Water  sprays over rocks on the ocean shore

California Coastal National Monument

Black Oyster Catcher on an ocean rock

Connecting the Pacific Ocean with the land, the California Coastal National Monument provides unique coastal habitat for marine-dependent wildlife and vegetation on more than 20,000 rocks, islands, exposed reefs and pinnacles along the California coastline, as well as 7,924 acres of public land in six onshore units: Trinidad Head, Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch, Lost Coast Headlands, Point Arena-Stornetta, Cotoni-Coast Dairies, and Piedras Blancas.

While millions of people view the Monument from beaches, bluffs and watercraft, a closer look reveals activity as it provides untrammeled nesting habitat for an estimated 200,000 breeding seabirds and thousands of loafing and breeding marine mammals, including harbor seals, and California and Steller’s sea lions.

The California Coast is a way of life for millions of Californians, and a destination for visitors from around the world. Many come to the coast for health, play, work, discovery, and enjoyment. The scenic beauty and important wildlife habitat within the Monument are protected by the Bureau of Land Management as National Conservation Lands.

Along its length, this spectacular interplay of land and sea is an experience that creates lasting connections between people and nature.

 

Piedras Blancas Light Station, first lit in 1875, is located north of the town of San Simeon, California. It is an important location and cultural interface between Northern Chumash and Playanos Salinan peoples. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Piedras Blancas offers unmatched scenic vistas of the rugged mountain peaks of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

Access: Restricted access; access to the light station grounds is by guided tour only
Light house with rocks in the foreground.
Situated along the rugged Mendocino County coastline adjacent to the town of Point Arena, the Point Arena-Stornetta unit offers spectacular views of coastal bluffs, sea arches, the estuary of the Garcia River and sandy beaches and dunes with eight miles of marked paths.

Access: Open for day use only; no motorized vehicles or hang gliding; dogs must be on leash.
A lighthouse on a cliff
Near Davenport in Santa Cruz County, Cotoni-Coast Dairies extends from the steep slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the marine coastal terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Vibrant riparian areas follow along stream corridors, with red alder and arroyo willow forests.

Access: Public access to Cotoni-Coast Dairies is currently limited to guided hikes while the BLM develops a management plan.
A green pasture land with ocean in the background.
The Trinidad Head Lighthouse was first lit in December of 1871 and is still serves as an aid to navigation. Located in Trinidad, California, it is cooperatively managed with the City of Trinidad, the Trinidad Rancheria, the Trinidad Museum Society and the Yurok Tribe.

Access: Restricted access; open for public access first Saturday of each month and special events
programs-nlcs-california-ccnm-trinidad-head-bob-wick
The off-shore rocks and islands included in the Monument are those exposed above mean high tide, and within 12 nautical miles of the mainland along the 1,100 mile California coastline.

Access: Open for day use only
Wildflowers on coastal bluffs near rocks and islands off the California coast. (David Ledig/BLM)
The Lost Coast Headlands are located along the coastal bluffs south of the mouth of the Eel River and west of Ferndale, CA. The 463 acres offer coastal access to remote windswept bluffs crumbling onto rugged narrow beaches.

Access: Open for day use only
A photo of the California coast at the Lost Coast Headlands.
Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch offers spectacular views of Eel River Estuary to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Just south of the Mike Thompson Wildlife Area, Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch offers a short easy interpretive trail along Table Bluff. Discover why there is no longer a lighthouse and read about the rich natural and human history of the area.

Access: Open for day use only
programs-nlcs-california-ccnm-waluplh-lighthouse-ranch-david-cooper

QUICK FACTS

Presidential Proclamations
Created:
 January 11, 2000
Expanded: March 11, 2014
Expanded: January 12, 2017
Size: Approximately 1,000 acres of off-shore rocks and islands, and 7,924 acres onshore

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California Coastal National Monument

CONTACT US

California Coastal National Monument
Bureau of Land Management 

940 2nd Avenue
Marina, CA 93933-6009 
Phone: 831-582-2200 
Email: BLM_CA_Web_CCNM@blm.gov