Friends of China Camp

It’s not often that you get to peek into the lives of a federally endangered species. Here at China Camp, we’re lucky to have a healthy population of a critically threatened bird, the Ridgway’s rail. This secretive, hen-size marsh bird—mottled gray-brown in color with a rusty chest—scurries along the serpentine... Read more »

Bundle up the whole family and head to the picnic area at China Camp Point to watch 2025’s last full moon rise. No need to hike to an overlook this month, since the easy-to-access point is the perfect place to catch this monthly spectacle. Mohican tribes called this month’s lunar... Read more »

If you’ve lived through a wet winter in this area, you know that the highest tides of the year, called king tides, create quite a show at China Camp. Combined with runoff from winter storms, king tides can turn the park’s bayfront wetlands and meadows into shallow lakes of brackish... Read more »

At the edge of a meadow, a male Anna’s hummingbird whizzes by, lands on a twig, and starts singing his rusty-hinge song. Towhees scuff in the dry leaves. Overhead, an osprey flaps by, a fish clutched in its talons. Even though our seasonal summertime birds have headed to warmer climes... Read more »

This year, we’re seeking out the last bit of sunshine on the cusp of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Join us as we take a special walk around one of our most peaceful locations, Miwok Meadows. As one of the best places to see the park’s... Read more »

Ring in the new year in a spectacular way. Join naturalist Harold Hirsch as he leads our annual New Year’s Day sunrise hike—a heart-pumping and fun way to welcome 2026. Start with an invigorating ascent to one of China Camp’s premier vista points, then, at 7:26 a.m., watch the sun... Read more »