Mid-County NaturePlaces - San Diego Children and Nature

SAN DIEGO CHAPTER
www.sandiego.sierraclub.org www.icfi.com
www.mtrp.org
www.FamilyAventuresinNature.org
More information about nature places at www.sdchildrenandnature.org/findnature.php
San Diego is home to the most bio-diverse county in the lower 48 and has some of the best weather in the
country! Please use this information and the links to facilitate finding nature – nearby, or a little further from home!
For more information on connecting children to nature, and to find even more nature places, please visit
www.sdchildrenandnature.org and www.facebook.com/sdchildrenandnature
Torrey Pines State Beach
N. Torrey Pines Rd., Del Mar www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=658 Silver Strand State Beach
5000 Highway 75, Coronado www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=654 City of San Diego Beaches
www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches La Jolla Shores La Jolla Cove Children's Pool Windansea Beach Ocean Beach North Pacific Beach Pacific Beach Mission Bay Beaches Mission Beach South Mission Beach These websites contain informa[on about the lakes’ fishing, camping, trails and other ameni[es. Lake Cuyamaca
www.lakecuyamaca.org/
South Bay Botanic Garden (Southwestern College)
900 Otay Lakes Rd., Chula Vista www.swccd.edu/5thLevel/index.asp?L4=574
Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center
2505 N Ave., Na[onal City www.olivewoodgardens.org
The Water Conservation Garden
12122 Cuyamaca College Drive, West El Cajon www.thegarden.org
Summers Past Farms
15602 Olde Hwy 80, Flinn Springs www.summerspasdarms.com
Balboa Park Gardens:
www.balboapark.org/in-­‐the-­‐park/Gardens
Point Loma Native Plant Garden
4444 Greene Street, San Diego www.sandiegoriver.org/plnpg.php Old Town State Historic Native Plant Garden
4002 Wallace Street, San Diego www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24882 Lake Hodges
www.sdrp.org/projects/lakehodges.htm
Lake Jennings
www.lakejennings.org/index.htm
Miramar Lake
www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/reservoirs/
miramar.shtml
Lake Morena
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/Camping/
lake_morena.html
Lake Murray
www.mtrp.org/lake_murray.asp
Lake Poway
www.poway.org/Index.aspx?page=671
City of Coronado
www.coronado.ca.us City of El Cajon
www.ci.el-­‐cajon.ca.us/dept/rec/_parks.html City of La Mesa
www.cityoflamesa.com/index.aspx?NID=212 City of Lemon Grove
www.ci.lemon-grove.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=114
City of Poway
www.poway.org/Index.aspx?page=92
Santee Lakes
www.santeelakes.com
City of San Diego
San Vicente Reservoir
www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/reservoirs/
sanvicente.shtml
City of Santee
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks
www.ci.santee.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=174
Rose Canyon Open Space Park
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
rosecan1.shtml
Black Mountain Open Sapce Park
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
blackmtn/index.shtml
Blue Sky Ecologica Reserve
www.blueskyreserve.org/ Cowles Mountain
www.mtrp.org/directions.asp?idno=2
Crestridge Ecological Reserve
www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/er/region5/crestridge/index.html
Goodan Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/openspace/
Sycamore_Goodan.html
Iron Mountain Peak
www.powaytrails.com/trails/IronMountainPeakTrail/
index.html
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
penasq.shtml
Louis Stelzer County Park
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/picnic/stelzer.html
Marian Bear Memorial Park
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
marbear2.shtml
McGinty Mountain Ecological Reserve
www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/er/region5/mcginty.html
Mission Trails Regional Park www.mtrp.org/
Oak Oasis Preserve
www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/openspace/
oakoasis.html
San Diego County Trails
www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/hikes.html
San Diego River
www.sandiegoriver.org/brochures.php
San Dieguito River Park Trails
www.sdrp.org/trails.htm
Scripps Ranch Trails
www.scrippsranch.org/community/maps.html
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
shoreline/sunset.shtml
Tecolote Canyon Natural Park & Nature Center
www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/
teclte.shtml
William Heise County Park
www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/Camping/
heise_map.html
Many of these parks include camping facilities and
other amenitites.
Anza-Borrego State Park
www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
www.abdsp.org/
Cabrillo National Monument
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego www.nps.gov/cabr/index.htm Cleveland National Forest
www.fs.usda.gov/main/cleveland/home Poway Trails
http://powaytrails.com/trails/
Palomar Mountain State Park
www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=637 www.palomarsp.org/ Ramona Grasslands Preserve
www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/openspace/
Ramona_Grasslands.html
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
www.torreypine.org/ www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=657 More information about nature places at www.sdchildrenandnature.org/findnature.php
Research indicates that children who learn and play in nature are happier, healthier and smarter. The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 60 minutes of daily unstructured outdoor play. Here are
some simple, fun and FREE ways to help your children connect to nature:
O Look under the pots in
your yard. Who did you
find?
O
Make a “pet rock”.
What will you name it?
O
Take a walk in the rain
and splash in the
puddles!
O
Dig in the dirt or sand.
O
Go on a ladybug hunt
and find aphids too!
O
Make mud pies and
cakes! Decorate them
with leaves and
flowers. "
O
Look up at the clouds.
What shapes do you
see?
O
Start an acorn
collection.
O
Chase a butterfly!
O
Roll down a grassy hill.
O
O
Find a trail of ants and
follow it as far as you
can.
Catch a tadpole. Let it
go!
O
Go on a rock hunt.
Start a collection!
O
Climb a tree!
O
Find the Big Dipper
and Orion’s Belt in the
night sky.
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Out Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. Originally
published in 2005, this is the book that launched the movement to connect children and nature. A true “must read”
for parents, teachers, and anyone interested in the overall well-being of children.
The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv.
Published in 2011, this book delivers another powerful call to action – this time for adults.
www.childrenandnature.org National website and home of the movement to connect ALL children, their families
and communities to nature through innovative ideas, evidence-based resources and tools, broad-based
collaboration and support of grassroots leadership. Many FREE toolkits and resources available for download. Also
features “C&NN Connect” where people can virtually meet, discuss, and support one another.
www.SDChildrenandNature.org The San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative, a collective
effort of numerous organizations and volunteers who bring together San Diego’s natural resources
for children and nature.
www.FamilyAdventuresinNature.org San Diego’s FREE family nature club!