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San Diego River Days


We love our San Diego River and want to keep it clean and keep it green for generations to come! The San Diego River Park Foundation puts on the San Diego River Days events every year as a way for everyone to celebrate the river through exploration, discovery and stewardship.

How will you celebrate the San Diego River this year?

There are 43 FREE events happening this year over 2 weekends: May 12, 13, 19 & 20. Not all of them are kid-friendly, but the ones that are will be so fun. Like today, we planted some milkweed seeds at the Santee Historical Society's (above) butterfly garden to help bring back the pollinators.

Check the San Diego River Days website for details. Here are the events they have listed below. Those marked with a (👫) may be the most kid-friendly options, but use your own judgement of course.

SATURDAY MAY 12th

Wildlife Tracking at Kumeyaay Lake

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – noon Meeting Location: 2 Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego, CA 92119 Host: San Diego Tracking Team

IMPACT – Invasive Species Removal Workparty

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – noon Meeting Location: 2508 Hotel Circle Place, San Diego, CA 92108 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

👫 Dog Beach Clean-Up

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Dog Beach Dog Paw, Ocean Beach, 92107 Host: Friends of Dog Beach and Dog Beach Dog Wash

👫 Beach Cleanup

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Ocean Beach Pier, 5091 Niagara Ave, San Diego, CA 92107 Host: Surfrider Foundation

Coastal Habitat Restoration

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – noon Meeting Location: River Mouth in Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach Bike Path, 92107 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

👫 Mural Painting Garden Beautification Workshop

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:30 am – 11:30 am Meeting Location: 4444 Greene St., San Diego, CA 92107 Host: San Diego Plein Air Painters Meetup

Ruffin Canyon Open Space Hike

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 8:00 am – 10:30 am Meeting Location: Meet at Taft Middle School in Serra Mesa: 9191 Gramercy Dr, San Diego, CA 92123 Host: San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers

👫 Clean Water Warriors

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Meeting Location: Mission Valley, 2107 Qualcomm Way, San Diego, CA 92108 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

👫 Guided River Walk

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am Meeting Location: Fashion Valley Mall, 7007 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108. Host: Walkabout International

Lake Murray Beautification

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – noon Meeting Location: Lake Murray, La Mesa Host: City of San Diego Park Rangers

👫 Historic Barn Open House and Monarch Butterfly Experience (pictured above)

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Meeting Location: The Historic Barn: 9200 N. Magnolia Ave., Santee, 92071 Host: Santee Historical Society

Clean & Green River Cleanup: El Monte Valley

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: El Monte County Park, 15805 El Monte Rd., Lakeside, CA 92040 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation and Allied Climbers

Trail Team Volunteer Work Party

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 2pm Meeting Location: 5030 Eagle Peak Rd., Julian, CA 92036 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation and San Diego Mountain Biking Association

👫 El Monte County Park Tree Planting Party

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9am-1pm Meeting Location: 15805 El Monte Rd, Lakeside, CA 92040 Host: San Diego County Rangers

Wright’s Field Guided Hike

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: 2001 Tavern Rd, Alpine, CA 91901 Host: Back Country Land Trust

North Shepherd Canyon Tree Planting and Habitat Renewal

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 8:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: North-east corner of Antigua Blvd & Santo Rd. Approximate address: 5891 Antigua Blvd, San Diego, CA 92124 Host: Friends of Tierrasanta Canyons

Old Town Native Plant Landscape Work Party

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:30 am – noon Meeting Location: Taylor St and Congress St, San Diego, 92110 Host: California Native Plant Society

Famosa Slough Wetland Restoration

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – noon Meeting Location: 4285 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107 Host: Friends of Famosa Slough

SUNDAY MAY 13th

👫 Famosa Slough Hike

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Meeting Location: Famosa Slough, 4283 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107 Host: San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers

👫 Mother’s Day San Diego River Garden Work Party

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: San Diego River Garden in Mission Valley: 3376 Camino Del Rio N., San Diego, 92108 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

Rancho Mission Canyon Environmental Stewardship

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 9am – 11am Meeting Location: 7661 Margerum Ave, San Diego, CA 92120 Host: San Diego City Open Space Rangers

Fly Fishers’ Free Casting Clinic #1

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: starting at 9:00 am Meeting Location: Lake Murray, just west of boat launch: 5540 Kiowa Dr., La Mesa, 91942 Host: San Diego Fly Fishers

Silverwood Streamside Hike

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am Meeting Location: Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary: 13003 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside, 92040 Host: San Diego Audubon Society

Cedar Creek Falls BioBlitz Hike

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Meeting Location: Cedar Creek Falls Thornbush Trailhead, 15519 Thornbush Rd., Ramona, CA 92065 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation and US Forest Service

👫 Mother’s Day Hike and Picnic at Eagle Peak Ranch

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Meeting Location: Eagle Peak Ranch, 5030 Eagle Peak Rd., Julian, CA 92036 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

SATURDAY MAY 19th

Lake Cuyamaca Hike with the Ramblers

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 9:30 am – 11:30 am Meeting Location: Hwy 79 and Yaqui Drive – park along Yaqui Dr. at mailboxes Host: Julian Woman’s Club

👫 Famosa Slough Nature and Bird Walk

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Meeting Location: 2935 Famosa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107 Host: Friends of Famosa Slough

👫👫👫 Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, and River Crafts

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm Meeting Location: Mission Valley Public Library: 2123 Fenton Parkway, San Diego, CA 92108 Host: Mission Valley Public Library

Clean & Green River Cleanup: Mission Valley East

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Meeting Location: Meet at the Quicki-Lube, 4232 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego, CA 92108 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

Adventure 16 Backpackers’ Swapmeet

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Meeting Location: Adventure 16: 4620 Alvarado Canyon Rd., San Diego, CA 92120 Host: Adventure 16 San Diego

👫 If You Plant It, They Will Come: Native Habitat Gardening

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am Meeting Location: City Farmers Nursery, 3110 Euclid Ave., San Diego, 92105 Hosts: Moosa Creek Nursery and City Farmers Nursery

Headwaters Habitat Restoration

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 8:30 am – 2:30 pm Meeting Location: Boulder Creek Preserve Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

Volcan Mountain Summit Hike

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 8:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Volcan Moutain Wildnerness Preserve Trailhead, 1209 Farmer Rd., Julian, 92036 Host: Volcan Mountain Foundation

The Monarch Butterfly: How to Create a Garden Habitat

Date: Saturday, May 19, 2018 / Time: 9:30 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Santee Public Library: 9225 Carlton Hills Blvd. #17, Santee, 92071 Host: San Diego County Library, Santee Branch

SUNDAY MAY 20th

Fly Fishers’ Free Casting Clinic #2

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: starting at 9:00 am Meeting Location: Lake Murray, just west of boat launch: 5540 Kiowa Dr., La Mesa, 91942 Host: San Diego Fly Fishers

South Rim Hike

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Meeting Location: Eagle Peak Ranch, 5030 Eagle Peak Rd., Julian, CA 92036 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation

Endangered Species Day at Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – 1:30 pm Meeting Location: Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary: 13003 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside, 92040 Host: San Diego Audubon Society and Endangered Species Coalition

👫 Geology & Ethnobotany Guided Discovery

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 10:00 am – noon Meeting Location: Crestridge Ecological Reserve, 1175 Horsemill Road, El Cajon, CA 92021 Host: Earth Discovery Institute and San Diego River Park Foundation

River Trail Group Bike Ride

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: River Mouth in Ocean Beach: at the western end of Voltaire St., San Diego, 92107 Host: San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

Tecolote Canyon Revitalization

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Tecolote Nature Center: 5180 Tecolote Road, San Diego, CA 92110 Host: Tecolote Nature Center

Hike to the Source of the River

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Meeting Location: 30840 Old Julian Hwy, Santa Ysabel, CA 92070 Host: San Diego River Park Foundation and San Diego County Rangers

Point Loma Native Plant Garden Work Party

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018 / Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Meeting Location: Point Loma Native Plant Garden: 4444 Greene St., San Diego, CA 92107 Host: Friends of the Point Loma Native Plant Garden




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