Sugarloaf Nature Photography

Winter in Sugarloaf offers many different colors, shapes, textures, and lighting: great for practicing nature photography.

California Naturalist John Lynch will lead this 3.5 mile, 3.5-hour hike from the Creekside Nature Trail to Hillside Trail and back through the meadow using our cameras as tools to engage in the aesthetic appreciation of nature while also documenting flora and fauna through the iNaturalist app. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance; just make sure to load the app on your phone before you leave home and have your battery fully charged.

Meet at the main parking lot. Tickets are $10 for general audiences, $5 for students, youth (12-17 years old; children under 18 years olf must be accompanied by a parent or guardian), Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children under 12. Wear layers, appropriate footwear for slippery/muddy trails, bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, and a fully-charged cell phone or camera. Heavy rain cancels; parking fees apply.

Family Nature Adventures: Fungi

This Months Theme: Fungus Among Us
Exploring the Secret Life of Mushrooms!

Unlock the mysterious world of fungi that thrives in the redwood forest!

Interactive Workshop:
Learn about the fascinating life cycle of mushrooms, their role in the ecosystem, and how to identify various species.
Guided Nature Walk: Venture into the forest with expert guides to discover different types of fungi growing in the wild and uncover their unique characteristics.
Get ready to explore the hidden wonders beneath the forest floor—fungi is far more fascinating than you might think!

What Awaits You:
Hands-On Workshops: Engage with science through fun, interactive activities and real tools.

Tasty Treats: Enjoy a snack to fuel your adventure!

Guided Nature Walks: Uncover the secrets of the forest with expert-led explorations.

This family-friendly experience is perfect for children ages 3-8 and their grown-ups. General museum admission is included with your ticket, and members enjoy $10 off per ticket by logging in.

Trail Crew Saturdays

Volunteers play a crucial role at keeping Sugarloaf Ridge State Park open and accessible to all! Help Sugarloaf with trail restoration work by coming to our monthly Saturday Volunteer Trail Crew, 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Activities include bridge and step construction, installing signs, clearing, lifting, carrying, and hiking.

Meet at the White Barn. Bring gloves, hat, and water that you can carry hands-free (i.e. bring a backpack). Wear long pants, boots or sturdy shoes and sunscreen. Long sleeves are suggested as poison oak is present. We have tools and trained crew leaders with tasks for all. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. We will provide tools and refreshments.

Veteran’s Day Family Hike at Sugarloaf

Come to the park for a peaceful hike through the woods on Tuesday, November 11! Join our Docents on this fun family hike that is good for all ages. During this 2-mile hike with 400-ft elevation gain, you will learn about Sugarloaf Park, its plants, animals, and history.

The hike begins from the Visitor Center and heads down to the waterfall on the Pony Gate-Canyon loop, or along the Creekside Nature Trail, but the route is bound to change depending on logistics and the participants’ physical ability. Free event, RSVP required. Wear layers, appropriate footwear for slippery/rocky trails, bring at least a quart (32oz) of water, sun protection, and if desired, a snack. Parking fees apply.

Día familiar de la naturaleza en Huddart Park

Únase a Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) y sus socios para un evento familiar gratuito y bilingüe (inglés/español) sobre la naturaleza en el Área de Picnic Oak del Parque Huddart en Woodside, California.

A lo largo del día se realizarán actividades que incluyen:
Paseos continuos para niños y búsquedas del tesoro en la naturaleza.
Lecturas para la hora del cuento
Una estación de artefactos animales con cráneos y pieles.
Disección de bolitas de búho
Arte de diademas de animales
Hojas para colorear
Embajadores reptiles animales vivos
¡y más!

Una vez que se registre para el evento, compartiremos más detalles sobre dónde reunirse. Se proporcionarán refrigerios y refrigerios y el estacionamiento es gratuito.

Información importante:
La inscripción será organizada por franjas horarias de una hora, con un tiempo de visita recomendado de 1.5 horas para cada familia asistente.
Todos los niños deben estar acompañados y supervisados por un tutor adulto en todo momento.

Los socios incluyen: Amigos de los parques Huddart y Wunderlich, Departamento de Parques del Condado de San Mateo, El Departamento de Salud del Condado de San Mateo, Bibliotecas del condado de San Mateo, Conservación de los parques nacionales Golden Gate, y Cosas que se arrastran.

Senderos: Los Wappo en Wilikos

Aprende acerca de las historias y tradiciones de la tribu Wappo, una de las tribus originarias de esta área, en esta caminata familiar de 2 millas. Nos reuniremos en el estacionamiento del granero blanco y caminaremos el sendero Meadow mientras escuchamos acerca de la historia cultural de los Wappo en Sugarloaf.

La registración es un depósito de $5 para adultos que se devolverá en sitio el día del evento. Los menores de 18 años asisten gratis, pero deben ser acompañados por un padre o guardián legal. El estacionamiento, usualmente $10, es gratuito. Hay transportación disponible para familias que la necesiten (dentro de un radio de 20 millas al parque). Por favor llega al menos 10 minutos antes para completar tu registración y empezar la excursión a tiempo, o te perderás de la caminata.

Asiste con ropa adecuada para el clima y calzado cómodo, trae una gorra o protección solar, al menos un litro de agua, y si deseas, un bocadillo. Para más información, manda un correo electrónico a senderos@sonomaecologycenter.org o llama a Alma al 707-247-5767 (entre martes y sábado, 9:30 AM-5:00 PM) o Mario al 707-387-4087 (jueves a sábado).

Facilidad de acceso: el estacionamiento del Granero Blanco posee un espacio para estacionarse designado como accesible para vagonetas, un baño portátil accesible, y llaves de agua potable. El sendero Meadow es un camino de grava compacta plano para vehículos autorizados. Carriolas o sillas de ruedas pueden avanzar alrededor de una milla en este sendero, el cual no es oficialmente un sendero que cumple con los requerimientos de la ley para americanos con discapacidades (ADA).

Este evento es respaldado por Route to Parks, un proyecto de Parks California. Encuentra más oportunidades recreacionales a través del programa Senderos Naturales en ésta página.

Come learn about the history and traditions of the Wappo Tribe, one of the original tribes to inhabit the sugarloaf area. This 2 mile family hike will begin at the White Barn parking lot and around the Meadow trail. We will follow Desi, a member of the Wappo tribe, as she tells us about the history and culture of the Wappo in Sugarloaf.

This event is planned around a primarily Latino audience and will be conducted in Spanish. Families from underrepresented groups are welcome to join. For questions, please email senderos@sonomaecologycenter.org.

Family Nature Adventures: Spidey Spectacular

$25 Adult, $35 Youth 3-8, Members receive $10 off

Your tickets include admission to the Center for the day – a $19-24 value!

Spin your way into the fascinating world of spiders and arachnids! This month’s adventure is packed with discovery and excitement: Learn all about native spiders, their incredible adaptations, and even how they behave in space. Grab a magnifying glass and set off into the redwood forest to find hidden spiders, marvel at their intricate webs, and explore their natural habitat. By the end of this adventure, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for these misunderstood eight-legged creatures and their vital role in the ecosystem. Adventure awaits—don’t miss out!

Family Hike at Sugarloaf

Come to the park for a peaceful hike through the woods on Monday, October 13! Join our Docents on this fun family hike that is good for all ages. During this 2-mile hike with 400-ft elevation gain, you will learn about Sugarloaf Park, its plants, animals, and history.

The hike begins from the Visitor Center and heads down to the waterfall on the Pony Gate-Canyon loop, or along the Creekside Nature Trail, but the route is bound to change depending on logistics and the participants’ physical ability. Free event, RSVP required. Wear layers, appropriate footwear for slippery/rocky trails, bring at least a quart (32oz) of water, sun protection, and if desired, a snack. Parking fees apply.

Habitat Hike: Oak Woodlands

What is a habitat? Join Sugarloaf docents through the featured habitat, the oak woodlands, to explore all it has to offer. Learn about one of the most abundant types of habitats in California, and why oaks are a keystone species during this 2-mile hike along Meadow and Hillside Trails. This hike is the the last in our four-part ‘Habitats of Sugarloaf’ hike series. Previous hikes explored chaparral, grasslands, and redwood forests.

Meet at the White Barn parking lot. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for youth (12-17 year olds), students, Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children under 12. Wear layers, appropriate footwear for rocky and/or slippery trails, bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, and if desired, a snack. Heavy rain cancels. Parking fees apply.

Why Tides Matter

Docent Laurel Stell will talk and walk you through all things tides. What are they? How do they affect wildlife? How have humans reshaped the Bay’s tidal lands?

The presentation will be followed by an easy 0.5-mile walk. All are welcome.

Questions? Email watershedwatchers@sfbayws.org.

Other Considerations:
-Driving Directions: We recommend using Google Maps and mapping to 1751 Grand Blvd, Alviso.
-Wear comfortable clothing, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes. We also recommend bringing a filled reusable water bottle, and you are welcome to bring a lunch or snack.
-ADA-compliant parking spaces, trails, and portable toilets are available on-site.
-With the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed at this portion of the refuge.
-If you need any more accommodations, please don’t hesitate to reach out to watershedwatchers@sfbayws.org.

This program is brought to you by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, the nonprofit Friends group to the US Fish & Wildlife Service, with support from the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP).