Ano Nuevo State Reserve
Ano Nuevo State Reserve has the world’s biggest northern elephant breeding population found on landmass seals, and its interpretive program has attracted more visitors each winter for the past 19 years. Those interested in visiting the seals during the winter breeding season can book their trips in advance.
Males engage in mating fights on the beaches, while ladies give birth in the dunes. Only guided walks are offered daily from December through March, the Reserve’s breeding season. By early March, most of the adult seals have left; by April, just the weaned pups remain.
During the spring and summer, the elephant seals can be seen on the beaches of Ano Nuevo to a permit system. Half an hour’s drive south of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco lays a low, rocky, windswept peninsula that protrudes into the Pacific.
Sebastian Vizcaino, a Spanish explorer, was the first known person to sail around the point on January 3, 1603. The day they spotted it in 1603, Father Antonio de la Ascension, the expedition’s priest and diary keeper, dubbed it Punta de Ano Nuevo.
The point looks today substantially the same as it did when Vizcaino passed by in his ship. It is Remote, uninhabited, and natural. Marine creatures like elephant seals, sea lions, and others will come ashore to the dunes, beaches, and islands to rest, mate, and have their young. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people go to the area to watch this one-of-a-kind and spectacular natural event.
Visitation At Ano Nuevo State Reserve
Many elephant seals living in the north congregate throughout the year in this Reserve that spans 4,000 acres and is home to the species. On the beaches, the guys compete with one another for partners.
On the dunes is where the ladies give birth to their pups. Access to the Reserve daily is restricted to only being possible through guided hikes from December 15 through March 31. For walks, it is recommended to make reservations in advance.
Nature of Ano Nuevo State Reserve
A bookstore within a Visitor Center sells educational goods, including books, postcards, and posters, and houses natural history displays for guests to peruse. Only the area immediately surrounding the Visitor Center provides access to restrooms, drinking water, and picnic tables. At the Reserve, you cannot purchase any food or beverages.
Address: 1 New Years Creek Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060, United States
Open-Closes: 8:30 am-5 pm
Phone: +1 650-879-2025
Established: 1985
Management: California State Parks
Area: 17.03 km²
