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A visit to Hearst Castle
and San Simeon is not complete without a quick drive up the
coast to visit the home of one of California's largest populations
of elephant seals. Led by trained docents, visitors can get
up close and personal with these remarkable creatures as they
thrive on the sandy shores of the beautiful Central Coast.
The elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas is currently 7,500
strong and is a rich educational opportunity for young and
old alike. The vista point has a number of excellent educational
and interpretive signs and trained docents are on hand to
answer your questions. Look for these docents in their blue
jackets when you visit.
The reserve is the year-around home of the seals and during
the winter months visitors frequently encounter females giving
birth to their young. Other highlights of any trip to see
the elephant seals include males battling for mates and young
pups frolicking in the surf. Next time you visit the Castle,
don't miss out on this rare spectacle of nature!
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When to Visit
The elephant seals can be visited from 8 am to sunset
year round. Special arrangements may be made by tour bus companies
and school groups to have docents on hand specifically to
assist them. Please call 1-805-924-1628 for more information.
How to Get There
From Hearst Castle take Highway 1 North 4.4 miles
until you reach the parking lot on the ocean side of the highway.
The Friends of the Elephant
Seal
The Friends of the Elephant Seal is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to educating people about elephant seals and other
marine life and to teaching stewardship for the ocean off
this special place, the Central Coast of California. When
visiting Hearst Castle be sure to stop by The Friends of the
Elephant Seal office in San Simeon located in Plaza de Cavalier
next door to the San Simeon Chamber of Commerce. It's a great
place to get more information, gifts and other fun elephant
seal related goodies.
To learn more about the elephant seals please visit the Friends of the Elephant Seal website.
"Hearst Castle", "Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument", "La Cuesta Encantada",
and "The Enchanted Hill" are registered trademarks of Hearst Castle®/California State Parks.
©2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 California State Parks, All rights reserved.
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