08.09.202508.16.2025
Discover Outside 2025
Explore Nature
Join the Land Trust as we celebrate our 3rd annual Discover Outside!
August 9 – August 16, 2025
We’re offering a week of free activities, hikes, and learning opportunities around Santa Barbara County designed to connect you with nature and empower you to explore the outdoors! All are welcome!
Some events have limited capacity and require separate registration**.
Check back on this page regularly for the most current event information! Details subject to change.
Want to connect more deeply with Santa Barbara County’s natural and agricultural landscapes? We’d love to hear your ideas for future programs and projects! Enter for a chance to win a free Land Trust hat or t-shirt!
Saturday, August 9th
Additional spots for these events will be available August 7th.
- Moonrise Challenge Hike**: Normally only accessible during the daytime, we invite you to hike with us under the full moon! This route is for experienced and adventurous hikers. During this challenging 5-mile hike, we’ll make a few stops to listen and look for signs of nocturnal wildlife and if we have clear skies, watch the full moon rise above Arroyo Hondo Canyon! The hike is approximately 5 miles on variable terrain including creek crossings, steep elevation climbs and descents, and hiking on loose gravel. Enjoy the preserve from a different perspective and take in the landscape under the moonlight! This hike will have low visibility – bringing a headlamp is recommended as we have limited inventory to lend out. This hike is from 6:30pm-10pm. Limited spots available – visit our Eventbrite page to register. (Gaviota)
- Full Moon Nature Walk**: Normally only accessible during the daytime, we invite you to visit Arroyo Hondo for a guided night walk to learn about the nocturnal wildlife at the preserve. This walk takes place from 8pm-10pm. We will rely on our eyes and ears for signs of nocturnal wildlife, including bats, owls, insects, and much more! This slow paced, 2-3 mile walk will have low visibility – bringing a headlamp is recommended as we have limited inventory to lend out. Limited spots available – visit our Eventbrite page to register. (Gaviota)
Tuesday, August 12th
- “Nature Apps 101”: Join the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County along with our partners at the Santa Maria Natural History Museum and Santa Maria Valley Open Space for an educational seminar! This beginner-friendly class will teach you how to use apps like iNaturalist, Merlin, and Seek while you’re out on the trail. Enjoy some treats and get hands-on experience so you feel comfortable contributing your findings to the scientific community online! This event will take place from 7pm-9pm in the garden at the Santa Maria Natural History Museum (412 S. McClelland Street, Santa Maria CA 93454). No need to register on Eventbrite for this event. (Santa Maria)
Wednesday, August 13th
- Coastal Bluffs Walk: Join our Land Stewardship Director, Alison Petro, and Board member/Trek leader Ann Lippincott for a docent-led tour of one of our newest properties, the Rincon Gateway in Carpinteria. Learn about why the preservation of this property was so important to the Land Trust’s goals and get some 1-1 time with a few of our team members! This slow-paced, 2.6 mile walk will educate you about coastal sage scrub and recent history of the Carpinteria bluffs. Join us from 8am-10am! We will meet in the large dirt parking lot right off the 101 on Bailard Avenue (Exit 85). Please wear comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, and bring a water bottle. No need to register on Eventbrite for this event. (Carpinteria)
Thursday, August 14th
- Cultivate Your Composting Skills: Curious about what it takes to start your own compost bin at home? Join us for an interactive learning experience with our friends at the Isla Vista Compost Collective! Supporting local agriculture is part of the Land Trust’s mission, and composting is a great way for you to get involved too! IVCC’s mission is to promote sustainable waste management and resource recovery by diverting organic waste from landfills and transforming it into valuable soil amendments. They’ll “break down” the fundamentals of composting in a presentation with a chance for some Q&A, then give us a tour of their facility. This event runs from 6pm-7:30pm. Meet us at the El Greco Rd. side of Saint Michael’s University Church (6586 Picasso Rd. Isla Vista, CA 93117). No need to register on Eventbrite for this event. (Isla Vista)
Saturday, August 16th
- Early Bird Special**: Join our Land Stewardship Coordinator (and resident birder), Kyle Kusa, for an exclusive birding opportunity at the Arroyo Hondo Preserve. We’re opening the preserve two hours earlier than usual for those of you interested in checking off another bird from your life list! This leisurely paced stroll will run from 8am-10am. Feel free to stick around the preserve for Family Fest later in the day as well! Limited spots available – visit our Eventbrite page to register. (Gaviota)
- Family Fest at Arroyo Hondo Preserve: This year, we’re starting an hour earlier to avoid the heat! The preserve will be open from 9am-4pm. Visit the Land Trust Discovery Center in the barn between 9am-3pm to view an animal slideshow, participate in an art activity, and visit our learning stations. Docent-led tours around the preserve will be available at 9:15am and 10:15am. Take a photo in the meadow between 10am-1pm! Visit our stream ecology station from 9am-12pm to learn about our creek and the creatures that inhabit it. Go on a self-guided scavenger hunt and get to know the preserve! Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the meadow and your refillable water bottle. Please wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes. Hats and sun protection are encouraged. No pets allowed – please leave dogs at home. The preserve is sensitive – no swimming, mountain bikes, hunting, fishing, or campfires. Click here to visit our Arroyo Hondo page for driving directions (14900 Calle Real, Goleta CA 93117) and more info about the preserve. (Gaviota)
