Junior Ranger Program: Mix and Match
2023-11-04 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Back Ranch Meadows Campground
When is a turkey not a turkey, or a crab not a crab? And when might a roly poly show up on your dinner plate? Discover the plants and animals at China Camp that share similar names or characteristics, but are often very different. See which critters, creepy crawlies, and other organisms you can match on this fun morning of exploration and learning.
Bring water, snacks, curiosity, and smiles. Dress in layers for changeable weather. Registration is required.
Date: Saturday: November 4
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Meeting location: Back Ranch Meadows Campground
Difficulty: Easy (ADA accessible)
Ages: 7 to 9 with parent or responsible adult
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE
Illustration: Suzanne Mirviss

Volunteers in China Camp (VICC) Program
2023-11-05 10:00 - 11:30 | China Camp Village, 100 China Camp Village Rd, San Rafael, CA, CA, 94901, United States
The next VICC program will take place in the Village Museum on Sunday, November 5, at 10 a.m.
The program is approximately 1.5 hrs and is mandatory for new volunteers or volunteers who have have worked 15 hours or more. Park Manager, Chris Young, alongside other Senior Leadership will be reviewing the following information:

Orientation overview
CSP & China Camp: Past & Present
The vital role of volunteers in our park
Insurance
Emergency Procedures
Volunteer Requirements and behavioral expectations
Logging hours with BetterImpact

If you are interested in becoming a VICC and have not yet attended the Volunteers in China Camp training, please join us for more information!
REGISTER NOW

Volunteer Work Day
2023-11-09 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. There’s always a variety of tasks—trail grooming, fence mending, log splitting, litter pickup, and so much more. No previous experience needed—we’ll teach you! Difficulty ranges from easy to a good work out. Meet at the maintenance area next to the China Camp Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael). Ages 14 and up (minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). Bring work gloves and filled water bottles. Long pants and long-sleeve shirt with sturdy hiking shoes or boots recommended.

Volunteer Work Day
2023-11-10 08:00 - 17:00 | CA
Join us for a morning of making the park look beautiful. There’s always plenty to do—trail grooming, fence mending, log splitting, litter pickup, and so much more. Join us and make a difference! No previous experience needed. Difficulty ranges from easy to a good work out. No long-term commitment required—but we hope you come again!
Meet promptly at 9 a.m. in the maintenance area next to China Camp Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael). Bring work gloves, filled water bottles, and a brown bag lunch to share with your fellow volunteers at China Camp Village after the event (one beverage courtesy of Friends of China Camp). Long pants and long-sleeve shirt with sturdy hiking shoes or boots recommended. Ages 14 and up (minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).

Volunteer Work Day--CANCELED
2023-11-18 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Join us for a morning of making the park look beautiful. There’s always plenty to do—trail grooming, fence mending, log splitting, litter pickup, and so much more. Join us and make a difference! No previous experience needed. Difficulty ranges from easy to a good work out. No long-term commitment required—but we hope you come again!
Meet promptly at 9 a.m. in the maintenance area next to China Camp Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael). Bring work gloves and filled water bottles. Long pants and long-sleeve shirt with sturdy hiking shoes or boots recommended. Ages 14 and up (minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).

Volunteer Work Day
2023-11-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-12-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States

Après Turkey Family Hike
2023-11-24 10:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Village Point parking lot
Instead of shopping on the busiest day of the year, come stretch your legs in the beauty of China Camp. Our day-after-Thanksgiving Day hike will follow the easy Shoreline Trail to the enormous “Mother Oak Tree.” Along the way we will look for the bright red berries of toyon (assuming red-breasted robins haven’t gobbled them up for their own Thanksgiving feast). We’ll also be on the lookout for the fluffy, wind-borne seeds tipping the branches of coyote bush, bright yellow leaves of big-leaf maple, crimson honeysuckle berries, and other signs of the changing seasons.
Event may be canceled due to rain or high winds. Dress in layers for changeable weather. Registration is required. Pets are not allowed on our trails, so please leave your four-legged family members at home.
Date: Friday, November 24
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Location: China Camp Village upper parking area
Difficulty: Easy to moderate; 2.5-mile mostly flat round trip
Age: 8 and up (ages 8 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER NOW

November Birding Hike: end of fall migration
2023-11-25 08:00 - 10:00 | Turtle Back Trailhead
Nearly three out of four species of birds spread their wings and fly away to different climes when autumn arrives and days turn colder. This month marks the end of the great fall migration. Here in Northern California, the flooded rice fields of the Central Valley and surrounding farm fields fill with ducks, geese, and other waterfowl that have left the Arctic or other northern locales to winter in our warmer climate. Many waterfowl stop in the waters around China Camp on their way to wintering grounds. We will look for them and other species on this month’s birding hike.
All levels of birding ability are welcome. We’ll review how to use bird guides, checklists, and binoculars, and we’ll go over the keys ways to identify birds in the field. This month, we’ll pay special attention to China Camp’s six basic habitats. Though more than 850 species of birds live in North America, only some 15 species live in each specific habitat—a great bit of information when trying to narrow down what species you’re seeing in the field.
Event may be canceled due to rain or high winds. Dress in layers for changeable weather. Registration is required.
Date: Saturday, November 25
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Location: Turtle Back parking area
Difficulty: Easy, 1.5-mile walk
Ages: 12 and up with parent or responsible adult
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER NOW
Photo: Bewick’s wren by Jerry Coe

November Naturalist’s Book Club
2023-11-26 19:00 - 20:00 | CA
In this month’s reading selection, esteemed planetary geologist Erik Asphaug explores why the moon’s two sides are markedly different: the far side is mountainous, the near side has plains created by lava. In this exhilarating read, Asphaug takes us on a tour through the farthest reaches of our galaxy and of time itself to find out why our celestial satellite has such extraordinary geology.
Summary from publisher Harper Academic:
“An astonishing exploration of planet formation and the origins of life by one of the world’s most innovative planetary geologists.
Fourteen billion years ago, the universe exploded into being, creating galaxies and stars. Planets formed out of the leftover dust and gas that coalesced into larger and larger bodies orbiting around each star. In a sort of heavenly survival of the fittest, planetary bodies smashed into each other until solar systems emerged. Curiously, instead of being relatively similar in terms of composition, the planets in our solar system, and the comets, asteroids, satellites and rings, are bewitchingly distinct. So, too, the halves of our moon.”
Date: Sunday, November 26
Time: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Venue: Online meeting; details emailed with your registration confirmation.
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER NOW

November Full Moon Hike
2023-11-27 16:00 - 18:30 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
As we count down to the Winter Solstice (December 21), the Beaver Moon will rise in our night sky. This full moon is said to get its name from the busyness of beavers this time of year, as they bolster up their dams and lodges in preparation for winter. We may not have beavers at the park, but we can still enjoy the stunning sight of November’s full moon as it rises above the East Bay Hills!
Please wear sturdy hiking shoes and dress in layers for changeable weather and a crisp, cool evening. Bring a fully charged flashlight or headlamp, water, and your camera. Pets are not allowed on our trails, so please leave your critters at home.
NOTE: The hike begins sharply at 4 p.m. for a 5 p.m. moonrise. Please arrive early to check in, and don’t be late or you’ll miss the fun. This event may be canceled due to overcast skies, rain or high winds. Registration is required.
Date: Monday: November 27
Time: 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Difficulty: Moderate with 500-ft. elevation gain: 4 miles round trip
Meeting location: China Camp Ranger Station
Ages: 10+ (ages 10 – 17 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free (sliding scale donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

Volunteer Work Day
2023-11-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-12-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-12-16 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-01-04 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-01-16 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States

December Birding Hike
2023-12-16 08:00 - 10:00 | Turtle Back Trailhead
Look up in the wintry skies over the park this month and you might spy a spectacular snow goose or even a trumpeter swan. These big and beautiful water birds, along with Ross’s geese, sometimes take a break at China Camp as they head to their wintering grounds in the Upper Sacramento Valley. Learn about this great migration and more on this month’s free birding hike with our local expert, Jerry Coe.
On this easy walk, we’ll also be on the lookout for American white pelicans, which overwinter in bay waters before heading to Great Basin breeding grounds in spring. Other likely sightings include Anna’s hummingbirds, which start nesting in winter, as well as spotted towhees, white- and red-breasted nuthatches, and Vaux’s swifts, known to over-winter in the historic smoke stacks at nearby McNear’s brickyard. We’ll also review techniques for identifying birds in the field, including habitat, behavior, bird song, and more.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, binoculars, layers for changeable weather, and a full water bottle. Registration is required.
Date: Saturday, December 16
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Difficulty: Easy, 2-mile walk
Location: Turtle Back Trailhead Parking Lot
Ages: 12+ (ages 12 – 17 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free (sliding scale donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

Volunteer Work Day—CANCELLED
2023-12-27 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States

December Naturalist’s Book Club: Canceled
2023-12-27 20:00 - 21:00 | CA
Please note that, due to the holidays, our December book club has been canceled. The next virtual book club will be held on January 28, 2024, when we will be discussing author Siddhartha Mukherjee’s fascinating book, The Gene: An Intimate History.
This is a hefty read, with over 300 packed-full pages, so we hope you agree with us that having an extra month to dig into this January title is a good thing indeed. Keep your eyes peeled for our next events announcement, which will include a link to register for our January virtual book club meeting.

First Day Hike 2024
2024-01-01 06:30 - 09:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Ring in the New Year in an unforgettable way! Join the California State Park’s annual tradition of watching the year’s first sunrise from a spectacular vantage point overlooking the bay. If your New Year’s resolution is to get your blood pumping and stay fit, this is a great way to do it. We’ll also share any wishes or poems you have to kick off 2024.
Wear sturdy hiking shoes and dress in layers for changeable weather. Bring a fully charged flashlight or headlamp, a full water bottle, and your camera.
NOTE: This hike begins sharply at 6:30 a.m. for a 7:26 a.m. sunrise, so don’t be late or you’ll miss the fun. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in. Pets are not allowed on our trails, so please leave your four-legged family members at home. Registration is required.
Date: Monday, January 1
Time: 6:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Difficulty: Moderate with 500-ft hill elevation gain; 4-miles round trip
Meeting location: China Camp Ranger Station
Ages: 10+ (ages 10 – 17 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free (sliding scale donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

Junior Ranger Program: Life Under A Log
2024-01-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Back Ranch Meadows Campground
Discover nature’s under-world in this fun and exciting day of discovery. Junior Rangers (and their grownups) will see what they can find when they gently uncover the world that thrives underneath fallen logs and branches.
Winter rains make this an especially exciting time for discovery in the park. Ground-dwelling creatures, including worms, slender-leg salamanders, beetles, and centipedes emerge once again, having buried deep to avoid the drying soils of summer. We’ll look for these and other insects, amphibians, and more as we explore this secret world at our feet.
Bring water, snacks, curiosity, and smiles. Dress in layers for changeable weather.
Registration is required.

Date: Saturday, January 6
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Difficulty: Easy
Meeting location: Back Ranch Meadows Campground
Ages: 7 to 9 with parent or responsible adult
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

January 2024 King Tide Walk
2024-01-11 11:30 - 12:30 | CA
Winter’s highest tides are something to see at China Camp, with bay waters rising to inundate our marshlands. This season, the peak tide will occur Thursday, January 11 at roughly 12:15 p.m. Join our partner scientists from San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) as we walk from Back Ranch Meadows Campground to Turtle Back Nature Trail, for views of flooded marshlands. Learn how king tides can help scientists understand the impacts of future sea level rise. Bring your camera to capture birds of prey and other predators taking advantage of rising waters that flush out shorebirds, rodents, and other potential prey. (If you get some good shots, submit them to the California King Tides Project.)

Wear shoes that can handle muddy trails, and bring clothes for changeable weather.

Note: Flooded roadways may limit park access. To avoid driving through floodwaters, take the N. San Pedro Rd. exit off U.S. 101 and continue east to China Camp; park in the campground lot.

Registration is required.

Date: Thursday, January 11
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Difficulty: Easy; up to 2 miles round trip
Meeting location: Details emailed with registration confirmation.
Ages: 8 and older (ages 8 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free for FOCC members ($5 donation nonmembers)
REGISTER HERE

January Birding Hike
2024-01-13 08:00 - 10:00 | Turtle Back Trailhead
Listen—does the park seem quieter to you? That might be because by mid-January, only our year-round, nonmigratory birds are here to tweet, chirp, and caw. It’s a big drop in birds, with only 30 percent of the summer population still flitting and flapping here come deep winter.

Our non-migratory birds make the best of this time. Anna’s hummingbirds nest now (yes, in January), when they are the only hummer species in the park and face less competition for food and safe nesting sites. We’ll search for these tiny residents, as well as hawks and owls. Which will nest first? Come find out this fun fact and more on an invigorating walk through our various habitats. We’ll also discuss climate change and how it is affecting our bird populations.

Dress in layers for changeable weather, and wear comfortable walking shoes that don’t mind getting wet. Bring binoculars and a full water bottle. Event may be canceled due to heavy rain or high winds.

Registration is required.

Date: Saturday, January 13
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Difficulty: Easy, 2-mile walk
Meeting location: Turtle Back Nature Trail parking area
Ages: 12 and up (ages 12 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

CANCELLED—Volunteer Work Event in partnership with CSPF
2024-01-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Miwok Meadows Picnic Area, https://maps.app.goo.gl/4hXk4amjPvRVWkuj8, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
DUE TO PREDICTED RAIN, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Join us for a morning of making the park look beautiful, and reduce fire fuels. We will focus on removal of invasive French and Scotch Broom plants and trail grooming. Join us and make a difference! No previous experience needed. Difficulty ranges from easy to a good work out. No long-term commitment required—but we hope you come again.
Sign up with the California State Park Foundation. You’ll then receive details on where to meet, what to bring, and what to wear. Free camping Friday night is offered to registered volunteers. Ages 14 and up (ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).
REGISTER HERE

Rescheduled - Volunteer Work Day
2024-01-24 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Due to weather predictions, this work day has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 25, 9 a.m. to noon.
Join us for a morning of making the park look beautiful. There’s always plenty to do—trail grooming, fence mending, log splitting, litter pickup, and so much more. Join us and make a difference! No previous experience needed. Difficulty ranges from easy to a good work out. No long-term commitment required—but we hope you come again!
Meet promptly at 9 a.m. in the maintenance area next to China Camp Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael). Bring work gloves, filled water bottles, and a brown bag lunch to share with your fellow volunteers at China Camp Village after the event (one beverage courtesy of Friends of China Camp). Long pants and long-sleeve shirt with sturdy hiking shoes or boots recommended. Ages 14 and up (minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).

Full Moon Hike
2024-01-25 16:15 - 19:00 | CA
Join us for an invigorating hike to witness the rise of the first full moon of the new year. This month’s “Wolf Moon” got its name from wolves that would howl on cold wintry nights. To take in incredible views of this breathtaking moonrise, we’ll climb some 500 feet following a single-track trail to a prime overlook. This is a challenging hike after dark, and is suitable for hardy hikers with proper shoes and clothing. If you aren’t suitably prepared, you may not be able to join the hike.

Wear sturdy hiking shoes and dress in layers for a brisk, winter evening. Pack a flashlight or headlamp, either fully charged or with fresh batteries, bring a full water bottle, and be sure to have your camera ready. No pets are allowed on our trails, so please leave your four-legged family members at home.

NOTE: Arrive by 4:15 p.m to check in as the hike starts at 4:30 p.m. sharp for a 5:25 p.m. moonrise. Event may be canceled due to inclement weather or hazardous trail conditions.

Registration is required.

Date: Thursday, January 25
Time: 4:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging 500-ft. elevation gain; 4 miles round trip
Meeting location: Details sent with registration confirmation.
Ages: 10 and older (no children under age 10; ages 10 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
Cost: Free for FOCC members ($5 donation nonmembers)
REGISTER HERE

Naturalist’s Book Club: The Gene
2024-01-28 19:00 - 20:00 | CA
January’s Book Club reading, The Gene, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee, drives home in this lucid and intimate book about the profound relevance of the history and future of biology in our lives.

Summary from the author’s website:

“THE GENE: An Intimate History . . . is the story of the quest to decipher the master-code of instructions that makes and defines humans, that governs our form, function, and fate and determines the future of our children . . . a magnificent history of the gene and a response to the defining question of the future: What becomes of being human when we learn to “read” and “write” our own genetic information? . . . Throughout the narrative, the story of Mukherjee’s own family—with its tragic and bewildering history of mental illness—cuts like a bright, red line, reminding us of the many questions that hang over our ability to translate the science of genetics from the laboratory to the real world. . . In superb prose and with an instinct for the dramatic scene, he describes the centuries of research and experimentation—from Aristotle and Pythagoras to Mendel and Darwin, from Boveri and Morgan to Crick, Watson and Franklin, all the way through the revolutionary twenty-first century innovators who mapped the human genome.”

Date: Sunday, January 28
Time: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Venue: Online meeting; details emailed with registration confirmation
Cost: Free (donations appreciated
REGISTER HERE

Volunteer Work Day
2024-01-30 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Enjoy a morning in the park making a difference. Our weekly maintenance days tackle a host of jobs large and small, so there’s something for everyone. You don’t need to be a weightlifter or a construction worker to help out, in fact we’ve got men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities volunteering at the park. But there are things that our volunteers have in common: a willingness to pitch in and work together, a healthy sense of humor, and desire to help the park.
Whether you’re a newbie or experienced, pitch in to keep the park safe and beautiful. There’s no long-term commitment required—but we hope you come again.
Meet promptly at 9 a.m. in the maintenance area next to China Camp Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael). Bring work gloves and filled water bottles. Long pants and long-sleeve shirt with sturdy hiking shoes or boots recommended. Ages 14 and up (minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). Please leave your four-legged friends at home, as no pets are allowed on our trails.

RESCHEDULED - Volunteer Work Day
2024-02-01 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
DUE TO WEATHER PREDICTIONS, THIS EVENT WAS MOVED TO TUESDAY, JANUARY 30.
