San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge

In general, the best time of day for birding is early to mid-morning. The second best time is late afternoon/early evening to dusk. Nocturnal birds like owls and nighthawks can often be seen at dusk and right after. Birds are also quite active and interesting to observe during the summer...

Wildlife watching in general can be enjoyed at either the Pelican Nature Trail on Dairy Road, or the Beckwith Wildlife Observation Area on Beckwith Road. Spring, summer, and fall can be particularly good as wildlife may be more active as they hunt for mates and forage to provide food for their...

The Pelican Nature Trail at 2714 Dairy Road, Vernalis, California, 95385 is an approximately 4-mile long trail that is open every day from 1/2-hour before sunrise to 1/2-hour after sunset. The trail is a series of three connected loops (like the links of a chain) meandering through uplands,...

The Pelican nature trail and Beckwith Wildlife Observation Area both provide opportunities for photography any time of year. The Beckwith wildlife observation area is some distance from the wildlife, so telephoto lenses are most helpful.

Sheltered picnic tables are available at the Pelican nature trailhead, from 1/2-hour before sunrise to 1/2-hour after sunset, every day.