Central Coast Nature Tour - General Admission
May 10, 2024 @ 11:30AM — May 13, 2024 @ 3:30PM Pacific Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar
Morro Bay Campground: 85W5+MJ Morro Bay, CA postal_code Get Directions
Save the date!
We are delighted to announce our upcoming Central Coast Nature Tour. Join us this May for an incredible four-day experience filled with geology, wildflowers, dunes, birds, sea otters, elephant seals, estuary life, and a visit to a light station on the Central Coast. There is so much more to discover! Free camping at Morro Bay State Beach or inexpensive hotel rooms near the campground are available for participants. This is a family-friendly trip open to kids ten years and older.
Our knowledgeable and passionate naturalists will lead small groups to explore the diverse geological and ecological communities found in San Luis Obispo. During this tour, we will delve into the captivating natural history of this picturesque and distinctive California coast, with a particular focus on geology, botany, and bird life.
Trip Itinerary
(Trip schedule may change)
Friday, May 10
- Meet at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes for arrival and picnic
- Orientation/lecture and tour of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
- Set up camp/check into hotels
- Meet at Morro Rock
- End of day’s activities/dinner on own
Saturday, May 11
- Breakfast and sack lunch prep
- Hazard Canyon tide pooling
- Visit Spooner’s Cove/beach walk
- Lunch at San Simeon State Park
- Light Station tour
- View elephant seals
- Meet at the campground for a group dinner
Sunday, May 12
- Breakfast and birding (Marina Peninsula Trail)/prepare sack lunch
- Hike Coon Creek Trail
- Lunch on own
- Tour Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area
- Group dinner in San Luis Obispo (Petra restaurant)
Monday, May 13
- Breakfast and birding (Marina Peninsula Trail)
- Breakdown camp/check out of hotels
- Nature walk at Elfin Forest
Accommodations
Tent Camping
CIR has reserved campsites for the group. You will need to bring all of your own camping gear (tent, sleeping gear, etc.) and most of your food. We will prepare one group dinner at the campground on Saturday night, but you must prepare the other dinners, plus breakfasts and lunches. We will supply stoves, pots, pans, and ice at the campground.
At the camp, the sites have water, flush toilets and tables, access to hot showers, and nearby restaurants.
Hotel Accommodations
Morro Bay has a bunch of hotels in the area. Below are a few that are near by the campsite.
Registration
Your registration includes:
- Personal tours from expert naturalists
- Shared campsites at Morro Bay Campground
- Use of our camp kitchen (stoves, pots, pans)
- One group dinner at Morro Bay Campground
Price:
$650 - General Members
$550 - Island Ironwood Members (15% off)
$485 - Island Fox Members (25% off)
You provide:
Food for three dinners, three breakfasts, four lunches and snacks
Your camping gear for the provided campsites or alternative hotel accommodations at your own expense.
Cancellation Policy
You will receive a full refund if you notify us of a cancellation no later than one week before the trip. After that, we will refund your fee minus a $50 late cancellation fee unless we can fill your spot with someone else.
If you have any questions about the trip, please call John Ziegler at 805.448.1501 or email john@cirweb.org