Nature by Moonlight

Spring arrives Saturday and with it comes the start of many guided hikes and other outdoor jaunts for those who like making s’mores on starry nights or learning about native plants, animals and area pioneers.

Some of the most popular hikes in Ventura County are the nighttime jaunts offered by the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.

Several are planned through May at the district’s Wildwood Park at the end of Avenida de los Arboles.

For the past couple of years, the district has offered “Saturday Night S’mores,” an easy one-mile guided hike in Wildwood Park that includes singing, storytelling and hot chocolate by a campfire.

“It’s definitely for families,” said Mike McAdam, the district’s outdoor program coordinator. “The kids are learning how to make s’mores and parents are remembering what it’s like to make them.”

This hike will be held March 27, April 24 and May 22. School, scout, church or other groups should contact McAdam for tailored programs.

On April 10 and May 8, Peter Rice, a naturalist and longtime park district volunteer, will lead another kind of nighttime hike through Wildwood Park for all ages. Hikers will see purple sage and poison oak and listen for the sounds of frogs, crickets and coyotes. Rice tells stories and talks about the Chumash and other pioneers.

“His whole thing is to teach you how to use your senses,” McAdam said. “The point is to not use your flashlight and to just listen and smell for things. There are more animals and more activity in nature at night.”

At Wildwood on March 26, April 23 and May 28, the district has planned “All About Owls,” an evening that begins with a show of mounted specimens and is followed by a hike to listen for the sounds of the great horned, barn and screech owls.

Guided 2 1/2-mile hikes on nights with full moons are also planned at Wildwood on March 31, April 30 and May 30. The hike passes Stagecoach Bluff and Lizard Rock in the park and allows for viewing of a sunset and the moon rising. Poetry hikes and other nighttime hikes are scheduled for the Oak Creek Canyon Trail. Some hikes are also planned on trails suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.

DETAILS

Advance registration is necessary for hikes through the Conejo Recreation and Park District and can be done by calling 495-2163 or stopping by the Conejo Community Center at 1300 Hendrix Ave. in Thousand Oaks. The district’s online address is www.crpd.org/parks/. There are age minimums for each hike, as well as a small fee per person.

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Based in part on the success of night hikes hosted by the Conejo district, Learning Tree University’s campus in Thousand Oaks plans to offer moonlight hikes mixed with astronomy in its summer course offerings. “Hiking is such a big thing out here because of the large trail system in the Conejo Valley and all of the open space,” said Billie Owens, a program coordinator for Learning Tree.

Although dates and times for the nighttime hikes and stargazing are still in the works, Learning Tree is offering two hiking classes that start soon.

Anthropologist, author and naturalist Tom Maxwell will lead a four-week, trail-walking course on paths throughout the Conejo Valley and Santa Monica Mountains. The course runs four consecutive Tuesdays starting April 13.

Maxwell, who also teaches in the Conejo district, will combine mild morning workouts with lessons on plants and early pioneers of the area.

Hikers will learn to spot California buckwheat, toyon and coyote brush, according to the course bulletin. “He is just full of knowledge about all the plants, flowers and local lore,” Owens said.

For six Saturdays starting March 27, expert naturalist Judy Garris will lead Learning Tree’s power trail-walking group. The group will meet in foothill locations between Newbury Park and Agoura, and the classes will include stretching and warmup exercises before brisk morning hikes.

The hikes will increase in difficulty as the course progresses. The class is open to all fitness levels.

DETAILS

Advance registration is necessary for classes at Learning Tree University and can be done by calling 497-2292 or stopping by campus offices at 72 Moody Court in Thousand Oaks. Reach Learning Tree online at www.ltu.org/enroll.htm. There are age minimums for each hike and fees of less than $60.

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The National Park Service, which offers several hikes throughout the year, has scheduled a leisure walk and guided tour of Paramount Ranch in Agoura, just over the Ventura County line, this Saturday.

“From Set to Screen” will be led by ranger Dana Dierkes, who will talk about the history of the ranch, its buildings and sets and some of the movies and other productions that have been filmed there.

“It gives a whole new perspective on different characters from different times,” said park spokeswoman Jean Bray. “It’s travel through an old western town.”

To reach the ranch, take the Ventura Freeway to Kanan Road and go south on Kanan about three-quarters of a mile to Cornell Road. Go left on Cornell Road and veer to the right. The ranch entrance is 2 1/2 miles down Cornell Road.

The event is free and open to all ages.

DETAILS

For more information from the National Park Service, call 370-2301 or stop by the new visitors center at 401 W. Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks.

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Fans of the golden era of western films can sit as they travel back in time with a free screening of the 1935 movie “Hopalong Cassidy Enters” this month at Paramount Ranch.

The movie, which stars William Boyd, Gabby Hayes and Paula Stone, will be preceded by a presentation on early Hollywood westerns by Joe “Hoppy” Sullivan.

The movie runs from 6 to 8 p.m. March 26 inside the ranch’s pavilion. No reservations are required, but people should dress warmly and carry a flashlight.

To submit ideas for Jaunts, please e-mail holly.wolcott@latimes.com.