February 2024
Gold Rush History
Step back in time and join us for the Deer Creek Gold Rush. Lead docent David Scharlach will guide us on a hike 3-miles long and a century and a half back in time as he retells the story of the search for gold at Deer Creek. In 1849, it is said that a gold nugget the size of your fist was found nearby on the Cosumnes River at Cooks Bar. By 1850, the town that sprang up there boasted…
Find out more »Self-Guided Hikes
Hike, stroll, meander or run. Self-guided hikes are for YOU! Explore the marked trails of Deer Creek Hills Preserve at your own speed Saturdays February through May and October through November. Visitors MUST: Pre-register and pre-pay the $10 registration fee per person. Register by 6pm Friday to receive the pre-visit email. Late registrants will need to show their confirmation email at checkin. Liability waivers must be printed and completely filled out prior to arrival. Donations are vital to maintaining the Preserve…
Find out more »Equestrian Ride
Buddy up with your horse and take a docent-led equestrian adventure, traveling over the rolling hills, and maneuvering past outcrops of rocks along the trail’s edge. Take in the seemingly endless grassland and tree-studded horizons of this pristine protected landscape. BYO horse and gear, including a muck bucket and water for your horse after the ride. Groups travel at a walk and are usually from 8-10 in size. Horses and riders should be accustomed to riding in groups and in…
Find out more »Self-Guided Hikes
Hike, stroll, meander or run. Self-guided hikes are for YOU! Explore the marked trails of Deer Creek Hills Preserve at your own speed Saturdays February through May and October through November. Visitors MUST: Pre-register and pre-pay the $10 registration fee per person. Register by 6pm Friday to receive the pre-visit email. Late registrants will need to show their confirmation email at checkin. Liability waivers must be printed and completely filled out prior to arrival. Donations are vital to maintaining the Preserve…
Find out more »Fabulous Fungi
Our naturalist hikes (second Saturday of every month, Feb-May) start off with a meander through blue and interior live oak groves in search of the fruiting bodies of fungi – aka mushrooms. Docents will share their discoveries from earlier in the week and help you understand the basics of mushroom identification. A short informational handout about other resources for mushroom ID will be provided. With only about 7% of mushroom species identified there is a whole new world to explore. A…
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