Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike from the northern edge of 4-S Ranch to an overlook of Lake Hodges. See the rare white blooming Ceanothus verrucosus (wart stemmed ceanothus). Gentle slope. Great vistas and wildflowers.

Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch. 

Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Everyone should visit the vernal pools when they are in one of their flourishing phases. Most of the year they are dried up and you wouldn’t see very much and would not be able to appreciate their unique beauty and understand why we need to protect the 10% of the original amount that still exist today here in San Diego. The middle of March in the average year signals the wetting phase of the vernal pool cycle and we will see aquatic plants, water fleas, boatmen, larvae, tadpoles, and fairy shrimp in the waters with minuscule rare and endangered plants, like the intoxicatingly fragrant Del Mar Mesa Mint, sprouting on the edges of the pools. You have to bend down and look closely but it’s well worth the effort.

Meet at: Carmel Mountain Preserve Trailhead at intersection of Fairpoint and Shorepoint. 

Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike from the northern edge of 4-S Ranch to an overlook of Lake Hodges. See the rare white blooming Ceanothus verracosus (wart stemmed ceanothus). Gentle slope. Great vistas and wildflowers.

Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch. 

Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy hike, about two miles round trip on a gently sloping path. See great views of Lake Hodges. The summer hurricane an and cooler than normal weather following it have brought a variety of native species into bloom; species that normally don’t bloom until winter or spring.

Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch.

Join naturalist Will Bowen for a once a year opportunity to visit local vernal pools in their flourishing phase. Most of the year they are so dried out you would not be able to appreciate their unique beauty and understand why we need to protect the 3% of them still remaining in California. We should be able to see aquatic plants, water fleas, boatmen, larvae, tadpoles, and fairy shrimp in the waters with minuscule rare and endangered plants, like the intoxicatingly fragrant Del Mar Mesa Mint, sprouting on the edges of the pools. You have to bend down and look closely but it’s well worth your time to see the pools. Meet at the Carmel Mtn. Preserve Trailhead at intersection of Fairpoint and Shorepoint Ways.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike from the northern edge of 4-S Ranch to an overlook of Lake Hodges. Gentle slope and great vistas. Wildflowers are already showing and there is a good chance to see the rare wart-stemmed ceanothus in bloom.

Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join naturalist Beth Mather on our new hike from 4-S Ranch. About a two mile hike round trip from the northern most point of 4-S Ranch north to Lake Hodges. Beautiful vistas along an easy, gentle trail with mild slope. Great native plant diversity.

Meet at Alva Rd. & the northern end of Hunters Ridge Rd., San Diego

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join naturalist Mike Kelly on our first hike from 4-S Ranch. About a two mile hike round trip from the northern most point of 4-S Ranch north to Lake Hodges. Beautiful vistas along an easy, gentle trail with mild slope. Great native plant diversity.

Meet at Alva Rd. & Hunters Ridge Rd.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike & more directions about the meeting place.

Join naturalist Mike Kelly on our first hike from 4-S Ranch. About a two mile hike round trip from the northern most point of 4-S Ranch north to the terraces above Lake Hodges. Beautiful vistas along an easy, gentle trail with mild slope. Great native plant diversity.

Meet at Alva Rd. & Hunters Ridge Rd. in 4-S Ranch.

Join naturalist Beth Mather and explore the history of the arsenic-gold mine on Black Mountain. Learn about the native habitats, plants, and animals of Black Mountain Open Space Park. Learn a bit about the history of gliding and hangliding off the mountain since 1932 or so. Bring water and sun protection and sturdy hiking shoes. Meet in the parking lot at the north staging area. The entrance is off Carmel Valley Rd., on the south side of the road, about 0.7 mile east of its intersection with Black Mountain. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. If you hit Valle del Sur Ct., you’ve gone a hundred yards too far east! Do a u-turn and come back around. Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike. Hike limited to 10 total with COVID 19 restrictions.

Join naturalist Will Bowen for a night hike under the full moon to look for spooky beasties such as owls, bats, toads, scorpions, and spiders. Bring a regular flash light (and a black light for scorpions).

Meet at 4206 Sorrento Valley Blvd. Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike & more directions about the meeting place. Event limited to a total of 10, please wear a face mask.

Join naturalist Mike Kelly on our first hike from 4-S Ranch. About a two mile hike round trip from the northern most point of 4-S Ranch north to Lake Hodges. Beautiful vistas along an easy, gentle trail with mild slope. Great native plant diversity.

Meet at Alva Rd. & Hunters Ridge Rd. Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike & more directions about the meeting place. Event limited to a total of 10, please wear a face mask.

Join naturalist Les Braund for a short and easy walk on flat ground across Peñasquitos Creek. Besides the “usual” plants and animals, learn about lichens, mushrooms, and mosses.

Meet at the kiosk near the corner of Park Village Rd. and Camino del Sur Rd. in Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike & more directions about the meeting place. Event limited to a total of 10, please wear a face mask.

Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at 12122 Black Mtn. Rd., 92129 at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.

Call 858-863-7393 to RSVP for this hike & more directions about the meeting place. Event limited to a total of 10, please wear a face mask