Join California Naturalist Divya Shenoy to explore the coastal bluffs of Wilder Ranch and enjoy the beautiful Fern Grotto Beach. On this beginner native plant walk, we will walk along the Old Landing Cove Trail loop and stop by Fern Grotto Beach to take a lunch break and explore!

At the end, you can join us as we visit the Wilder Ranch Interpretive Center & Park Store to learn about the park’s farming history. This field trip is a family friendly event and no advanced hiking ability or plant identification experience is required.

We will see unique coastal plants, including seaside daisy, golden yarrow, and various fern species. We may also see sea lions, butterflies, whales, sea otters and birds such as cormorants, pelicans, and gulls.

Our walk will be about 3 miles long. The pace will be a stroll with water breaks, pauses to view plants, and a 30-minute snack break and exploration at the beach. There is a short dirt trail that is moderately steep, to get to the beach, so hiking poles are recommended for those who need additional stability and support.

Please wear comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen and a hat. Bring a snack or early lunch and plenty of water. Optionally, you can bring plant and bird identification guides and lists, binoculars and extra sandals for the beach.

RSVP is required to join the hike. No drop-ins please and space is limited. See the instructions at the beginning of this Field Trips section to RSVP on Meetup.

Driving directions and parking tips are provided on our Chapter’s Meetup group. We will park and meet at 10:00am in the “Wilder Ranch Day Use” parking lot, which has a restroom close by. (Here’s a link to a map to the parking lot.)