North State Parent magazine

Butte County, CA

Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation; Durham.
See Clouded Leopards, Lynx, Snow Leopards, birds & reptiles. Open daily by appoint. 9am-5pm. 1-2hr ed. tours avail. Donations welcome!  Behind Durham Park, on Laura Ln. Info: (530)345-1700; www.kirshner.org.

Chico Creek Nature Center; Chico.
The official information center for the 7th largest municipal park in the U.S. Featuring non-releasable living animals & native animal species from Bidwell Park & other CA habitats. Each year 1000s take part our programs. Located in the heart of Bidwell Park; 1968 East 8th St. Info: (530)891-4671; www.bidwellpark.org.

Feather River Fish Hatchery; Oroville. State-of-the-art facility for salmon and steel head trout. Observe life cycle of fish. Spring fish run: June; Fall run: Sept-Nov. Open daily 8am-sundown. Off Table Mountain Blvd. at Feather River Crossing (530) 534-2436; www.cityoforoville.org/fishhatchery.html.

Feather River Nature Center; Oroville. Open daily sunrise to sunset.  Montgomery S. & Old Ferry Rd. (530) 534-6684; www.cityoforoville.org/naturecenter.html.

NorCal Equine Rescue; Oroville.
Dedicated to preventing cruelty to equines of all kinds: horses, ponies, mules & donkeys. The Krume Animal Welfare Outreach Program mascot travels to schools & events to help teach about the responsibilities we all share toward our animal friends. Visit Sun-Thur 9am-2pm and by appoint. evenings & Fri. (530) 370-4056; Office hrs Sun & Wed 10am-3pm; www.norcalequinerescue.com.

Two by Two Ranch & Petting Zoo; Chico.
Meet friendly sheep, chickens, turkeys, llamas, spring chicks, Nubian & pigmy goats. Tours & birthday party events by appoint. 13080 Hosler Ave. Info: (530)893-1088; www.twobytworanch.com.

Angelwings Pony Rescue and Sanctuary; Anderson.
Dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, care & training of unwanted & abused ponies. Sponsors get to visit, ride & play with their pony! 1235 Third St. (530) 365-3602 or (530) 365-5100; www.tcady.com/angelwings.

Bella Vista Farms Animal Rescue; Cottonwood.
Visit hundreds of rescued barnyard & domestic animals. Birthday party packages & pony rides avail. on site, or pony can come to you in Shasta or Tehama Co. Proceeds benefit the animal rescue. Info: (530)347-0544.

Pioneer Park Fishing Farm; Happy Valley (near Anderson).
Poles, bait, instructions, canoeing, boating, picnic areas, tepee, campfires, nature trail, 49er Cabin, tours, wagon & more. Year-round! No license needed.  Info: (530)357-3622.

Safe Haven Horse Rescue; Cottonwood.
Field trips, lessons, birthday party packages. Volunteer work days! 3950 West Anderson Dr. Info: (530)347-4941; www.safehavenhorserescue.org.

Shasta Roots & Shoots; Shasta Co.
Founded by Jane Goodall, inspiring youth to make a difference. Service-learning projects promote care & concern for animals, the environment, & the human community. Trail-mapping, pond & river surveys, planting songbird nesting habitat, annual Coastal Cleanup program & more. Ages preschool-college. Free. Schedule an event in your area.  (530)347-1687; www.shastarootsnshoots.com.

Turtle Bay Exploration Park; Redding.
Interactive multi-media exhibits & galleries. Underwater fish viewing & feeding, animal shows,  self-guided & hands-on science exploration, outdoor experiences & play features. Winter hours (through February): Wed-Mon, 9am-5pm. (530) 243-8859; http://www.turtlebay.org.

Wild Horse Sanctuary; Shingletown.
View horses in the wild and enjoy comfortable cabins & an old west campfire dinner under the stars. Adopt a Horse and Horse sponsorship programs. 2- or 3-day trail rides, 4-day cattle drives. College Internships. (530) 335-2241; www.wildhorsesanctuary.org

Siskiyou County, CA

Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery; Mt. Shasta.
The West's oldest operating hatchery raises rainbow & brown trout to stock mountain streams, rivers & lakes. Free. Tours by appoint. Daily 8am-sundown. 1 N Old Stage Rd. Info: (530)926-5508.

Tehama County, CA

Gaumer's Mineral & Mining Museum; Red Bluff.
Educational & entertaining for visitors of all ages. Gold mining, fossils, Native American artifacts, rocks, crystals & fluorescent minerals. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. 78 Belle Mill Rd. (530)527-6166; www.gaumers.com.

Sacramento River Discovery Center; Red Bluff.
Learn science in our outdoor classroom. Activities vary, from visits to research projects. Ongoing seminars, outings & classes.  Located on the Sacramento River. Native habitat trails, 2-acre native plant garden & more. Tue-Sun. 11am-4pm. (530)527-1196; www.srdc.tehama.k12.ca.us.

Other

Best Friends Animal Society; Kanab, Utah.
Worth a visit- it's the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals, near Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell & the Grand Canyon. Many families make annual visits to volunteer time helping -- on-site lodging available. Visit 2,000 animals, many with special needs, on 3,700 acres. (435) 644-2001; www.bestfriends.org.

Farm Sanctuary; Orland, CA.
300-acre farm that's home to hundreds of rescued pigs, goats, turkeys, cows & other farm animals. Guided hourly tours Sats, 11am-3pm, Apr 1-Nov 30. $3/adults; $1/ages 3-12. Ed. center, gift shop, outdoor pavilion, birthday parties. Next to Black Butte Lake & rec. area, 10 min. w. of I-5, 30 mi. w. of Chico. (530) 865-4617; www.farmsanctuary.org/farm/ca/index.html.

Northern California Facility Camp; Quincy, CA.
A full-service facility camp; includes horse stable & arena, petting zoo, fishing opportunities & much more. Day rates avail.  (530)283-0844; www.myncfc.info.

ScienceWorks, Ashland, OR.
Southern Oregon's world-class interactive science museum. State-of-the-art exhibits, Science Live! performances, hands-on interactive science & arts exploration. Weekly art activities in Einstein's Art Studio. 24 exhibits/3 sections. Wed-Sat: 10am-4pm; Sun: 12-4pm. $7.50/adults; $5/children. 1500 E Main. (541) 482-6767; www.scienceworksmuseum.org.

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Updated January 2, 2009