Guides, shops and venues
Guide services, gear shops and venues in the Far West and Sierra, A to Z. Listed from their public websites; they don't pay to be here and are never mixed into the communities.
All of the Far West and Sierra · just Reno and Lake Tahoe · all regions · change
- Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundationvenue · Walking groups · Carlsbad, CA
Lagoon nonprofit with a discovery center, guided walks and volunteer events in Carlsbad.
- Aqua Adventuresshop · Kayaking · San Diego, CA
Mission Bay paddling center with kayak and paddleboard lessons, tours and paddling events.
- Auburn Recreation Districtvenue · Beginners welcome · Auburn CA
Auburn park district with parks, trails and recreation programs.
- Big Bear Mountain Resortshop · Mountain biking · Big Bear Lake, CA
Ski and bike resort with lessons, an adaptive program, a summer bike park and guided activities.
- Bolsa Chica Conservancyvenue · Birding · Huntington Beach, CA
Wetland interpretive center offering guided walks, restoration days and nature programs at Bolsa Chica.
- California Botanic Gardenvenue · Walking groups · Claremont, CA
Native plant garden in Claremont offering guided walks, nature classes and public events.
- California Canoe & Kayakguide service · Kayaking · Oakland, CA
Oakland paddling shop and school offering kayak classes and group tours.
- Chabot Space & Science Centervenue · Stargazing · Oakland, CA
Oakland hills science center with public telescope viewing nights and hikes.
- City of San Diego Parks and Recreationvenue · Walking groups · San Diego, CA
City parks department running open space parks and ranger-led programs in San Diego.
- Conejo Open Space Conservation Agencyvenue · Trail work · Thousand Oaks, CA
Agency managing Conejo Valley open space with volunteer trail work and guided activities.
- Conejo Recreation and Park Districtvenue · Day hikes · Thousand Oaks, CA
Park district running recreation programs, guided hikes and community events in Thousand Oaks.
- Crystal Cove Conservancyvenue · Walking groups · Newport Beach, CA
Nonprofit partner to Crystal Cove State Park offering coastal ecology hikes, talks and community programs.
- East Bay Regional Park Districtvenue · Beginners welcome · Oakland, CA
Regional park district with naturalist-led walks, outdoor recreation classes and volunteer days across 70+ East Bay parks.
- Eaton Canyon Nature Center Associatesvenue · Walking groups · Pasadena, CA
Nature center group offering free docent-led nature walks, family walks and moonlight walks in Eaton Canyon.
- Elfin Forest Recreational Reservevenue · Day hikes · Escondido, CA
Reserve offering docent-led interpretive walks, guided hikes and a junior ranger program.
- Everyday Californiaguide service · Kayaking · La Jolla, CA
La Jolla outfitter running guided kayak tours, surf lessons and snorkel trips.
- Golden Gate National Parks Conservancyvenue · Conservation volunteering · San Francisco, CA
Park partner running volunteer days, guided walks and programs across the Presidio, Marin Headlands and Muir Woods.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Areavenue · Walking groups · San Francisco, CA
National park unit around the Golden Gate with ranger-led walks and programs on its NPS calendar.
- Great Basin Outdoor Schoolguide service · Day hikes · Reno
Reno nonprofit teaching outdoor science since 1998 through school field trips, day and overnight camps, SnowSchool and monthly family guided hikes.
- Hike Bike Kayak Adventure Toursguide service · Kayaking · La Jolla, CA
La Jolla guide service running kayak, snorkel, bike and hike tours.
- Irvine Ranch Conservancy (Let's Go Outside)venue · Day hikes · Irvine, CA
Conservancy listing free guided hikes, rides and stewardship days on the Irvine Ranch open space.
- Kayak Connectionguide service · Kayaking · Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz and Elkhorn Slough outfitter running kayak tours and lessons.
- Kayak Tahoeshop · Kayaking · South Lake Tahoe CA
Lake Tahoe kayak and paddleboard rental shop offering guided paddling tours.
- La Jolla Kayakguide service · Kayaking · La Jolla, CA
Guide service offering kayak, snorkel and bike tours along the La Jolla coast.
- Lake Tahoe Community Collegevenue · Skiing & snowboarding · South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe college whose campus Nordic center has groomed cross-country trails, alongside community outdoor classes.
- Livermore Area Recreation and Park Districtvenue · Walking groups · Livermore, CA
Livermore parks district with ranger-led open space programs and events.
- Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marinevenue · Walking groups · Long Beach, CA
City parks department running El Dorado Nature Center and outdoor recreation programs in Long Beach.
- Mesa Rim Climbing Center Renovenue · Indoor climbing · Reno
Climbing gym in midtown Reno with roped climbing, bouldering, fitness, youth camps and community events.
- Mesa Rim Climbing Centersshop · Indoor climbing · San Diego, CA
Climbing gyms in San Diego with intro classes, youth teams and outdoor climbing courses.
- Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Districtvenue · Day hikes · Los Altos, CA
Peninsula open space district offering docent-led hikes and volunteer trail and restoration projects.
- Mission Trails Regional Park Foundationvenue · Day hikes · Santee, CA
Foundation for Mission Trails Regional Park offering free guided nature walks and events.
- Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authorityvenue · Day hikes · Los Angeles, CA
Public parks agency managing parkland in the Santa Monica Mountains and LA River with guided outdoor programs.
- MT Sobekguide service · Backpacking · Nationwide trips (based in Emeryville, CA)
Guided small-group hiking, trekking and rafting trips since 1969, including national park and river trips across the United States.
- Nature Collectivevenue · Birding · Encinitas, CA
Formerly San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy, offering wildlife tours, discovery walks and restoration volunteer days.
- OC Parksvenue · Day hikes · Irvine, CA
Orange County park agency with ranger-led hikes, fitness hikes and nature programs at regional parks.
- Pepperwood Preservevenue · Day hikes · Santa Rosa, CA
Nature preserve near Santa Rosa with guided hikes, classes and open days.
- Placer Nature Centervenue · Beginners welcome · Auburn CA
Auburn nature center offering family nature programs, walks and environmental education.
- Placerita Canyon Nature Centervenue · Day hikes · Santa Clarita, CA
Nature center in Placerita Canyon with docent-led Saturday hikes and family nature programs.
- Presidio Trustvenue · Walking groups · San Francisco, CA
Manager of the Presidio park in San Francisco, listing public walks, nature programs and community events.
- Reno Bike Projectshop · Family & casual rides · Reno
Nonprofit community bike shop selling refurbished bikes, with repairs, public workstations, repair workshops, a youth mountain bike team and a ride club.
- Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountainsvenue · Conservation volunteering · Topanga, CA
Conservation district holding habitat restoration volunteer events in the Santa Monica Mountains.
- Sac State Aquatic Centervenue · Kayaking · Folsom CA
Lake Natoma boating center offering public kayak, paddleboard and sailing classes.
- San Diego County Parks and Recreationvenue · Day hikes · San Diego, CA
County park agency with ranger-led hikes, nature programs and events at parks and preserves countywide.
- San Dieguito River Parkvenue · Day hikes · Poway, CA
Regional park along the Coast to Crest Trail with guided walks, volunteer days and events.
- San Francisco Recreation and Parksvenue · Walking groups · San Francisco, CA
City parks department listing public outdoor programs and events across San Francisco parks.
- San Mateo County Parksvenue · Walking groups · Redwood City, CA
County parks department with ranger-led walks and park events across San Mateo County.
- Santa Barbara Adventure Companyguide service · Kayaking · Santa Barbara, CA
Guide service running kayak, hiking and biking tours around Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands.
- Santa Barbara Botanic Gardenvenue · Walking groups · Santa Barbara, CA
Native plant garden with trails, guided walks, classes and youth programs in Mission Canyon.
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Areavenue · Day hikes · Thousand Oaks, CA
National Park Service area offering ranger-led hikes, nature walks and programs across the Santa Monica Mountains.
- Sea Trekguide service · Kayaking · Sausalito, CA
Sausalito outfitter offering guided kayak and SUP tours, classes and community paddle events.
- Sender One Climbingshop · Indoor climbing · Los Angeles, CA
Climbing and bouldering gyms in Los Angeles and Orange County with beginner classes and climbing teams.
- Sonoma County Regional Parksvenue · Beginners welcome · Santa Rosa, CA
County park system with naturalist walks, bike rides and outdoor programs, mostly free.
- Tahoe Donnervenue · Skiing & snowboarding · Truckee CA
Truckee community association with cross-country ski center, trails and public events.
- Tahoe Mountain Sportsshop · Trail running · Truckee CA
Truckee outdoor shop hosting group runs, avalanche classes and community events.
- Tahoe XCvenue · Skiing & snowboarding · Tahoe City, CA
Nonprofit cross-country ski center near Tahoe City with groomed trails, clinics, youth rides and trail work days.
- Touchstone Climbingshop · Indoor climbing · Berkeley, CA
Bay Area climbing gym group offering intro classes and community climbing nights.
- Touchstone Climbing (Los Angeles gyms)shop · Indoor climbing · Los Angeles, CA
Climbing gym group with LA locations running intro classes, youth programs and community events.
- Trail Mavensguide service · Backpacking · San Francisco, CAWomen
Women's outdoor trips and skills courses aimed at beginners, based in the Bay Area.
- Truckee Donner Recreation & Park Districtvenue · Beginners welcome · Truckee CA
Truckee park district with outdoor programs, trails and recreation classes.
- VITAL Climbing Gymshop · Bouldering · Carlsbad, CA
Bouldering gym chain founded in North County with beginner classes and community events.