A Perfect Day at Ano Nuevo State Park

The weather was perfect yesterday for my College of San Mateo field trip to Ano Nuevo State Park. Because the point sticks out into the ocean it can be cold and windy any time of year. At the entrance station we got a visitor permit to enter the Natural Preserve Area, where the elephant seals hang out.

Our first stop was the Marine Education Center, which is in an old dairy barn. This is a good place to be introduced to the elephant seals and other marine life found on the point. From there we headed west about 2 miles to North Point, where most of the juvenile elephant seals are congregating. Along the way we passed a small reservoir where some of us got a glimpse of an endangered San Francisco garter snake.  Just beyond the pond the land rises where it crosses the Frijoles Fault. There are some turnouts along the trail with excellent views of the rugged coast.

There is a small interpretive center and outhouse at the entrance to the Natural Preserve Area. No eating is allowed beyond this point. We followed the trail through the sand dunes, pausing to see stone and shell fragments left by Ohlone Indians centuries ago. At the northern most North Point viewing area we saw lots of juvenile elephant seals. Some are only a year old. Others are a couple of years old, and some of the juvenile males are old enough to make the distinctive guttural sound of their species and engage in mock combat in preparation for

when they will have to fight for mating privileges.  There is a docent at the viewing area to answer questions.

On our return, we descended the trail to Cove Beach, which is at the pond. This is a great place for lunch. It is scenic and the coastal bluffs shelter it from the wind, though that wasn't a problem on this hike. I washed the sand off a leaf of bull kelp and then cut it into pieces to taste. It tastes pretty good, though a bit salty. One student suggested that it could be used as lasagna pasta to make seaweed lasagna. For dessert I brought out my bay nut brownies.

The Ano Nuevo  Natural Preserve Area is open to the public with a permit from April through November. Entry is limited to guided walks from December through March.

TO GET THERE... The main entrance is west of Highway 1 about 19 miles north of  Santa Cruz and 23 miles south of Half Moon Bay.