Listing of Explorations

stone entry to hot spring

Alum Rock Exploration

Just a few minutes outside of San Jose, you'll find a place to explore 100 million years of history. Alum Rock Park, created in 1872 as the first municipal park in California, offers both ancient rocks and new geologic changes (and lots of nice trails and wildlife, too). Despite its longevity and proximity to a populous urban area, it remains one of the less-visited jewels in the Bay Area's crown.

Launch Exploration
egret alone in rocks

Crissy Field Exploration

Crissy Field is a stunning park site within the Golden Gate National Parks. Crissy Field's 100 acres of wild, windswept shoreline are a favorite place for walkers, joggers, boardsailors, bicyclists, thousands of birds and even the occasional seal.

Launch Exploration
Fossil Snail shells from the eocene

Mt. Diablo State Park Exploration

This park is one of the ecological treasures of the San Francisco Bay Area. Every season in the park has its special qualities. Discover for yourself the mountain's beautiful wildflowers, its extensive trail system, fascinating wildlife distinctive rock formations and fossils.

Launch Exploration
madrone bark

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park Exploration

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park stands as a reminder of the natural flora and fauna of the area before much of it was cleared to create vineyards. However, the soils and microclimates that have drawn grape growers for over 100 years remain. The park is also teeming with plants used by Native Americans in the region, who were likely the first people to use the Valley's bounties to make intoxicating concoctions.

Launch Exploration
Monarch butterfly on eucalyptus leaf

Natural Bridges State Beach Exploration

Between the ocean and the edge of Santa Cruz lies one of the largest monarch butterfly overwintering sites in the western United States. The park also has large coastal scrub meadows that in spring are filled with native wildflowers.

Launch Exploration
view of the water on the slough

Elkhorn Slough Exploration

Go on an Exploration of Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing, CA. While it offers a variety of rich habitats and vegetation for hundreds of species of birds, fish and other wildlife, it's under constant threat from human activity, pollution and erosion.

Launch Exploration
Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge Exploration

Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge Exploration

The nation's first urban National Wildlife Refuge, it's 30,000 acres of open bay, salt pond, salt marsh, mudflat, upland, and vernal pool habitats are constantly changing.

Launch Exploration

San Andreas Fault Trail Exploration

You probably know that the San Andreas Fault runs nearly the length of the state. But did you know that you can see the fault for yourself? Take a hike at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Palo Alto.

Launch Exploration

QUEST Schedule

  • QUEST TV:

    Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. on KQED 9 and KQED HD, Comcast 709.

  • QUEST Radio:

    Mondays at 6:30 a.m. & 8:30 a.m. on KQED FM 88.5 and KQEI FM 89.3.

  • Nature-Deficit Disorder/ Ugo Conti's Spider Boat

  • Thu, May 15 at 2:30AM, on KQED Channel 9
  • Thu, May 15 at 2:30AM, on KQED HD

  • Disappearing Frogs/ Planet Hunters

  • Thu, May 15 at 7:30AM, on KQED World

  • Nature-Deficit Disorder/ Ugo Conti's Spider Boat

  • Fri, May 16 at 2:00PM, on KQED Channel 9
  • Fri, May 16 at 2:00PM, on KQED HD
  • Fri, May 16 at 8:00PM, on KQED HD

QUEST is a TV, radio, web, and education series by KQED that explores science, environment and nature in Northern California.   » More

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