Other Outings

Snow Camping

Museums & Zoos (separate webpage)

Day Outings

Can be combined with other camping and/or cycling outings

Ano Nuevo SR   http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=523 Ano Nuevo is famous for the colony of Elephant Seals that use the beach in the winter months. Reservations are required.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve   http://www.fitzgeraldreserve.org/index.html  Fitzgerald Marine Reserve provides excellent tidal pool viewing. Check their website to see the regulations and tide information.

Horseback Riding

Page for horseback riding guide (in pdf format)

Anthony Chabot Regional Park

Chabot Equestrian Center (510-569-4428) offers guided trail rides and horse boarding. To reach the facility take the Keller Avenue exit off I-580 in Oakland and proceed uphill. Turn left at Skyline Boulevard. The equestrian facility will be just ahead on the right.

Calero Ranch Stables. Located near Calero Reservoir. We are open year round, weather permitting, weekends in the off-season and full time during the summer. All riders are required to wear helmets which we are happy to provide. Reservations are recommended as the Calero Ranch Rental String is a popular activity, and we try to accomodate all requests. An one hour trail ride is $30. 23201 McKean Road, San Jose, CA 95141  (408) 268-2567 http://www.caleroranch.com/

Carroll's  1896 Senter Road, San Jose, CA 95112  (408) 998-2872

Chaparral Ranch Located near Ed Levin County Park. 3375 Calaveras Rd. Milpitas, CA 95035  Phone: (408) 263-3336

Friendly Acres Ranch 2150 N. Cabrillo Hwy, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019   Phone: (650) 726-9916

Garrod Farms Riding Stables Weekday reservations required. 1 hour guided rides in http://www.garrodfarms.com/ . 22600 Mt. Eden Rd. Saratoga, CA 95070  Phone: (408) 867-9527. Directions: Mt. Eden Rd., Saratoga, off Stevens Canyon Rd.

Legacy Oaks  San Jose, CA 95101 (408) 268-7777

Las Trampas Stables
Las Trampas Stables at Little Hills Regional Recreation Area, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, Danville, (925) 838-7546. Famous for night rides and BBQs during daylight savings hours.

Seahorse Ranch Stables Located on Highway 1, one mile north of the junction with highway 92.  http://www.horserentals.com/seahorse.html

Sunol Wilderness
Sunol Wilderness Pack Station at Sunol Regional Wilderness, Sunol, (925) 862-0175

Where to go horse riding http://www.trailcenter.org/guides/stables/stables.htm

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Archery

Three public use archery ranges are located at Santa Clara County Parks.

For more specific information or a park map showing the location of the archery range click on the park name.

Stevens Creek County Park Cupertino area

The range is open to the public seven days per week during normal park hours except for club-sponsored shoot events. Contact the park or club representative for additional information.

Local Archery Club:
Bowhunters Unlimited
Visit their web site at http://www.bhuarchers.org/ 

Santa Teresa County Park South San Jose

The range is open to the public seven days per week during normal park hours except for the first and third Saturdays of each month when it is closed for work by the local archery club. Our range is located in South San Jose foothill on East side of Santa Teresa Park. The range currently offers 28 targets in a classic California oak tree setting. The range is also closed during club sponsored shoots. Contact the park or club representative for additional information.

Non-club members must walk into the range from the parking area located on Avenida Espana.

Local Archery Club:
Black Mountain Bowmen
Contact: Matt Mlnarik, (408) 264-3710

Mount Madonna County Park (south County, west of Gilroy))

Range is open to the public seven (7) days per week during normal park hours except for club shoots. Contact the park or Club representative for closure dates.

Local Archery Club:
Mount Madonna Bowmen
Contact: Jim Early, (408) 683-0394

There are two archery ranges in the East Bay Regional Parks

Briones Regional Park. Our 42 target range is located in Briones Regional Park, approximately 20 miles East of San Francisco, California between the towns of Orinda and Martinez.  There is no fee, but equipment including bows, arrows and targets must be provided. http://www.archeryweb.com/briones/

Redwood Regional Park. The Redwood Bowmen Association range is located in Redwood Regional Park inside the Redwood Bowl entrance off Skyline Boulevard in Oakland (see map). Call (510) 530-0400 for information.

In San Mateo County, there is a range in Huddart County Park.

Huddart County Park The course consists of 28 targets, arranged in two loops of 14 targets each (see the map below). Course layout accommodates continuous full course shooting, or enables archers to safely enter and exit the range between loops. One end of the practice range is canted away from the rest of it to provide a separate area for fundamental instruction of beginners and a fun place to shoot for youngsters.  The range is managed by the King Mountain Archers. http://www.kingsmountainarchers.org/about/index.html

In Santa Cruz, there is a range in deLeveaga County Park

deLeveaga Park. The SCA range is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 4:00PM. Please see our calendar, classes and range directions pages for more information about our activities and how to find us.  The range includes an indoor range, an outdoor sighting range and a field range with 2 loops http://www.santacruzarchers.com/index.html

Other Archery Organizations

In addition there are other archery groups and organizations.

California Archery website: http://www.archeryweb.com/archery/index.html

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Shooting

General Information for shooting below are for facilities. Some facilities do not provide equipment and/or instructors. All training and shooting activities must be supervised by a currently NRA-certified rifle instructor or coach who is 21 years of age or older. Please review the Guide to Safe Scouting for guns and firearms: http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/gss08.html

The Field Sports County Park (Santa Clara County)

The County's only publicly owned firing range provides opportunities for rifle and pistol, as well as trap and skeet shooting. League activity and special events take place year-round.  Located in south San Jose, Field Sports Park is staffed and supervised by qualified range masters at all times.

For youth groups, the San Jose Zouaves sponsors the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) to encourage juniors age 10-20 year of age to participate in organized firearms training programs emphasizing safe handling of small bore rifles while fostering good sportsmanship and improving their overall shooting abilities. Juniors use bolt action .22 caliber rifles on a 50 foot target range.  Safety and good sportsmanship are fostered while teaching marksmanship.  Parents are encouraged to participate with their juniors.

While all are welcome at any time, it is recommended that interested parties contact the San Jose Zouaves at least 2 weeks in advance, as we are a strictly volunteer organization, and require some notice in order to mobilize an adequate staff for large groups.  Also on occasion we have scheduled a group large enough to occupy our full capacity, and have no further facilities for that month.

For more information regarding the San Jose Zouaves Juniors Program Email: Zouaves@Hotmail.com Zouaves website http://www.zouaves.org/junior_program.htm

Field Sports County Park

9580 Malech Rd. San Jose, CA 95013
Phone: 463-0652 (Rifle and Pistol Range Office)
Phone: 463-0769 (Trap and Skeet Range Office)

Rifle Shooting at Field Sports Center at Santa Clara

Laguna Seca Recreation Area (Monterey County)
The Laguna Seca Rifle & Pistol Range offers a safe shooting environment with a well trained staff to assist you.  All first time visitors to the Range facility must inform the staff when signing in.  A copy of the Range rules to read, followed by a brief overview of the procedures will be provided before shooting.  All shooters and spectators must sign a liability waiver located at the Range Office.  Those under 18 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian sign the liability waiver for them.  Children 6 and above are permitted to fire rifles.  Children 14 years of age and above are permitted to fire handguns, but BSA policy does not allow scouts to fire pistols..  All children must be supervised while firing or observing at the Range.  Eye and ear protection are required. This range is NOT set up for handling youth groups and you need to bring your own instructors.

 Fee: 1st hour - $8/person.  Each additional 15 minutes or portion $1.50/person
 Laguna Seca Recreation Area (831)758-3604.

Los Altos Gun and Rod Club

The Los Altos Gun and Rod Club has a shooting range available on Skyline Road, near Castle Rock State Park. Members, leaders, and instructors of non-profit organizations, such as Scouts, church youth groups, and youth shooting clubs who conduct training in gun handling, safety, and shooting skills, will be permitted free use of the Range Facilities (not including the Members-Only range and the Electric Trap range), at the sole discretion of the Los Altos Rod and Gun Club.

For more information on requirements, go to their website: http://www.losaltosrodandgunclub.com/To_all_Scoutmasters.html

Anthony Chabot Regional Park - EBRP

The marksmanship range, operated by the Chabot Gun Club, is open to the general public, including disabled persons. It has pistol, rifle, and shotgun ranges, and offers a hunter safety course. The facility is open Fridays through Mondays. The range is located in the park off Marciel Road; take the Marciel Gate entrance off Redwood Road.

Chabot Gun Club

Juniors Program Information:

When - Second Saturday each month.
Time:     9:30am - 12:30pm
Where - Range 5
How Much - $3.00

The Junior Rifle program is open to youths ages 6 to 20. We meet on the second Saturday. There is a strong emphasis on safety, so this is an excellent way for you to introduce your youngsters and their friends to the exciting world of sport target shooting. All essential equipment; eye protection, ear protection and target rifles are provided. Entry fees are $3.00 which includes one box of ammunition. Additional boxes of ammunition are $1.50. Youths are closely supervised and adults are encouraged to participate as well.

Troop 494 Past outing January 2004

Skating

Skateboarding and roller-skating (including in-line skating) present safety concerns, primarily risks of falls and collisions. Follow the Guide to Safe Scouting guidelines, which emphasize prevention, and are meant to cover all BSA skating programs. Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers should always practice safety and courtesy and obey all local or rink rules. Link: http://www.usscouts.org/safety/g2ss.html

Bay Area Trails Table

Skating Parks

Fremont Skate From 880 take the Stevenson exit east. Follow Stevenson for a few miles and go right on Paseo Padre. Make your first left on sailway and park in the first parking lot to your left.

Monterey Skate Park Concrete, outdoors, small. Directions sketchy, take Hwy 1 to main Monterey exit, right at light, left at stop sign. Then over bridge to immediate left, follow to the end.

Mountain View Skate  Metal ramps, outdoors. From 101 North, exit Rengstorff. Go over freeway (west) and stay on Rengstorff until you come to Rengstorff City Park.

Greer Park: From HWY 101, exit at Oregon Expressway. Go left on Bayshore Dr- Greer park on the right, park is at the far end. Open:1-8pm weekdays and 10-8pm weekends

Sunnyvale Skate park Outdoors, concrete, nice pool, rails, stairs, ledges. 101 North, exit Fair Oaks, go west, over freeway. Park on left hand side where road splits into Fair Oaks/Wolfe Road. Maude Road closest the cross street.

Special Overnight Trips

USS Hornet  Link T494 Webpage on USS Hornet Outing

USS Hornet Website: http://www.uss-hornet.org/index.html

The USS Hornet is one of the great naval ships having served in WW II and recovering Apollo capsules that went to the moon. Tours throughout the ship are available and exhibits such as fighter jets and flight simulators are fun and educational.
 

Spend the night on the USS HORNET as junior crewmembers! The USS Hornet has a live-aboard-program for youth groups. Spend a night on the USS Hornet! Website: http://www.uss-hornet.org/youth_programs/index.html

USS Pampanito   http://www.maritime.org/scout.htm

Spend a night on board a real submarine. During the course of your visit, each camper will complete a submarine qualification worksheet and earn a special certificate from the USS Pampanito commemorating his/her overnight stay.

Alcatraz Island SP Spend the night in Cell Block D on Alcatraz. Apply through a lottery to be chose. The cost is $1250 for a group up to 35 people and also requires a 1-2 service project. Groups are given a tour and a barbeque.

Zoos

Oakland Zoo www.oaklandzoo.org
The Oakland zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road off of I-580 in Oakland. Summer hours through Labor Day weekend are from 9:30 AM until 6:00 PM. Call (510) 632-9525 for up to date information. The Oakland Zoo has been designated to receive a pair of pandas in the future.
San Francisco Zoo www.sfzoo.org
The SF Zoo is opened daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas from 10 AM to 5 PM. The zoo is located at 1 Zoo Road, SF, with entrances at Sloat and 47nd Street and the second entrance at the Great Highway. Non-profit and schools groups within SF can gain free entrance by calling (415) 753-7057. For other school and non-profit groups outside of SF, there is a reduced rate. Call guest services. The zoo removed their free day except for city resident.
San Jose - Happy Hollow www.happyhollowparkandzoo.org
Happy Hollow is focused on ages 2-10 and features rides a variety of animals including a petting zoo and has just re-opened after a major renovation and has always been a favorite spot for children and adults. OPEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through May 28; the park stays open until 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. For more information, call  408-794-6400 or go to www.hhpz.org
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Museums