Pismo State Beach

Pismo State Beach
Location San Luis Obispo County, California
Nearest city Pismo Beach, California
Coordinates 35°6′37″N 120°37′53″W / 35.11028°N 120.63139°W / 35.11028; -120.63139Coordinates: 35°6′37″N 120°37′53″W / 35.11028°N 120.63139°W / 35.11028; -120.63139
Area 1,050 acres (4.2 km2)[1]
Governing body California Department of Parks and Recreation
Monarch butterfly at the Pismo Butterfly Grove
Nuttall's woodpecker at Pismo Beach, near the butterfly grove

Pismo State Beach is a beach on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. It is approximately 17 miles long and fronts the towns of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano in San Luis Obispo County. It is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

The area includes a beach and dunes.

Recreational uses

The beach offers many attractions such as camping, hiking, swimming, surfing, and fishing, and is home to the famous Pismo clam. It is a popular place to bird watch and is the largest over-wintering colony of monarch butterflies in the U.S.[2]

Animal and plant life

The beach is home to many forms of marine life, such as abalone, anemones, crabs, kelp, and sea urchins. Several types of birds also live at the beach, such as the brown pelican, great blue heron, and ivory gull.

A large monarch butterfly population winters over at the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. It is popular to view the monarch migration from October to February. Docents provide guided tours.

Pismo Beach Nature Center

The Pismo Beach Nature Center is located in Oceano Campground at Pismo State Beach. Operated by the Central Coast State Parks Association, the center features exhibits about the park's birds, animals, monarch butterflies, plants, freshwater lagoon and Chumash culture. Nature education programs are offered for campers, schools and group organizations, and docents lead guided walks. There is also a nature-themed gift shop.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pismo State Beach. Wildernet. Retrieved February 8, 2017
  2. ↑ Pismo State Beach. California Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved February 8, 2017
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