Point Lobos State Reserve
Carmel · near Carmel · Central Coast
Wildlife Watching
At a glance
- Best season
- Year-round; gray whales Dec–Apr; sea lions & otters always
- Open year round
- Yes
What is here
- Wildlife
- seals-otters · whales · birds · tidepools
- Species
- Sea otters, harbor seals, California sea lions, gray whales, cormorants, brown pelicans
- Amenities
- Sea otters & seals in coves · Gray whale overlooks · Sea lion rookery · Easy scenic trails & tidepools
- Best for
- Scenic, easy coastal wildlife walking
- Features
- Crown jewel of the state parks · Otters, seals & sea lions · Gray whales offshore · Seabird colonies & tidepools
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Very popular — arrive early (reservations at times) · Unfenced cliff edges & slick rock · Keep distance from wildlife · Wind, sun & fog exposure
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Wildlife Watching detail
- Viewing
- trail
- Effort
- easy
- Habitat
- coast
- Sighting
- 4
- Viewing notes
- 'The crown jewel of the state parks' — sea otters and seals in turquoise coves, gray whales offshore, a sea lion rookery, seabird colonies, and tidepools, all on easy coastal trails
- Intl tip
- 'The crown jewel of the California state parks,' just south of Carmel — a compact, stunning reserve of turquoise coves and granite headlands packed with marine life. Sea otters and harbor seals in the coves, a barking sea lion rookery, gray whales offshore (winter/spring), seabird colonies, and rich tidepools, all on easy scenic trails. Family-friendly but very popular — arrive early (timed reservations in peak periods), keep back from unfenced edges and wildlife, dress for wind, sun, and fog.
The guide
Point Lobos, on the coast just south of Carmel, is often called 'the crown jewel of the California state park system' — and for…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Point Lobos State Reserve — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 36.515, -121.95