Field Trip to the Central Valley Refuges
January 18-20, 2025
Trip Leader: David Jensen
Accessibility: Nearly all refuges and trails are wheelchair accessible on this trip.
Directions: Meet at 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 18 at the Granzella’s parking lot in Williams, CA. Google maps location here.
Description: We are going back to the Central Valley again this January to enjoy the great gathering of winter waterfowl. This will be a multi-day field trip on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Our safari begins on Saturday, January 18 and ends on Monday, January 20, but you can join us for any or all of the three-day experience.
We will visit as many of the wildlife refuges as time allows, including the Colusa, Sacramento, Gray Lodge and Llano Seco units. If time allows, we may also leave the valley floor to search for Lewis’ Woodpeckers and Rock Wrens. Each day we will gather in Williams at the Granzella’s parking lot and carpool to the refuges, linked together with walkie-talkies.
I plan to arrive in the valley on Thursday and scout the area on Friday. Those who choose to arrive on Friday night can meet us at the Granzella’s lot at 8 AM on Saturday for a morning expedition. Those who leave Fort Bragg on Saturday morning will meet us at the Granzella’s lot at noon. It takes about three hours to travel the 130 miles from Fort Bragg to Williams, so plan accordingly. We will visit the Colusa or Sacramento refuge Saturday afternoon, so call or text me at 707-326-8815 to verify our location if you arrive late. On Sunday and Monday mornings we will again meet at the Granzella’s parking lot at 8 AM.
We will NOT be stopping at restaurants for lunch. You should plan to purchase a lunch from Granzella’s before we leave each morning (they have excellent sandwiches) or pack whatever you prefer to eat. For dinner you can join us at one of the (few) restaurants in the area, order dinner to go, or reheat something in the microwave at your room.
The Colusa refuge is open free to the public, but there is a small entrance fee to the Sacramento refuge (about $6 per day) and to the Gray Lodge refuge (about $5 per day). The fee is waived at Sacramento if you have one of the federal passes, such as America the Beautiful or the Interagency Senior Lifetime Pass, commonly referred to as the Geezer Pass. The fee at Grey Lodge, which is managed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is waived if you have a 2025 hunting or fishing license or a valid Lands Pass. Be aware that hunting is allowed on or near each refuge, but distant from the viewing areas. Waterfowl hunting season will not end until January 31, so we will hear occasional gunshots, especially in the morning.
There will be a small amount of walking on level terrain, but no arduous hikes. If you plan to stay with us overnight, I suggest that you make a room reservation that can be canceled in case the weather forecast is unfavorable. And be sure to bring warm clothes.
For more information, please call or text me at (707) 326-8815 or email me at djensen@mcn.org. If you let me know that you intend to attend, I will send you any last-minute changes to our plan. I hope you can join us for what should be an unforgettable experience.