Date & Time: Friday, May 1st at 7:30pm
Location: Clover Valley Preserve, Rocklin CA
You are in for a unique nighttime treat! This moonlit nightstroll will take you into one of the newest protected gems in Placer County, where we will walk under the full moon and experience Clover Valley the way nocturnal creatures do — and likely hear some of them along the way! Let our trained docents take you on an evening exploration through the preserve and along Clover Valley Creek, where “ecosystem engineer” beavers have created habitat for birds, reptiles, fish and other critters to thrive. We will pause in a few spots to silently experience the night sounds you can only hear in Clover Valley!
On this hike we will visit the many ecosystems recently preserved in this unique locale, including oak woodlands, grasslands, and riparian areas. We will use our senses to experience nature at night — from sounds of the creek to sights in the sky. We will look and listen for bats, owls, distant coyotes, and maybe even slaps of beaver tails!
Due to limited parking inside the preserve, we will be asking attendees to condense into a limited number of cars before we enter the preserve. Please consider carpooling with others to the hike, or volunteering to be a driver from the meeting site. If you have an all-wheel drive vehicle and are willing to be a driver, please check the box during registration. Thank you in advance!
Distance and difficulty: 2 miles+/- and takes approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. It is a fairly easy hike with very little elevation change but with small stretches of uneven terrain. Trails are both dirt roads and single track trail, and we will walk off-trail to beaver ponds and to potentially cross the creek on temporary foot bridges. Hiking poles are recommended for easier navigation! During the rainy season expect wet and muddy trails. We recommend bringing a plastic bag or waterproof material if you would prefer to sit down while we pause and listen.
Who should attend: This is a family-friendly hike for people who can quietly hike the distance at a slow or moderate pace. Children must be over the age of 7 to attend. Sorry, no dogs are allowed unless they are service animals due to the potential conflicts with livestock and wildlife.
This is a free event; however, donations help make these activities possible! We suggest a donation of $10 per person or $25 for a family. You can donate online during registration, and we’re happy to accept cash or a check at the event in an envelope with your name written on it.
Registration:
- You may only register yourself and members of your household. People outside of your household must register themselves.
- The deadline to sign up is noon on Wednesday before the event unless the event fills first.
- Space is limited! Please only register if you will be attending so that you don’t take a spot away from someone else.
- If you signed up and can no longer attend, please contact Elia by email.
Participants must sign a release of liability. Please complete it by noon the Friday before the event. One form per adult. Parent signature is required for children under 18. Please note, this does not register you for the hike. To register please scroll down. Link to waiver:
About Clover Valley Preserve:
Clover Valley is one of the last remaining intact sections of oak woodlands in western Placer County. This valley is home to a wide variety of ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and historic Native American sites. In one area of the valley, beavers have created a 20-acre wetland along Clover Valley Creek that is now home to many wetland bird species. A stone’s throw away, you can see where Native Americans lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years.
Protecting Clover Valley was years and years in the making and took collaboration and joint fundraising efforts from many partners. To read about this huge success story and to learn more about this preserve, please click here.
This activity is a wilderness outing in a natural setting. PLT reserves the right to cancel an event in cases of extreme weather, bad air quality, rain, or other conditions beyond our control.
Directions to the Preserve and a list of what to bring will be emailed after registration. Check your spam folder if you do not receive the email within 15 minutes of registering.
Important Note: Clover Valley is NOT open to the public and can only be accessed as a registered guest during one of our hike events, like this one. Please help us respect the neighborhoods around this preserve by only visiting during scheduled activities that you are registered for. Trespassers will be prosecuted. Clover Valley Preserve is nestled amongst many residential communities and we ask that you drive slowly and respectfully.
