Contact Us Donate Now

Mission & Vision

Protecting Land Forever

Rewilding Nature

Connecting People & Nature

FREE PUBLIC ACCESS & OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Visit a Preserve
Community Programs & Events
School Field Trips

Woman at the sea

Our Mission

To preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature.

Enchanted Rocks Preserve

The Preserve System

Our growing preserve system safeguards forests, deserts, mountains, rivers, and coastlines through permanent land conservation and active stewardship.

image (21)

Conservation Projects

Beyond our preserves, we lead and support conservation initiatives that protect connected landscapes, wildlife corridors, rivers, and public lands.

A lush green forest covering rolling hills and mountains in a scenic natural landscape.

Land Acquisition Projects

Explore our current land acquisition projects and learn how you can help conserve land for future generations.

central-coast-ranges-wind-wolves-elk-2013-mdabulamanzi

Rewilding Nature

Across the West, rivers have been dammed and diverted, wildlife corridors severed, and native species pushed to the brink. Explore our work to restore wildness and ecological balance.

Map of California highlighting Wildlands Conservancy locations across the state.

Visit a Preserve

Our preserve system welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors each year to protected forests, deserts, mountains, rivers, wetlands, and coastlines across California and Utah, with preserves and programs open to the public free of charge.

Explore the Preserve System

sonoma-coast-estero-americano-coast-fall-2025-chines

Community Programs & Events

From guided hikes to photography workshops to summer activities for kids, The Wildlands Conservancy's free community programs & events offer something for everyone.

Find Free Programs

Children exploring a creek in nature at Wildlands Conservancy.

School Field Trips

Free field-trip programs give students hands-on outdoor learning experiences that foster curiosity, scientific discovery, and a deeper connection to the natural world.

California

Oregon

JOHN DAY RIVER
Enchanted Rocks Preserve

Utah

FOUR CORNERS
Speaking Springs Preserve

Preserve System Map

megamenu-rana

Rana Creek Preserve

With its iconic California oak woodland landscape, a journey through Rana Creek Preserve is like going back in time before highway traffic, strip malls, and power lines marred coastal California.

megamenu-wind-wolves

Wind Wolves Preserve

Wind Wolves Preserve is in an ecologically unique region where the Transverse Ranges, Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, western Mojave Desert and San Joaquin Valley influences converge.

MissionCreek_D_JackThompson

Mission Creek Preserve

Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, the 4,760-acre Mission Creek Preserve has a rich species composition with flora and fauna representing both deserts.

Desert mountain landscape with rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.

Pioneertown Mountains Preserve

The 25,500-acre Pioneertown Mountains Preserve descends from the high piney 7,800-foot ridges into the Pioneertown Valley.

WWA_BHS_JT_3

Whitewater Preserve

Whitewater Preserve is 2,246 acres surrounded by the Bureau of Land Management’s San Gorgonio Wilderness and includes the year-round Whitewater River.

megamenu-two-rivers

Two Rivers Preserve

Two Rivers Preserve is an awe-inspiring landscape within an ancient volcanic caldera full of glacial moraines, river-carved canyons, mountain meadows, and grand vistas of the Sierra Nevada and Sweetwater Mountains.

megamenu-west-walker

West Walker River Preserve

Situated in the Antelope Valley farming community, just off highway 395 in the Eastern Serra town of Coleville

megamenu-eel-river-canyon

Eel River Canyon Preserve

Given its location along the Grand Canyon of the Eel river, where the National Wild and Scenic Eel River carves its way through a deep and wild gorge

megamenu-emerald

Emerald Waters Reserve

The 3,036-acre Emerald Waters Reserve is split between Humboldt and Trinity Counties and fronts on the Eel River for 4.5 miles.

megamenu-spyrock

Spyrock Reserve

The 5,832-acre Spyrock Reserve has five miles of frontage on the National Wild and Scenic Eel River in Mendocino County.

BeaverValley

Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve

The 6,094-acre Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County protects two-and-a-half miles of the East Fork Scott River, providing habitats for Coho salmon, king salmon, and steelhead trout.

megamenu-eel-river-estuary

Eel River Estuary Preserve & Sounding Seas Dunes Reserve

The southern estuary of the Eel River in Humboldt County contains a diverse array of habitats and a grand arena of life

megamenu-seawood

Seawood Cape Preserve

Seawood Cape encompasses 128 acres including almost a mile of California’s world famous rugged rocky coastline that is replete with barking sea lions and basking harbor seals.

megamenu-bearpaw

Bearpaw Reserve

Bearpaw Reserve is 600 acres of steep, spectacular mountains with a seasonal 110-foot waterfall. Vegetation includes incense cedars, ponderosa and coulter pine, chaparral, and oracle oaks.

megamenu-bluff-lake

Bluff Lake Reserve

Located at 7,600 feet, Bluff Lake Reserve has towering pines, a 20-acre lake, a meadow, and majestic outcrops of quartz monzonite.

megamenu-galena

Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve

In 2018, The Wildlands Conservancy separated the 1,280-acre Galena Ridge from its Oak Glen Preserve, positioning this rugged rocky landscape to be managed like the adjoining San Gorgonio Wilderness.

megamenu-oak-glenn

Oak Glen Preserve

Nestled in a glen, situated at 5,024 feet, in the shadow of 8,700-foot Wilshire Peak, lies The Wildlands Conservancy’s 909-acre Oak Glen Preserve.

megamenu-estero

Estero Americano Coast Preserve

Acquired by The Wildlands Conservancy in 2015 through a visionary public-private partnership—including the State Coastal Conservancy, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Sonoma Land Trust, and individual donors.

megamenu-jenner

Jenner Headlands Preserve

Jenner Headlands is a spectacular 5,630-acre mosaic of redwood and Douglas-fir forests, oak woodland, chaparral and coastal prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Scenic mountain landscape with lush green valleys and rugged cliffs.

Mariposa Reserve

The 800-acre Mariposa Reserve is a habitat reserve surrounded by the Cleveland National Forest. It represents the best grassland and sycamore savanna in the north end of the forest.

megamenu-margarita

Santa Margarita River Trail Preserve

In 2018, The Wildlands Conservancy acquired five miles of the oak- and sycamore-shaded Santa Margarita River, one of the last free-flowing wild rivers in Southern California and the southernmost range of steelhead trout.

default

Enchanted Rocks Preserve

Thousand-foot-high cliffs splashed with orange, white, purple, and red tower above the John Day River as it winds through iconic landscapes graced with western junipers, herds of Rocky Mountain elk, and the verdant canyons of its many tributaries.

megamenu-speaking

Speaking Springs Preserve

Cottonwood Wash carves an ancient, 42-mile pathway from the towering Abajo Mountains to the historic San Juan River.

Map of California highlighting Wildlands Conservancy locations across the state.

Explore the Preserve System Map

Use our interactive map to plan your next preserve visit.

Donate Online

All The Ways to Give

Volunteer

Stay Connected

Career Opportunities

Family hiking along a rocky riverbed in scenic mountain landscape.

Donate Online

Our mission: To preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature. Together, we can protect the land, heal the wild, and keep nature free for everyone.

Donate Today

enchanted rocks_doug chudy

Donate

All the Ways to Give

Since 1995, the generosity of The Wildlands Conservancy’s supporters has enabled us to call people back to the beauty, wonder, and inspiration of the natural world through outdoor education and the stewardship of some of California’s most remarkable and important landscapes.

12.28.17+Volunteer+Day+(MD)-71

Volunteer

Whether your passion is restoration or outdoor education, or you have a day to spare or a few hours a week, there’s a volunteer opportunity available for you to get involved and make a difference not just at your favorite preserve, but in your community.

Cadiz Dunes Mojave Trails

Get News & Stories

From land acquisitions to rewilding projects to a child's first time in the wild — we share the work when there's something worth sharing. Join the Mailing List to get updates.

Sand dunes and mountain backdrop in a vast desert landscape at sunset.

Follow us on Instagram

WHITEWATER+(108)_web

Follow us on Facebook

The Wildlands Conservancy staff member showing a snake to a young visitor at an outdoor event.

Career Opportunities

Looking to join our team? Explore current opportunities with The Wildlands Conservancy.

Find Opportunities

event-listing-hero-9

Programs & Events

Event Types

Estero Americano Coast Preserve Hike
Full Moon Hike
Guided Hike
Guided Walk
Other
Volunteer Stewardship
Workshop

City

Bakersfield
Big Bear Lake
Bodega Bay
Carmel Valley
Jenner
Oak Glen
Whitewater

August 2026
Sunrise Hike: San Emigdio Canyon Trail

August 23 @ 6:30 am - 8:30 am

Location: Wind Wolves Preserve

RESERVATIONS OPEN AUGUST 9TH AT 8:00 AM. Beat the heat with an early morning hike along San Emigdio Canyon Trail! This route is an approximately 2-mile loop with some uphill sections recommended for ages 8 and up (minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian). Space is limited - reservations are required. You can register up to 3 […]
Summertime Guided Hike

August 23 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: Rana Creek Preserve

RESERVATIONS OPEN AUGUST 9TH AT 8:00AM Immerse yourself in the beauty of Rana Creek Preserve and join us for a guided hike along the Wildflower Meadow Loop trail. This is […]
Full Moon Night Walk

August 28 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Location: Whitewater Preserve

Experience Whitewater Preserve by moonlight during a guided walk beneath the Sturgeon Full Moon. Suggested Items to Bring: Closed-toe Shoes Water Snacks Weather-appropriate clothing Registration opens on August 14, 2026