking boots. This hike is not for inexperienced hikers — you must be in good physical condition.  Along with the rough terrain comes the varying coastal weather that can bring bright, sunny skies or damp, cold, foggy and windy weather. We highly recommend dressing in layers and including a windbreaker jacket to protect you from the potentially biting coastal winds.

Register online

Customized EcoAdventures

Stewards offers the following customized and guided EcoAdventures for groups upon request. Some activities are offered free of charge. Fees are requested for special adventures that we organize for your group. Adventures can be arranged to include lunch at local restaurants. Reservations are requested at least two weeks in advance and payment by check or credit cards is required one week prior to your adventure.
Please email Stewards for more information. EcoAdventure fees help Stewards provide FREE environmental education programs for school children.

Registration is easy on our online group reservation form .

Paddling the Russian River
A variety of paddles are offered along the Russian River and in the Jenner Estuary. Learn about the natural and cultural history of the area. Observe river otters and marine mammals frolick in their natural habitat. View a variety of bird life (including nesting osprey and blue heron). Our enchanting Full Moon paddles are especially popular.
Paddling adventures are offered during the spring, summer and fall. Kayak rentals are available upon request.

Hiking in Russian River Area State Parks
A variety of hiking adventures are offered at Armstrong Redwoods, Austin Creek and Sonoma Coast State Parks. Enjoy old growth redwoods, oak woodlands and magnificent views of the Russian River and coastal areas. See and learn about the wide variety of local flora and fauna.
Hiking adventures are offered year-round.

Whale Watching
Witness one of nature’s most spectacular sites - whales migrating. Join docents at Bodega Head for an interpretive talk and viewing of the Pacific gray whale migration. Learn about these magnificent cetaceans while you watch them breach and play.
Docents are available on the weekends from January through May for whale watching. Special docent-led viewings can be arranged upon request.

Seal Watching
Sonoma County’s largest harbor seal rookery can be viewed at Goat Rock State Beach.
Pups are born in March and April and reared through the summer months.
Docents are available on the weekends March through September for seal watching. Special docent-led viewings can be arranged upon request.

Horseback Riding
Ride gentle horses through the giant, old growth forest of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve with naturalist Laura Ayers. Age and weight limitations apply.
Horseback adventures are offered during the spring, summer and fall (rental fees apply).

Tidepooling on the Sonoma Coast
Our coastal tide pools are teeming with intriguing intertidal life. Roving Naturalists are available at specific beaches on low-tide weekends to safely introduce visitors to these fragile wonders.
Tide pool adventures are offered on low-tide weekends during the spring, summer and fall.

"Voluntourism"
Interested in volunteering for a project in one of our State Parks while visiting this beautiful area? Voluntourism packages are being developed with local hotels. Spend half a day removing invasive plants, working on a trail or cleaning up our beaches.
Voluntourism packages are offered year-round.