Weekly Programs

Nature Cruises - Wildlife & Eagle Cruise

Junior Rangers *  

Saturdays year-round*: 12:30 - 1:30  

Program starts at 12:30 pm sharp!  

Join a Cachuma Lake Park Naturalist to learn about Cachuma Lake wildlife and earn a cool badge!  Parents are invited to participate too. Kids under the age of ten must be with an adult. To help earn your badge, bring a bag of litter or recycling that you collected from Park grounds. This protects animals and conserves natural resources.   

*Fee: $2 

For more information, go to Junior Ranger Program

Nature Walk

Saturdays:     10 to 11:30 am   

Meet at the Nature Center 10am 

Free with Park Entry Fee 

Join a Cachuma Lake Park Naturalist or Park Volunteer for an easy-paced 1/2-mile walk exploring the oak woodland and lakeside ecology on the Don Wimpress Nature Trail. Bring water, hats, and please, no pets. 

For more information, call the Park Naturalists at (805) 688-4515

 Annual Events & Field Workshops 

Kids Learn Birds!  

TWO 2-Day Sessions:  

Session 1: Tuesday June 25 &Thursday June 27 

Session 2: Tuesday July 23 & Thursday July 25  

  DOWNLOAD Kids Learn Birds Flier   

9:00 AM - 12:30 each day.

This is a fun field workshop over two days for kids ages 8 - 12.  This is an interactive class giving kids the opportunity to learn the basics of birding--How to look at and identify birds, how to find them, how they are wonderful and important, about their habitats, and how to use field guides & binoculars (provided). We spend time outdoors in the park, on a pontoon boat, & in the classroom. A healthy snack is included. Offered by Cachuma Lake Recreation Area with assistance from the Neal Taylor Nature Center. Limited space; registration is required.
Fees:  $15 per child and $10 per vehicle Park Admission if parent/guardian stays in Park.
To register and for more information call county park naturalist Liz Gaspar at (805) 688-4515, or email Lgaspar@sbparks.org.

    Creepy Creatures of Cachuma Lake - FREE

Saturday, October 19, 2013; 11:00 am – 1:00 pm in front of the Neal Taylor Nature Center. Fall under the spell of our winged, web-spinning, legless and multi-legged special guests of Cachuma Lake! Live owls, live bats, live scorpions, live spiders, and live music will enchant you.  There will be witches offering popcorn and punch, arts & craft activities, balloon animals, and more to get you in the Halloween spirit.  This popular creepy event is co-sponsored by Cachuma Lake Recreation Area and the Neal Taylor Nature Center. A mini-garage sale to benefit the Nature Center will include a variety of small items, including used books, will be open from 10:30-1:30. For more information call (805) 688-4515. Free with $10 per vehicle Park Admission.

 Summer 2013 Programs

Summer Fireside Programs: Friday Movie Nights and Saturday Nature Nights
8:00 PM every Friday and Saturday evening Friday June 21 - Saturday Sept 7, at the Fireside Theater. There will also be a specially scheduled evening program on Saturday May 25, 2013 for Memorial Day Weekend, before the regular summer programs begin.
Free with $10 per vehicle Park Admission
See below for dates of specific topics.

Nature Nights 

A one-hour presentation by a Santa Barbara County Park Naturalist or guest presenters. Some of the programs we offer include learning about survival adaptations of wildlife, the life styles of the California Condor and the Bald Eagle, fire adaptations of the chaparral habitat and its wildlife inhabitants, and the natural history of some of the more common wildlife at Cachuma. Specific programs and dates will be scheduled in Spring 2013.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Local fire fighters will present a fire safety program that may include Sparky the Fire Dog, a movie on fire safety, or a hands on presentation of some of the local fire equipment. Dates to be scheduled Spring 2013.

 

Astronomy Nights 2013

Join the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit for a stellar slide presentation on celestial highlights at the Cachuma Lake Fireside Theater. Telescopes will be available for viewing the night sky after the program. For more information call (805) 688-4515. 

Astronomy 2013 events appear below.

 

Date	Event
Saturday, May 25	TBA
Friday, June 21	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, June 22	Campfire Singalong! Live acoustic music
Friday, June 28	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, June 29	Astronomy
Friday, July 5	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, July 6	Astronomy
Friday, July 12	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, July 13	TBD
Friday, July 19	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, July 20	Astronomy
Friday, July 26	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, July 27	TBD
Friday, August 2	Movie Night:  TBA
Saturday, August 3	Astronomy
Friday, August 9	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, August 10	TBD
Friday, August 16	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, August 17	Astronomy
Friday, August 23	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, August 24	TBD
Friday, August 30	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, August 31	Astronomy
Friday, September 6	Movie Night: TBA
Saturday, September 7	TBD

 

 

 The Neal Taylor Nature Center: A visit to the Nature Center alone is a worth a trip to Cachuma Lake. The Center is a private, non-profit organization full of interactive exhibits for children and adults about Cachuma Lake, the Santa Ynez River Watershed, and local cultural and natural history. Cachuma Lake Recreation Area works with the assistance of the Center on several popular programs. For full information about the Neal Taylor Nature Center, their hours and programs, please go to the followink link:  Neal Taylor Nature Center

18th Annual Cachuma Lake Nature Center Trout Derby
Saturday & Sunday, April 20 & 21, 2012 - Rain or Shine
Go to Neal Taylor Nature Center