Department of Fish and Game

2 - North Central Region
Outdoor Events & Activities

Youth in the OUtdoors

Youth activities that feature fun and education about California's wildlife. www.dfg.ca.gov/yo

Nature Bowl

Nature Bowl is a cooperative team competition for 3rd through 6th grade students. Students are divided into teams and will be answering questions and doing activities based on environmental science and regional environmental issues. Coach orientation starts in January.
For more information, call (916) 358-2353.

Gray Lodge Wildlife Area Events

www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/wa/region2/graylodge/events.html

Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area: Education and Outreach

The Yolo Basin Foundation works in partnership with the Department of Fish and Game to provide educational opportunities for the public at the Yolo Wildlife Area. Each year, through the Discover the Flyway Program, the Foundation trains hundreds of teachers and hosts over 3,000 students and parents, mostly from Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties. They learn about the importance of wetland ecosystems through hands-on activities at the 3 acre Demonstration Wetlands and take a guided tour of the 16,000 acre Wildlife Area. Unique education programs like Marsh Madness, which targets underserved schools, and Nature Bowl are also offered. In addition, the Foundation provides community programs such as the Flyway Nights speaker series, monthly tours of the Wildlife Area, classroom outreach, and teacher training workshops such as Project Wet and Project Water Science. The Foundation is dedicated to the appreciation and stewardship of wetlands and wildlife through education and innovative partnerships.

For information, contact: Rachelle De Clerck, Yolo Basin Foundation Program Director, rachelle@yolobasin.org, (530) 758-1018 or visit the Foundation's website at www.yolobasin.org.

Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center

All Year: Discover the watery world of salmon at the newly remodeled visitor center. Self-guided tour brochures will guide you through the facility, and helpful staff are available all year to answer your questions. The visitor center is open 7 days a week from 10:00am to 3:00pm. See images at www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/Nimbus/Nimbus_VisitorCenter.asp

  • Nimbus Fish Hatchery School Tours:
    Hatchery School Tours are available from November through March. These educational tours teach the lifecycle of salmon, the purpose of the hatchery, and the conservation of salmon and other natural resources. Please call (916) 358-2884 for more information.

Oroville's C.A.S.T. (Catch a Special Thrill)

September:  Local bass anglers partner with disabled children for a day of fishing at Lake Oroville.
Call (530) 538-2222 for more information.

Feather River Salmon Festival

4th Saturday of September: The stretch of the Feather River between Historic Downtown Oroville and the Feather River Fish Hatchery bursts with fish-flavored activities during the Annual Salmon Festival, a day of fun, food, music and information. From 10am - 4pm the fish hatchery celebrates the thousands of spawning salmon that annually make their way from the ocean back to Oroville.

Across from the hatchery at the Feather River Nature Center, you enjoy a continuation of the Maidu Salmon Ceremony with live dancing by local Native Americans and free fish-tasting all day. The Maidu Salmon Ceremony will offer Salmon Camp and demonstrations of spear fishing at Riverbend Park in Oroville. The following week, you can celebrate Native American cultural music and dancing at the Salmon Pow Wow.
(530) 538-2222

American River Salmon Festival

Come celebrate Salmon and the American River at this fun and educational event in mid-October. Enjoy live music, many recreational activities, exhibits, children’s activities, arts, a Salmon BBQ, culinary activities, and more! Admission is free and parking is $8 per car. For more information, visit www.SalmonFestival.net.

Crane Viewing and Tours (in the nearby bay-delta Region)

Take a tour of the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve (aka Isenberg Crane Reserve) to view Sandhill Cranes, many species of waterfowl, and other wildlife. Guided tours run from October through February. You may also wish to visit the Reserve on your own. The facility is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Sunday, every day of the year. Cranes are only visible at the site during the fall and winter months, but many other waterfowl and wildlife, use the reserve throught the year.

Sandhill Crane Festival in Lodi (in the nearby bay-delta Region)

Sandhill Cranes, hawks, waders, and songbirds fill the San Joaquin and Central Valleys during the winter season. The festival provides nature tours to see these magnificent creatures as well as wildlife demos, music and dance, workshops and speakers, family activities, and other great events. This three day festival occurs early November.