Let's Go Outdoors! BSLT Earth Day Guided Hike: Lunch Bench/Corona Cabin | April 22
2025-04-22 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Join Big Sur Land Trust for a loop hike featuring highlights of the Lobos Corona Parklands, part of BSLT’s legacy of land conservation.
Celebrate Earth Day 2025 on a hike with Big Sur Land Trust from the Williams Canyon parking meadow through Mitteldorf Preserve and the Palo Corona Regional Park backcountry. We will traverse 8 miles and climb over 2200 feet. We will spend much of the day on lands not open to the public that are part of Big Sur Land Trust’s 46-year and 45,000-acre legacy of land conservation, so it will be our special pleasure to enable managed access to these conserved lands in support of our continuing land conservation efforts.
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World Ocean Day 2025 | June 6
2025-06-06 08:00 - 17:00 | Glen Deven Ranch
Join us for expert-led birding on a Monterey Audubon Society field trip at Big Sur Land Trust’s Glen Deven Ranch.
Friday, June 6
8:00am – 5:00pm
Glen Deven Ranch, Carmel
This World Ocean Day, Big Sur Land Trust and the Monterey Audubon Society will come together in the beauty of Glen Deven Ranch for a day of birding and spectacular views made possible by our ocean and the conservation of coastal lands. This event is appropriate for beginning birders and all those interested in learning how to better identify our local breeding birds. The day will begin with an easy, 2.5-mile out-and-back walk along the Ridge Trail and then continue after lunch with a moderate, 4.5 mile out-and-back hike along the Canyon Trail.

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Let's Go Outdoors! Carmel River FREE tour | September 19 (9am-11:30am)
2025-09-19 09:00 - 11:30 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Enjoy a 3.5-mile round-trip hike/tour of the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CR FREE) project site, led by Big Sur Land Trust’s Vice President of Conservation, Rachel Saunders.
Big Sur Land Trust’s CR FREE project is one of the most extensive and important multi-benefit flood protection and riparian habitat restoration efforts on the Central Coast. Using a nature-based green infrastructure approach, it will reclaim the southern floodplain to direct water away from developed areas north of the river.
Our hike will be a slow-paced, staff-led tour of this project site.
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Let's Go Outdoors! San Jose Creek 2-mile hike | October 24 (9am - 2pm)
2025-10-24 09:00 - 14:00 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Join Big Sur Land Trust for a gentle 2-mile guided hike along the San Jose Creek Trail.

Every step of this hike was made possible through our partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, California State Parks, and Point Lobos Foundation as collaborative members of the Lobos Corona Parklands project – along with generous donors and funders. Shuttles will transport hikers from Palo Corona Regional Park (Rancho Cañada) to the Ishxenta State Park San Jose Creek trailhead, which is only accessible through guided hikes. From there, we will meander up the gentle incline along San Jose Creek, looking for early wildflowers along the way. After crossing over San Jose Creek’s three magnificent redwood bridges, we will arrive at the meadow that will be our turnaround point. This hike is a beautiful reminder that collaboration can bring beautiful change and that our actions are stronger when taken together. We are grateful to our partners and to our donors for each step forward that we take together.
Bring: Snacks to enjoy along the hike, plus everything you need for a half-day of backcountry hiking. Sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes are required, and layers are recommended.

Distance: 2 miles
Elevation: 150′ total ascent
Difficulty: Easy
Pace: Easy

Please note:

Each participant must be individually registered (including kids, who need to be accompanied by an adult).
Transport from the meet-up location to the trailhead (approx. 10 min drive) will be by facilitated carpool.

CAUTION: While the trails we will be on are well-tended, this area is known to have extremely high tick densities. Please take extra precautions when preparing for this hike (wear light-colored clothes, wear pants that can be tucked into socks, bring and use tick repellent, etc.) and be sure to do a thorough tick-check following your day with us.
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Let's Go Outdoors! Williams Canyon to Rancho Cañada | November 17 (8am - 5pm)
2025-11-17 08:00 - 17:00 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Join Big Sur Land Trust for a guided hike from the Williams Canyon parking meadow to Palo Corona Regional Park’s Rancho Cañada Unit.
Join Big Sur Land Trust on a guided hike from the Williams Canyon parking meadow to Palo Corona Regional Park’s Rancho Cañada Unit. We will traverse 8.5 miles (including three creek crossings) and climb over 1500 feet through Santa Lucia Conservancy land and Palo Corona Regional Park’s backcountry and front ranch. We will spend much of the day on lands not open to the public that are part of Big Sur Land Trust’s 45-year and 45,000-acre legacy of land conservation, so it will be our special pleasure to enable managed access to these conserved lands in support of our continuing land conservation efforts.
Bring: A picnic lunch and plenty of water, plus everything you need for a day of strenuous backcountry hiking. There will be creek crossings, so be prepared to get your feet wet! Sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes are required, and layers are recommended.

Distance: 8.5 miles
Elevation: 1500 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous. Hikers should expect creek crossings and plenty of climbing and descent along this beautiful backcountry route.

Please note:

Each participant must be individually registered (including kids, who need to be accompanied by an adult).
Hikers must be 15+ years of age.
Transport from the meet-up location to the trailhead (approx. 20 min drive) will be by facilitated carpool.
Please leave 4-legged friends at home (dogs are not permitted on BSLT guided hikes).

CAUTION: While the trails we will be on are well-tended, this area is known to have extremely high tick densities. Please take extra precautions when preparing for this hike (wear light-colored clothes, wear pants that can be tucked into socks, bring and use tick repellent, etc.), and be sure to do a thorough tick-check following your day with us.
Register >>

JOIN WAITLIST! Let's Go Outdoors! Carmel River FREE tour | March 20 (9am-11:30am)
2026-03-20 09:00 - 11:30 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Enjoy a 3.5-mile round-trip hike of the CR FREE project site, led by Big Sur Land Trust’s Vice President of Conservation, Rachel Saunders.
Big Sur Land Trust’s Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CR FREE) project is one of the most extensive and important multi-benefit flood protection and riparian habitat restoration efforts on the Central Coast. Using a nature-based green infrastructure approach, it will reclaim the southern floodplain to direct water away from developed areas north of the river.
Our hike will be a slow-paced, staff-led tour of this project site.
Please note that minors will need to be accompanied by an adult. Please leave four-legged friends at home. Thank you!
Bring: Everything you will need for a gentle walk. Closed-toed hiking shoes and layers are strongly recommended.
Walk details:

Distance: 3.5 miles
Total ascent: 130 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Dirt trail (non-technical)

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FULL! Williams Canyon to Rancho Cañada Earth Day Hike | April 22
2026-04-22 08:00 - 17:00 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Join Big Sur Land Trust for a guided hike from the Williams Canyon parking meadow to Palo Corona Regional Park’s Rancho Cañada Unit.

We will traverse 8.5 miles (including three creek crossings) and climb over 1500 feet through Santa Lucia Conservancy land and Palo Corona Regional Park’s backcountry and front ranch. We will spend much of the day on lands not open to the public that are part of Big Sur Land Trust’s 45-year and 45,000-acre legacy of land conservation, so it will be our special pleasure to enable managed access to these conserved lands in support of our continuing land conservation efforts.
Bring: A picnic lunch and plenty of water, plus everything you need for a day of strenuous backcountry hiking. There will be creek crossings, so be prepared to get your feet wet! Sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes are required, and layers are recommended.

Distance: 8.5 miles
Elevation: 1500 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous. Hikers should expect creek crossings and plenty of climbing and descent along this beautiful backcountry route.

Register >>

San Jose Creek 2-mile Hike | May 23
2026-05-23 09:00 - 14:00 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
Join Big Sur Land Trust for a gentle 2-mile guided hike along the San Jose Creek Trail.

Every step of this hike was made possible through our partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, California State Parks, and Point Lobos Foundation as collaborative members of the Lobos Corona Parklands project — along with generous donors and funders. Shuttles will transport hikers from Palo Corona Regional Park (Rancho Cañada) to the Ishxenta State Park San Jose Creek trailhead, which is only accessible through guided hikes. From there, we will meander up the gentle incline along San Jose Creek, looking for early wildflowers along the way. After crossing over San Jose Creek’s three magnificent redwood bridges, we will arrive at the meadow that will be our turnaround point. This hike is a beautiful reminder that collaboration can bring beautiful change and that our actions are stronger when taken together. We are grateful to our partners and to our donors for each step forward that we take together.
Bring: Snacks to enjoy along the hike, plus everything you need for a half-day of backcountry hiking. Sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes are required, and layers are recommended.

Distance: 2 miles
Elevation: 150′ total ascent
Difficulty: Easy
Pace: Easy

Register >>

Carmel River FREE Tour | September 25
2026-09-25 09:00 - 12:00 | Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923, United States
