Soundscapes are auditory landscapes that encapsulate the diverse and harmonious interplay of ambient sounds, from the wildlife to the non-biological, creating a rich and immersive sonic environment. Venture out on this auditory experience with Jack Hines, Soundscape Ecologist at Ear to the Wild and Sonoma Ecology Center’s GIS Specialist. As part of this year’s City Nature Challenge, we will learn about recording sound for submission to platforms such as iNaturalist or Merlin for species identification, or options to improve sound quality of recordings using external microphones. No mobility is required, as we will simply remain around the White Barn parking lot and adjacent areas, including the creek on the Creekside Nature Trail.
Meet at the White Barn. Bring water, layers, a full battery on your mobile device (or alternatively, an audio recording machine), a flashlight to light the way, and if you desire, a cushion to sit on. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children ages 7 to 18. This event is not recommended for children under 7 years old. Parking fees apply; rain cancels.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29.
Ease of Access: The White Barn parking area has one van-designated parking spot and multiple regular parking spots that can easily be used by accessible vans. There is an accessible porta-potty a few feet from the van-designated parking spot. The parking area is adjacent to the road that leads to the group camp, outside Robert Ferguson Observatory. The road to the group camp is flat, paved, and about 1/4-mile one-way. The Creekside Nature Trail is ADA-compliant. There are no lights other than a safety light at the White Barn.
For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.
Do you enjoy slow walks in a valley, breezes, wildflowers, the sounds of songbirds, the taste of a Douglas Fir needle or a California Bay leaf, the aroma of tarweed, or watching wild turkeys and California Quail hunt for seeds and insects in the grass? Join California Certified Naturalists Marie-Kay Hansen and Judy Armstrong for this series of meandering explorations. Each month (weather-permitting) we will explore one or two of our accessible trails– the Creekside Nature Trail, or the Meadow Trail. Suitable for all levels and a range of mobility, these Sunday afternoon adventures will accommodate young children, parents with babies in strollers, and people using walkers or wheelchairs as well as those who just enjoy slow walks in nature that stimulate the five senses.
Our May program will focus on the serpentine grassland along Meadow Trail, chaparral along Hillside Trail, the riparian area and oak woodlands adjacent to Creekside Trail, and the fir forests on Sugarloaf Ridge above the campground. There will be frequent stops and opportunities for conversation, photography, nature journaling, wildlife viewing, resting, etc., so bring your nature journal, camera, or binoculars, if you have them. We also invite you to bring a small, foldable camping chair, if you think you might need it.
Tickets are $5-$10 sliding scale for adults and free for children under 12. Wear comfortable shoes, a hat, sun protection, bring at least a quart of water and if desired, a snack.
Ease of access: There is one van-designated accessible parking spot at the White Barn, as well as an accessible porta-potty. The Lower Bald Mt Trail trailhead from the Observatory is a rough gravel hiking trail of approximately 671ft in length and 54ft of elevation gain. Meadow Trail is an unpaved fire road that is mostly flat although not technically ADA-compliant. Some wheelchair users with off-road capacity chairs have successfully travelled this trail, which during the dry season is relatively accessible for viewing different habitats including a large meadow. Hillside has three trailheads; the northernmost one that connects the Meadow Trail with the White Barn is relatively flat and compacted gravel. The Creekside Nature Trail is a 0.49-mi (one way) ADA-compliant trail. The path from Creekside to the amphitheater is a 433ft unpaved road with a maximum running slope of 13%. The path from the amphitheater center to the campground is 77ft, concrete paved, with a narrow bridge with tall side rails.
For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.