Calendar

Explore Nature at Night with The Nature Reserve. Join us for a family friendly evening learning about nocturnal native animals. Meet our animal ambassadors, Rosy the snake and Squeakers the toad. Make and take a fun nature craft and take a twilight trek along San Juan Creek.

Participants must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

Explore Nature at Night with The Nature Reserve. Join us for a family friendly evening learning about nocturnal native animals. Meet our animal ambassadors, Rosy the snake and Squeakers the toad. Make and take a fun nature craft and take a twilight trek along San Juan Creek.

Participants must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

Join us for an evening learning about The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo! Find out how you can explore the lands and the trails that make up The Nature Reserve. Hear about The Nature Reserve’s role in local habitat conservation and how you can have a part in this effort.

• Get local wildlife and trail information
• Meet staff and volunteers
• Enjoy some hot coffee, tea, and desserts
• Ask all your Nature Reserve questions

Presentation from 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm. Stop by for short time or stay for the entire program. Staff are available for questions before and after the presentation. All ages welcome (presentation recommended for ages 10 and up)

Calling bird watchers of all levels - beginners to expert! We invite you to migrate over for a morning of bird watching at The Nature Reserve Headquarters, as we offer you hot tea or coffee. Observe on your own, or with staff and volunteers.

Complimentary tea and coffee provided. Please bring your own reusable mug. Nature Reserve mugs will also be available for purchase for $10.

Ages: 12 and up

Volunteer to spend a few hours in beautiful surroundings helping The Nature Reserve. Join the crew dedicated to protecting our native ecosystems by clearing trails, restoring habitats, and eliminating weeds. Volunteer efforts make an impact! (BRING: Work gloves if you have them).

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up  (Volunteers under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.)

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Friday, September 15th.

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the night sky, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our guest astronomers. The Nature Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (What to bring: warm clothing, flashlight with red cellophane/lens to reduce light pollution, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Go Wild! Explore the amazing animals native to California and learn how to protect them. Campers embark on daily nature adventures as they explore trails, outdoor play areas, trees, and more! Each week features our live animal ambassadors. Camp topics are reinforced through games, art projects, and hands-on activities. In addition to scheduled activities, campers are given supervised free time to experience nature on their own.

Dates:  June 10 - June 13, 2024
Time:  9:00 am - 2:00 pm (Drop off begins 8:30 am)
Ages: 6-11

For a discounted price on a week of camp, sign up for a yearly Family Level Supportership! Receive a discount on camp and attend most Nature Reserve events for FREE throughout the year. Contact us for more details.

Campers must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Friday, June 7.

Please join us for Volunteer Orientation and Training!

This fun and informational orientation is the first step in joining us as an official Nature Reserve Volunteer. Learn about The Nature Reserve's history, philosophy and mission, as well as skills for working with the public. Meet other volunteers and learn how you can help preserve Nature Reserve lands through conservation and education.

 Ages: Adult, 18 and up

Thank you for expressing interest in volunteering for The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

Dig into the past on an adventure in archaeology! Campers embark on daily nature adventures as they explore trails, outdoor play areas, trees, and more! Each week features our live animal ambassadors. Camp topics are reinforced through games, art projects, and hands-on activities. In addition to scheduled activities, campers are given supervised free time to experience nature on their own.

Dates:  June 17 - June 20, 2024
Time:  9:00 am - 2:00 pm (Drop off begins 8:30 am)
Ages: 6-11

For a discounted price on a week of camp, sign up for a yearly Family Level Supportership! Receive a discount on camp and attend most Nature Reserve events for FREE throughout the year. Contact us for more details.

Campers must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Friday, June 14.

Enjoy summer's first full moon with stroll on the Nature Reserve. We'll enjoy a walk through oak and sycamore trees. As we explore, we'll watch the full moon rise and bathe the hillsides and trails in moonlight.

Create works of art inspired by nature's colorful palette. Campers embark on daily nature adventures as they explore trails, outdoor play areas, trees, and more! Each week features our live animal ambassadors. Camp topics are reinforced through games, art projects, and hands-on activities. In addition to scheduled activities, campers are given supervised free time to experience nature on their own.

Dates:  June 24 - June 27, 2024
Time:  9:00 am - 2:00 pm (Drop off begins 8:30 am)
Ages: 6-11

For a discounted price on a week of camp, sign up for a yearly Family Level Supportership! Receive a discount on camp and attend most Nature Reserve events for FREE throughout the year. Contact us for more details.

Campers must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Friday, June 21.

Admire the expansive views on a 3.5 mile morning hike along North Ridge and Middle Ridge trails on the Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy.

Interpretation Level:  Low
Difficulty Level:  Moderate with some strenuous hills
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, June 28.

Please join us for Volunteer Orientation and Training!

This fun and informational orientation is the first step in joining us as an official Nature Reserve Volunteer. Learn about The Nature Reserve's history, philosophy and mission, as well as skills for working with the public. Meet other volunteers and learn how you can help preserve Nature Reserve lands through conservation and education.

 Ages: Adult, 18 and up

Thank you for expressing interest in volunteering for The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the night sky, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our guest astronomers. The Nature Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (What to bring: warm clothing, flashlight with red cellophane/lens to reduce light pollution, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Investigate the tracks, scat, and other evidence of wildlife on The Nature Reserve on a family-friendly walk. Look for feathers, furs, bones and more as we become wildlife detectives on the trail. Create your own animal track plaque of an awesome CA native animal!

Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 6 and up

Participants must be registered or on the waitlist by 4:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

California critters are the coolest! Meet live animal ambassadors to find out how California native animals survive in our forests, grasslands, oceans, and deserts. Observe bones, feathers, and fur to make scientific discoveries about the coolest creatures on The Nature Reserve and beyond!

Registration not required, walk-ins welcome. The program is open house style with self-guided and naturalist-guided hands-on activities and crafts.  Please arrive within 30 minutes of program start time to enjoy all of the activities. Program activities will end promptly at the event end time.

This program is geared for children ages 4 and up. All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.

Hoots, howls and other cries in the night are what we'll be listening for on this nighttime adventure on The Reserve.  Enjoy a night hike, as we learn about nocturnal animals and listen for the calls of the wild.

Interpretation Level:  High
Difficulty Level:  Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm, July 19.

Make art and make a difference. Create earth-friendly crafts from recycled and natural materials, reducing waste and helping the planet! Bring your creativity to make an upcycled innovation inspired by our live animal ambassadors.

Registration not required, walk-ins welcome. The program is open house style with self-guided and naturalist-guided hands-on activities and crafts.  Please arrive within 30 minutes of program start time to enjoy all of the activities. Program activities will end promptly at the event end time.

This program is geared for children ages 4 and up. All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.

Flowers depend upon friends like bees, butterflies, birds, and even you! "Bee" a flower friend and find out how you can help local wildflowers and their pollinator partners.

Registration not required, walk-ins welcome. The program is open house style with self-guided and naturalist-guided hands-on activities and crafts.  Please arrive within 30 minutes of program start time to enjoy all of the activities. Program activities will end promptly at the event end time.

This program is geared for children ages 4 and up. All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.