COMING SOON-- WORKSHOPS
What really goes in the blue bin
--and what doesn't
Deepen your outdoor experience
--Use a topo map and compass
COMING SOON-- PHOTO GALLERY
Browse photos of a coming tour
--or of the tour you just took
ARMCHAIR TOUR!
Movie: Cane Toads: An Unnatural History
--A comedic short documentary that examines the disastrous results of interfering with an ecosystem by bringing in non-native species. Farmers in Australia, frustrated with an infestation of beetles, imported cane toads from Hawaii who wound up not eating the beetles, poisoning all their natural predators and multiplying to the point of becoming a larger nuisance than the beetles ever were.
Book: The Life of the Skies
--by Jonathan Rosen
--New York Times book review says: If Peterson and Sibley [birding guide book authors] provided checklists . . . then “The Life of the Skies” is the essay question, the question being: Does bird-watching offer a bird-watcher an avenue toward greater meaning, like prayer or yoga? For his part, Rosen, a novelist and the author of “The Talmud and the Internet,” has a lot of faith in it as a meditative act. “I can’t think of any activity that more fully captures what it means to be human in the modern world than watching birds,” he writes.
Stories of all the great American birders are included, from Thoreau to Teddy Roosevelt to "Kenn Kaufman, the Jack Kerouac of birding, who in the '70s hitchhiked the back roads of America for sightings."
Music: Appalachian Spring
--By Aaron Copland
--The sound of spring fever on the West Coast, not only in Appalachia! Try the recording by Michael Tilson Thomas's S.F. Symphony.
TOUR TIP
The warmer sunshine feels good, but don't pay for it later. Remember your hat or bandana and a lightweight long sleeved shirt. Apply sunscreen effective against both UVA and UVB, and bring a small bottle so you can reapply during rest breaks. The spot most people forget to protect? The top edge of the ears! Ouch!
CUSTOMIZE
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Learn more today.
ECO-HISTORY FACT
The Eco-History facts revealed in our 3/2/08 tour of the Quicksilver Mine in Almaden were so fascinating that folks demanded we offer it again! Do you know how Bay Area people and the environment have always influenced each other... in this case, from the pre-Gold Rush discovery of mercury ore to today?
Learn the surprising facts as we walk through beautiful landscapes, ghost towns with gardens still blooming today, and see a mercury reduction furnace. See the tour description from the first time we offered it!
The tentative date for this second visit is 6/7/08. If you're interested, let us know. Give your email address, and we'll keep you posted. Remember, if you enjoyed the first trip, the wildflowers and weather will be different the second time!
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California Tours More than 30 Miles from S.F., Tours Far from San Francisco at CaliforniaNatureTours.com
San Francisco Tours and Outdoor Adventures Beyond San Francisco City
Longer California Tours can be more relaxing.
Old Mine Ghost Towns at Almaden Walk
Sun 3/2/08, 10am
Ghost town and historical Almaden Mine are quiet now
- Richest mine in California history
- Wildflowers and garden flowers
- Ghost town and museum
- Toxic legacy of mercury revealed
- 10yrs+, 6 miles/8k, 6hrs
- Sun 3/2/08, 10am, $25 USD
- Almaden Park in San Jose CA
FAQ, Contact David
Redwoods and Waterfalls Cycling in Big Basin
Sat 4/19/08, 10:30am
Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin © Michael Wetter
- Giant redwoods
- Three big waterfalls
- Wildflowers galore
- Easy mountain bike trail
- 11yrs+, 11m/18k, 6hrs
- Sat 4/19/08, 10:30am, $25
- Waddell Creek Beach in Davenport CA
FAQ, Contact David
S.F. South Bay Backcountry Henry Coe State Park
Sun 5/04/08, 10:30am
Henry Coe State Park's endless hills are delightful
- Wildflowers on rolling hills
- Old growth oak forest, creeks
- Refreshing swimming hole
- Great wild turkeys!
- 12yrs+, 9miles/14k, 6 hrs
- Sun 5/04/08, 10:30am, $25 USD
- Henry Coe Park in Morgan Hill CA
FAQ, Contact David
Big Basin Redwoods Easy Backpack
Sat-Sun 5/31/08-6/1/08, 10:30am
- Easy 2day intro to backpacking
- Into the redwoods from the shore
- Follow the flowing creek, no uphill
- Includes meals but not gear
- 12yrs+, 6m/10k, 2days
- St-Sn 5/31/08-6/1, 10:30am, $89 USD
- Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County CA
FAQ, Contact David
Big Sur Monterey Car Camping and Hiking
Fri-Mon 6/13/08-6/16/08, 9:30am
Big Sur Coast: ocean, rocks, and drama
- Big Sur Coast, Mission San Antonio
- Camping beneath redwoods
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- includes meals but not gear
- 7 yrs+, max 4m/6k/day, 4days
- F-M 6/13/08-6/16, 9:30am, $369 USD
- Carpool caravan from San Francisco CA will be arranged
FAQ, Contact David
Yosemite Tahoe Ghost Town Van Tour and Walking
Tue-Tue, 8/5/08-8/12, 9am
Yosemite National Park's Tenaya Lake
- Tahoe, Yosemite, Sacramento
- Go back in time to the Old West!
- Historic hotels, hostels, lodges
- All meals included
- 10yrs+, 4m walk/day, 8days
- Tu-Tu, 8/5/08-8/12, 9am, $1995 USD
- Vanpool from San Francisco TBD
FAQ, Contact David
Sonoma Napa Wine History Private Walking Tour
Fri 8/15/08, 9am
- Sonoma Napa wine's birthplace
- Sonoma wineries, Sonoma Mission
- Jack London's home and vineyards
- 7yrs+, 2m/3k walk, 8hrs
- Fri 8/15/08, 9am, $99 USD
- Other dates by request
- Pickup from, return to San Francisco
FAQ, Contact David
Organic Farms Artisan Foods Van Tour
Sat 8/23/08, 9am
Organic farm sustainable agriculture on California coast
- Heirloom veggies rarely seen
- Occidental Arts Eco Center
- Artisan olive oils, cheeses, chocolate
- The ultimate foodie experience!
- 14yrs+, 1m/1.5k, 9 hrs
- Sat 8/23/08, 9am, $99 USD
- Vanpool from San Francisco TBD
FAQ, Contact David
DON'T WANT A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TOUR OUTSIDE SAN FRANCISCO, TOUR MORE THAN 30 MILES FROM SAN FRANCISCO, TRIP OUTSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA?
Below are the top six tours from all categories and dozens of tours. Or see summary list of all tours, or browse categories at left.
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Action Alert
California State Parks Saved!
Gov. Schwarzenegger scuttled his plan to close 48 of them! Call the Governor to thank him at (916) 445-2841.
Learn more
I've really enjoyed many of David's hikes!
On Montara Mountain we had a stunning 360 degree panoramic view of the coast.
At Point Reyes we swam in beautiful Bass Lake and saw the sublime Alamere Waterfalls.
David is very knowledgeable about Nature and the History of the Bay Area. He's also very attentive to the hikers.
I'll be back-- again!
Mr. M.C.
San Mateo, CA
Thank you David, for your
hike at China Camp.
It was a beautiful setting and we saw deer at close range.
But what made it especially interesting & memorable was your knowledge of the area.
I'm looking forward to
reading the book!
Thanks again and regards,
Ms. A.V.
Oakland, CA
I'm an inquisitive hiker who often wants to know more than previous guides seem to know...
But sometimes I just
want quiet moments.
Somehow, David does both
things just right!
A tour with David really does have something more.
Ms. C.A.
San Francisco, CA
In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
John Muir
The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
John Muir
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