A Slow Afternoon Outside: Nature Journaling at El Dorado (Free)

An unhurried afternoon outside, for anyone who wants to slow down and actually see the places we pass every day.

Nature journaling is simple: find one small thing, look at it longer than usual, and put what you notice on a page. Words, sketches, questions. No art skills needed. Messy pages welcome. If you're paying attention, you're doing it right.

Love birds, plants and bugs, or just finished a naturalist course and miss being out in the field? This is an easy, low-key way to keep looking closely, with others who love it too.

What we'll do

• Arrive and settle in with a short, easy walk
• Try three simple prompts together: I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of
• Find a spot and journal one thing for about 20 to 30 minutes
• Share one page or one word, only if you'd like to

What to bring

• Any notebook or sketchbook and a pencil
• Optional: colored pencils or a small watercolor set
• Water, sunscreen, and something to sit on

Good to know

• Free to join. Coastal + Creek is a free nature journaling club for LA and OC.
• Hosted by Ren, a certified California Naturalist (UC ANR) and Nature Journaling Educator (Wild Wonder Foundation). Mostly, she just loves slowing down outside.
• All levels welcome, from first page to full sketchbook. Children are welcome with a grown-up.
• We'll meet at the amphitheater just to the left of the Nature Center entrance. Weekend parking is $8 at a card-only booth. No bikes or pets inside the Nature Center.

Come as you are. Notice what stays.

Ren, Coastal + Creek