THE CURRENT
February 2021
Join the River Parkway Trust in February for Weekend Youth Programs
The River Parkway Trust offers weekend program offerings for pre-K through high school-aged youth as well as family-friendly events throughout the year. This month we are offering the Family Friendly Scavenger Hunt, Teen Environmental Leadership Program, and River Buddies Weekend Explorers.

Family Friendly Scavenger Hunt
If your little ones enjoy being outdoors, solving clues, and searching for hidden items, then this activity is perfect for you. Compete in a scavenger hunt race where you will look for six different tokens hidden at one of our properties along the San Joaquin River. All clues are family-friendly, so everyone will be part of the action!  Each $20 registration is for one family group of up to six participants. The first group to finish each hunt will win a 2-hour canoe rental (all equipment included, a $30 value). 

Register Now:

Teen Environmental Leadership Program
Calling all high schoolers! Join us at Sumner Peck Ranch for a late afternoon of exploring nature, team building activities, and kayaking! Participants will learn new communication skills, enjoy a night hike, and paddle a kayak at sunset. This adventure will last approximately 4 hours. The fee is $40 per participant and advance registration is required.

Register Now:

River Buddies Weekend Explorers
We invite you and your pre-K or K aged explorers to join a Saturday morning adventure learning about the creatures that call the San Joaquin River home! This program will be Bug Buddies 2.0 and will run from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. The fee is $12 per child and advance registration is required.

Register Now:

Weekend Youth Naturalist
The Weekend Youth Naturalist Program aims to equip the next generation with skills to be natural explorers and stewards of the Earth. Participants will enjoy a nature hike, scientific exploration activity, game, and sensory or experiential activity along the San Joaquin River Parkway. This adventure requires your child to be between the ages of 6 and 9 years old to participate. The fee is $15 per child and advanced registration is required.

Register Now:
Family Scavenger Hunt participants enjoy solving clues and searching for hidden items at Sycamore Island.
Bring home a heron for Valentine's Day!
Show off your love for the River Parkway Trust and that special someone in your life with a Valentine's Day gift for the garden.

Herons are available for purchase through the online River Store. Our medium (36") and large-sized (50") herons come with a stand. The small heron (29") can be staked in the garden. Metal herons develop a beautiful patina after some time in your yard.

Any purchases made through the online River Store by Fridays at 12:00 pm will be available to pick up at the River Center that Saturday-Sunday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

For more information, please contact Bryna De Fede at [email protected].
Upcoming Open House Days at Sumner Peck Ranch
This month, we will offer two open house weekends at Sumner Peck Ranch. Come out and enjoy exploring the River Parkway Trust's new river bottom property.

Guests must register for a date and timeslot to attend. Please complete a separate registration form for each vehicle in your party. Click on the links below to register for your selected date.


In order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, this will be a self-guided property tour. A property map will be distributed to all registered participants.

Citrus is in season at Sumner Peck! Visitors may pick citrus while visiting the property. Bring a 5-gallon bucket or cloth shopping bag to pick and carry produce at the flat price of $1 per pound for any citrus variety. The orchard includes Tango Mandarins, Minneola Tangelos, Naval and Blood Oranges, and Pomelos. We will have a scale set up near the parking area and will be able to take cash or credit card payments for any citrus purchases.

Please note there will not be public restrooms available at the site. Keep this in mind and plan your visit accordingly.

We look forward to seeing you there.
A view of the Sierra Nevada from Sumner Peck Ranch. Photo Credit: Frank Raney
Virtual Field Trip Presentations Available for 1st to 5th grades
Bring the outdoors to your distance learning classroom!

The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust has created engaging virtual educational experiences exploring topics related to our local river ecosystem for 1st through 5th grades. Virtual field trip presentations are conducted live from the River Center, and consist of an interactive activity correlated to each grade level's NGSS standards.

Each presentation is led by a River Parkway Trust staff member or education docent and runs approximately 30 minutes. Presentations are a combination of pre-recorded information and live presentation/interaction with students.

Presentations are available Tuesdays through Fridays, between 8:45 am and 1:15 pm.

Full information on each grade level's activity option(s) and available dates and times are available on our website here https://www.riverparkway.org/things-to-do/school-field-trips.

Please contact Molly Schnur-Salimbene at [email protected].
Our Education Intern, Carina is ready to teach students about river formation in the Stream Science activity.
Have you purchased your tickets to the Virtual Kickoff Party?
For the River Parkway Trust's 29th Parties for the Parkway Kickoff, we are joining you at home! Enjoy a take-home dinner prepared by the exceptional caterers at Love & Garlic. After you return home with your meal, we invite you to join our virtual Kickoff on Zoom. The Virtual Kickoff will include a musical performance, organizational updates, and a feature on the Trust's recent acquisition of Sumner Peck Ranch.

Tickets for the 2021 Virtual Kickoff Party are available now! Click here to purchase your tickets.

The 2021 Parties Art Auction is now available on our online auction site. Click here to view the art exhibit and make your bids. Online bidding will be available through March 11, at 1:00 pm.

The Parties Book hit mailboxes last week. If you did not receive a book in the mail and would like one, please contact Bryna De Fede at [email protected].

More information about 2021 Parties for the Parkway is available by clicking here. Or you may contact Bryna De Fede, Development Associate at 559-248-8480 ext. 216 or via email at [email protected].
Members' Only River Camp Registration is now open!
Members' Only registration for the 2021 season of River Camp opened on February 1st. We encourage you to register as soon as possible so you don't miss out on your first choice week!

If you are a current River Parkway Trust member, you should have received an email with the early registration code. Members at the $100+ also received discount codes. If you did not receive these codes and believe your membership is current, please contact Sarah Parkes at [email protected].

You can renew your membership or join as a new member securely online by clicking here. Your membership helps support the River Parkway Trust's core programs in conservation, education, and recreation.

There are still a few spaces left in the new River Camp Rangers Spring Break Session. Is your 6th-8th grader ready for an amazing experience down by the river? At River Camp Rangers, youth will learn leadership skills, participate in games that promote peer team building and communication, and complete hands-on science and engineering challenges. The Spring Break session will run from March 30th through April 1st. Click here to register.

Please click here for complete information about River Camp 2021.

If you have any questions about the 2021 season of River Camp programs please contact Molly Schnur-Salimbene at 559-248-8480 ext. 104 or via email at [email protected].