Birding Hike
2023-06-17 08:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Like the ever-changing wardrobe of teenage humans, young fledgling seagulls exhibit a continuous refashoning of plumage in the five years leading up to maturity. During this period, their colors and patterns constantly change, making them a challenge for even experienced birders to correctly identify. We will accept this challenge during this summer’s birding hikes, as we will take to the shoreline to focus on ID’ing shorebirds, waders, ducks, and gulls. We will also explore upland grassland and scrub habitat, which is often filled with small singing and perching birds.
We will also review the four keys to identifying birds (size, shape, overall color, behavior/habitat). Participants will also learn how to identify birds by observing flight patterns, noting body shapes and sizes, hearing songs, and watching behaviors. Please join us for this monthly bird walk, and be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes, water, and binoculars.

Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Location: Bullhead Flat Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy; 1½ miles
REGISTER FOR JUNE 17

Date: Saturday, July 22
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Location: Turtle Back Trailhead
Difficulty: Easy; 1½ miles
REGISTER FOR JULY 22

Space is limited; reservations required.
Free (donations appreciated).
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Photo: Juvenile western gull by Richard Bunn / Macaulay Library

ADVISORY: FOOTRACE
2023-06-17 08:00 - 14:00
There will be a footrace beginning from Miwok Meadows on Saturday, June 17 from 8am-2pm. Please expect increased foot traffic on Shoreline Trail, Bayview Trail, and Oak Ridge Trail during that time.
Go to the Inside Trail Racing website for more details.

Wildflower Hike
2023-06-17 10:00 - 14:00
Up for a challenge with some spectacular rewards? Join us for one of the park’s most challenging hikes–a 5-mile round-trip hike with a 1000-foot elevation gain up to the San Pedro ridgeline. The trip will offer commanding views of the North Bay and the western coastal ranges. Along the way we’ll catch the last burst of spring wildflowers: clarkia, sticky monkey flower, and Franciscan paintbrush. Bring a full water bottle, snacks, proper hiking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and weather-appropriate clothing.

Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Bay Hills Fire Road Trailhead. From Knight Drive, turn left at Rollingwood Drive until you get to Beechwood Court. Meet near the end by the trailhead.
Difficulty: Strenuous, 5 miles.

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited; reservations required.
Free (donations appreciated).
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Photo: Clarkia by Sheila Coll

Friends of China Camp Annual Meeting
2023-06-24 09:00 - 10:00
Want to find out what makes China Camp tick? Got your own ideas on ways to enjoy and improve the park? Join our annual community meeting to learn about Friends of China Camp’s successes–and challenges–over the past year. Get a peek into the year ahead and share your own thoughts about making this amazing park even better.

This event is open to all. We welcome your involvement and input.

Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Location: China Camp Village Museum

Questions?
Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org
Or call (415)456-0766
Check the Friends of China Camp website for cancellation announcements.

Naturalist Book Club
2023-06-25 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for this month’s naturalist book club as we discuss Richard Dawkins bestselling book Flights of Fancy: Defying Gravity by Design .
Summary from Richard Dawkins’s Website:
“The Wonder of Flight. The Science of Evolution. From both, Richard Dawkins weaves a fascinating and beautifully illustrated account of how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies.
“Have you ever dreamt you could fly? Or imagined what it would be like to glide and swoop through the sky like a bird? Do you let your mind soar to unknown, magical spaces?

In Flights of Fancy, Richard Dawkins explains how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies. From the mythical Icarus, to the sadly extinct but spectacular bird Argentavis magnificens, from the Wright flyer and the 747, to the Tinkerbella fairyfly and the Peregrine falcon. But it is also about flights of the mind, about escaping the everyday – through science, ideas and imagination. Fascinating and beautifully illustrated, this is a unique collaboration between one of the world’s leading scientists and a talented artist.”

Date: Sunday, June 25
Time: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Venue: Online meeting details will be mailed to registrants.

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited; reservations required.
Free (donations appreciated).
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Volunteer Park Maintenance
2023-07-12 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. The tasks are variable and range in difficulty from easy to a good work out. Meet at the maintenance area next to the ranger station. Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Bring work gloves and filled water bottles.

Natural History Hike
2023-07-15 08:30 - 12:30
Twenty-thousand years ago, during the late pleistocene, megafauna like giant bears, saber-tooth cats, massive sloths and monstrous mammoths roamed the forests of China Camp. We can only imagine what one of these animals would have seen as it gazed eastward from a rocky perch on what is now the San Pedro hills. Based on historic documentation, they would not have seen a sparkling bay, but rather a network of rolling valleys and deep river channels that eventually emptied into the ocean, 20 miles west of where the Golden Gate is today. At the time, sea level was much lower than today, as much ocean water was frozen into ice age glaciers. How and why were there so many drastic changes to the landscape since then?
During this invigorating hike, naturalist Harold Hirsch will address this question and offer an overview of the geology and biology of China Camp within the broader context of Marin and California’s natural history. The route will have excellent views of the park’s salt marshes, the greater North Bay, and some of the western and northern coastal mountain ranges.
Bring a full water bottle, snacks, proper hiking shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing.(warm weather, hat and sun screen.)

Date: Saturday, July 15
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: Back Ranch Meadows Entrance Kiosk
Difficulty: Moderately difficult, 4 miles.

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited; reservations required.
Free (donations appreciated).
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Illustration: Pleistocene Bay Area mammals by Laura Cunningham/ Bay Nature Magazine

Volunteer Park Maintenance
2023-07-20 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. The tasks are variable and range in difficulty from easy to a good work out. Meet at the maintenance area next to the ranger station. Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Bring work gloves and filled water bottles. After the work event, volunteers are offered one free drink from the Village cafe. Bring your lunch and enjoy the camaraderie of the team.

Birding Hike
2023-07-22 08:00 - 10:00
Like the ever-changing wardrobe of teenage humans, young fledgling seagulls exhibit a continuous refashioning of plumage in the five years leading up to maturity. During this period, their colors and patterns constantly change, making them a challenge for even experienced birders to correctly identify. We will accept this challenge during this summer’s birding hikes, as we will take to the shoreline to focus on ID’ing shorebirds, waders, ducks, and gulls. We will also explore upland grassland and scrub habitat, which is often filled with small singing and perching birds.
We will also review the four keys to identifying birds (size, shape, overall color, behavior/habitat). Participants will also learn how to identify birds by observing flight patterns, noting body shapes and sizes, hearing songs, and watching behaviors. Please join us for this monthly bird walk, and be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes, water, and binoculars.

Date: Saturday, July 22
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Location: Turtle Back Trailhead
Difficulty: Easy; 1½ miles
REGISTER FOR JULY 22

Space is limited; reservations required.
Free (donations appreciated).
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Photo: Juvenile western gull by Richard Bunn / Macaulay Library

California State Parks Foundation volunteer work event
2023-07-29 09:00 - 13:00
Join the FOCC maintenance volunteers in the initial step of restoring the tread on Ridge Fire Trail and the grooming of adjacent trails.

We will remove organics in the areas where rolling dips will be incorporated for proper drainage. We will also be trimming back overgrowth and removing accumulated duff on Bay View Trail and Oak Ridge Trail. The work includes the use of loppers, pruners, and McLoeds and will be moderately strenuous. Please note there are no bathroom facilities at this work site. The closest public bathrooms are at Victor Jones Park on Robinhood Drive. Free tent camping is available to volunteers on Friday. Ages 14 and older are welcome (minors must be accompanied by an adult and bring a waiver signed by their guardian).  Lunch will be provided.

Click here to sign up. Full opportunity address and directions will be sent to you by e-mail after you sign up.

Volunteer Park Maintenance
2023-08-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-08-09 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-08-26 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-08-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-09-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-09-14 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. The tasks are variable and range in difficulty from easy to a good work out. No need to sign up, just meet at the maintenance area next to the ranger station and look for a group of people in orange shirts. The address is 101 Peacock Gap Trail San Rafael, Ca 94901. Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Bring work gloves and filled water bottles.
If you would like to receive a weekly email about upcoming volunteer work events, visit our Get Involved / Volunteer website page.

Full Moon Viewing
2023-08-01 20:45 - 21:45
Ready for a night of mid-summer lunar celebration? From the dazzling vantage point of the China Camp Point bayside bluff, we will set up our telescope and get an up close look at the full moon’s shining face as it emerges over the east bay hills. We will learn a little about the fascinating origin of the moon and make homemade s’more “moon” pies. This stationary wheelchair-accessible event welcomes all ages.
What to bring: Dress for the crisp, cool night, and pack flashlights loaded with fresh batteries.
Note: Overcast skies, heavy north bay fog, or strong winds will cancel.

“Sturgeon moon” viewing
Date: Tuesday, August 1
Time: 8:45 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
Location: China Camp Point Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy. Wheelchair accessible.
Note: This event will be a stationary meeting at the China Camp Point parking lot with telescopes and s’mores. This event is suitable for all ages.
REGISTER HERE
Free for FOCC members; $5 for non-members.
Space is limited; reservations required.
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email programs@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Photo: Steve Ziman

A walk through time at China Camp
2023-08-12 09:00 - 10:30 | China Camp Village, 100 China Camp Village Rd, San Rafael, CA, CA, 94901, United States
While our park’s name reflects the Chinese shrimping village that once boomed here over a century ago, this land has been home to a wide range of human inhabitants, including indigenous Coast Miwok, Spanish colonizers, Mexican land grantees, and cattle ranchers. For this special Heritage Month event, join Marcie Miller of the Marin History Museum and Friends of China Camp naturalist Harold Hirsch for a 1.5-mile “walk through time.” We’ll unravel the history of the region’s human inhabitants and their impacts on the land, such as Native American middens, once-proposed development, and nearby rock quarries. Come enjoy the beauty of China Camp and learn local history on this easy walk.
REGISTER HERE
Space is limited.
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email info@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

Volunteer Park Maintenance
2023-08-17 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. The tasks are variable and range in difficulty from easy to a good work out. No need to sign up, just meet at the maintenance area next to the ranger station and look for a group of people in orange shirts. The address is 101 Peacock Gap Trail San Rafael, Ca 94901. Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Bring work gloves and filled water bottles. After the work event, volunteers are offered one free drink from the Village cafe. Bring your lunch and enjoy the camaraderie of the team.
If you would like to receive a weekly email about upcoming volunteer work events, visit our Get Involved / Volunteer website page.

Family fun: Chinese Lion Dance performance
2023-08-19 10:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Village, 100 China Camp Village Rd, San Rafael, CA, CA, 94901, United States
Youth Lion Dance Team from the Marin Chinese Cultural Association perform at Heritage Day.
Drummers thump, colorful costumes shimmer in the sun, and fearsome and fantastical lions dip and whirl. It’s time for one of our most popular annual events—a visit from a team of exciting Chinese Lion Dancers. Watch the Youth Lion Dance Team from the Marin Chinese Cultural Association perform traditional dances in spectacular garments and giant masks. Other events for all ages will include kite-making, an origami workshop (make your own paper boat!), and lessons in the classic Chinese game of mahjong. Note that Lion Dances begin promptly at 11 a.m. Don’t be late or you’ll miss the fun!
waterfront.
No need to register—just show up!
Space is limited.
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email info@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

August Bird Walk: Spotlight on creepers and nuthatches
2023-08-26 08:00 - 10:00
Attention birdbrains! Introducing two highly entertaining, year-round natives and the focus of this month’s birding hike: the brown creeper and the white-breasted nuthatch. Both hop up and down tree trunks in search of insects in the bark. Tiny brown creepers have stiff tails, curved beaks, and feathers striped with brown, black, and tan. Larger nuthatches have a blue-gray back and a bright white belly.
New and experienced birders are invited to join naturalist Jerry Coe in search of these and other species. Jerry will help you identify birds by shape, flight patterns, calls, and habitat. He’ll also give tips on using binoculars and bird guides. Meeting location: Turtle Back Trailhead
Difficulty: Easy; 1.5- to 2-mile walk
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
Space is limited; reservations required.
REGISTER HERE

Milton Quan: Growing up at China Camp
2023-08-26 10:00 - 11:30
Milton Quan as a boy at China Camp Village. Courtesy of Milton Quan.
Ever wonder what it was like growing up at China Camp? Find out from the ultimate source, Milton Quan, who spent his childhood here in the 1940s and ’50s. Join Milton as he leads a tour through China Camp Village, sharing memories of working at his family’s cafe, and helping with the boat rental and shrimp-fishing businesses. Milton will add plenty of anecdotes too, like the 10-day all-boys adventure in a leaky shrimp-fishing junk that led to a late-night Coast Guard rescue. He’ll also share his experience as an extra in the 1955 movie Blood Alley, filmed at China Camp and starring John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. Enjoy these and more of Milton’s entertaining memories of growing up in the “Wild West” of the San Pedro Bay waterfront.
REGISTER HERE
Space is limited.
Cancellations notified via email.
Questions? Email info@friendsofchinacamp.org or call (415) 456-0766.

August Naturalist Book Club: Light In The Darkness
2023-08-27 19:00 - 20:00
Join this month’s readers’ group, led by FOCC volunteer Harold Hirsch, as we discuss the international bestselling book Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe and Us by astrophysicist Heino Falcke.
Summary from Heino Falcke’s website:
Light in the Darkness describes humankind’s adventurous journey through space and time: from the first glance [at] the stars to the limits of the galaxies—and far beyond. [Author] Heino Falcke, one of the world’s leading astronomers, . . . significantly shaped the exciting expedition to the first image of a black hole. [He] is honored for conceiving of black hole imaging using radio interferometry on a global scale . . . and for establishing new measurements that provide knowledge . . into the nature of gravity and physics in extreme conditions.
Space is limited; reservations required. Details on joining this online event will be emailed to you with your registration confirmation.
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

September Bird Walk: Catch the fall migration
2023-09-16 08:00 - 10:00
One of the season’s most exciting times is upon us—the fall/winter migration. This month, as birds start heading south, we hope to see white-tailed kites, red-shouldered hawks, and golden eagles, plus savannah sparrows, orange-crowned warblers, ash-throated flycatchers, Western bluebirds, and more.
Birding expert Jerry Coe will guide you to China Camp’s varied habitats—open bay, salt marshlands, grassland, and oak-and-bay forests dotted with pockets of redwoods—looking for birds along the way. Learn how to use habitat as a clue, as well as shape and size, color, and behavior, to help you identify species. Bring binoculars and a full water bottle, and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Meeting location: Turtle Back Trailhead
Difficulty: Easy 1.5- to 2-mile walk
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
Space is limited; registration is required.
REGISTER HERE

Junior Ranger Program: Find fall’s treasures
2023-09-16 10:00 - 12:00
Look under that log! Over here by the rocks! What kid can resist a scavenger hunt? After a nice summer break, we welcome back our children’s programs, and this month’s event promises to be a favorite. Junior Rangers will treasure-hunt for clues that seasonal changes are afoot at China Camp, as plants and animals get ready for fall. We’ll look for new homes built by animals as they leave others behind, and we’ll track down nuts and berries ripening on trees and bushes. Changing leaves, late-season flowers—endless discoveries abound. Come help us find them! Bring snacks and full water bottles, and dress for changeable weather.
Ages: 7 to 9 years with parent or responsible adult
Meeting location: Back Ranch Meadows Campground main parking lot
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
Space is limited; registration is required.
REGISTER HERE

SPECIAL EVENT: Fire and our landscape
2023-09-17 09:30 - 12:30
Seeing flames and smoke this time of year can be a scary sight. But fire is an important player in our natural landscape, cleaning out dead vegetation and restoring nutrients, stimulating new growth, and creating important habitat for wildlife. Join local fire inspector and naturalist Brendan Clifford and FOCC docent Harold Hirsch as they lead an enlightening hike focusing on fire. Learn about the ecology of fire in our park, Native American and other historical practices, and wildfire issues impacting our modern world. Be sure to wear proper footwear, and bring snacks and plenty of water for this moderately challenging hike.
Space is limited; registration required.
Meeting location: China Camp Ranger Station
Difficulty: Moderate; 4-mile hike
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

Volunteer Park Maintenance
2023-09-23 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a morning of park maintenance. The tasks are variable and range in difficulty from easy to a good work out. No need to sign up; just meet at the maintenance area next to the Ranger Station (101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael) and look for a group of people in orange shirts. Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt, and bring work gloves and filled water bottles.
If you would like to receive a weekly email about upcoming volunteer work events, sign up on our Get Involved page.

California Coastal Cleanup Day at China Camp
2023-09-23 09:00 - 12:00 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Join us for a very special event as we take part in the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day. Pitch in side by side with other eco-minded volunteers as we focus on our shoreline, picking up trash that could otherwise damage our delicate bayfront ecosystem. Come ready to lend a hand. By the end of the morning, we hope you know that you’ve truly made a difference.
Meet at 9 a.m. at China Camp Ranger Station, San Rafael). Minimum age is 14. Minors ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt, and bring work gloves and filled water bottles. For more information, visit the California Coastal Cleanup Day website.
If you would like to receive a weekly email about future volunteer work events at China Camp State Park, sign up on Friends of China Camp’s Get Involved page.
Date: Saturday, September 23
Time: 9 a.m – 12 p.m.
Location: China Camp Ranger Station
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Age: 14 and up (ages 14 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult)
REGISTER NOW

September Naturalist Book Club: Ways of Being
2023-09-24 19:00 - 20:00
With AI (artificial intelligence) popping up all over the news, it’s a great time to dive into a book that’s all about different types of intelligence, and the ways we can better understand them and how they impact us. Join us as we discuss author James Bridle’s intriguing read, Ways of Being.
Summary from James Bridle’s website:
“In Ways of Being, writer and artist James Bridle considers the fascinating, uncanny and multiple ways of existing on [E]arth. What can we learn from these other forms of intelligence and personhood, and how can we change our societies to live more equitably with one another and the non-human world? From Greek oracles to octopuses, forests to satellites, Bridle tells a radical new story about ecology, technology, and intelligence. We must . . . expand our definition of these terms to build a meaningful and free relationship with the non-human, one based on solidarity and cognitive diversity. We have so much to learn, and many worlds to gain.”
Online meeting; details on how to join will be emailed to you with your registration confirmation.
Cost: Free (donations appreciated)
REGISTER HERE

Harvest Moon Hike
2023-09-29 18:15 - 20:45 | China Camp Ranger Station, 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA, 94901, United States
Hike to a hilltop vista overlooking San Francisco Bay to witness the “Harvest Moon” rising over the Berkeley Hills. Autumnal equinox (Sept. 23 this year) marks when the hours of daylight become shorter than night, and the full moon closest to Equinox is the Harvest Moon. It also marks the beginning of Mid-Autumn Festival, a Chinese celebration dating back over 3,000 years and traditionally celebrated with mooncakes. Imagine the early residents of China Camp watching the rise of the Harvest Moon, just like we will do on this special hike. Dress for a crisp, cool night. Bring water and your camera. Wear sturdy hiking shoes, and pack a flashlight or headlamp, either fully charged or with fresh batteries.
NOTE: This hike begins sharply at 6:15 p.m. Please arrive early to check in, and don’t be late or you’ll miss the fun.
Date: Friday, September 29
Time: 6:15 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Location: China Camp Ranger Station
Difficulty: Moderately challenging (3.5-mile loop with 530-ft. elevation gain)
Age: 10 and up with parent or responsible adult
Cost: FOCC members free; Non-members $5 donation
REGISTER NOW
