Park Happenings for November

Please feel free to use excerpts. Photos available at bit.ly/ParkHappeningsforNovember2024
 

Turn Black Friday Green – Free Park Day on Friday, Nov. 29. Green Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – is a great time to visit Regional Parks for free and spend quality time with family and friends. All entrance and activity fees are waived on Green Friday, including parking, dogs, horses, boat launching, and fishing, as well as entrance to Ardenwood Historic Farm. The fee waiver does not include state fees for fishing licenses and watercraft inspections, or concessionaires, such as the Tilden Merry-Go-Round or Redwood Valley Railway steam train.
 

Select Green Friday programs on Friday, Nov. 29 include:

• Hike It Off (Work off your Thanksgiving Meal), 9 a.m. at Reinhardt Redwood (Drop-in)
• Green Friday: Discover Nature's Gifts, 10 a.m. at Round Valley (Registration Required)
• Green Friday Mine Tours, 10:30 a.m. at Black Diamond Mines (Drop-in)
• Green Friday Hike, 10:30 a.m. at Coyote Hills (Drop-in)

More info: Celebrating Green Friday

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South Park Drive Closed for Annual Newt Migration. South Park Drive in Tilden Regional Park is closed to all motor vehicle traffic through March 31, 2025, to protect migrating and breeding newts. Visitors are welcome to use the road during the closure for walking, cycling, and dog-walking. Please keep dogs away from the newts as they are poisonous to pets. Cyclists are asked to proceed slowly and avoid newts crossing the road. Annual South Park Drive Closure for Newt Migration

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Experience King Tides Along the Shoreline. King tides occur when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between the sun, moon, and Earth, causing unusually high tides. Learn about the future effects on the East Bay shorelines and how the District is implementing plans for sea level rise and habitat and shoreline resiliency.

Observing the King Tide, Crab Cove: Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10:30 a.m. to noon
Meet at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove for the king tide. Observe areas that might be flooded, discover where some birds take shelter, take photos to submit to the California King Tides Project, and discuss how urban planners hope to protect the future of our shoreline. More info.   

King Tides at Dotson's Marsh, Point Pinole: Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Hike through Dotson’s Marsh to witness this season’s King Tides. Meet at the Atlas Staging Area Entrance. Up to three miles roundtrip. Wear sturdy shoes, boots preferred, and clothing you don’t mind getting damp. More info. 

Beautify the Bay & Clean Up the Shoreline (AFTER the King Tide), Crab Cove: Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Help clean up trash deposited along the shoreline during the king tide. Gloves and buckets will be provided, or you may bring your own. Snacks and refreshments served. Community service hours available. Heavy rain cancels. More info. 

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All Seasons Family Stroll in Las Trampas: Nov. 17. Come to a family-friendly stroll on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon and enjoy the changes of the season. Learn how animals stay warm during the winter months while enjoying a warm cup of hot chocolate. Dress warmly, and please bring a reusable mug for a warm beverage. Meet at Bollinger Canyon Staging Area. More info.

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Green Friday Contra Loma Mini Forest Project (Nov. 29 & 30). Spend your Green Friday (and Saturday, too!) helping to create a new mini forest at Contra Loma Regional Park! Volunteers will help restore a healthy native habitat by planting oaks, cottonwoods, and buckeye trees in a new grove near the shores of Contra Loma reservoir. More info.