Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately 11 miles north of Monterey, California
and 3 miles south of Castroville, California
at the point where the Salinas River
empties into Monterey Bay
. The 367 acre refuge encompasses several habitat types including sand dunes, pickleweed
salt marsh
, river lagoon
, riverine, and a saline pond. The Refuge was established in 1974 because of its “particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program.”
The area provides habitat for several threatened
and endangered species
, including the California Brown Pelican, Smith's blue butterfly
, the western snowy plover, the Monterey sand gilia, and the Monterey spineflower. The Refuge is used by a variety of
migratory birds during breeding, wintering, and migrating periods. Refuge mammals include muskrat, golden beaver, gray fox, red fox, striped skunk, longtail weasel, Virginia
opossum, vagrant shrew, broad-footed mole, brush rabbit, raccoon, duskyfooted
woodrat, deer mouse, and coyote.
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public though there are no facilities beyond a parking lot and footpaths. Those willing to walk from the parking lot to the beach are rewarded with beautiful scenery and an excellent presentation of native dune vegetation.
Dogs, horseback riding, and camping
are not permitted due to the sensitivity of the habitat.
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
and 3 miles south of Castroville, California
Castroville, California
Castroville is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Castroville is located northwest of Salinas, at an elevation of 23 feet . The population was 6,481 at the 2010 census, down from 6,724 at the 2000 census. Castroville calls itself "Artichoke Center of the...
at the point where the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
empties into Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
. The 367 acre refuge encompasses several habitat types including sand dunes, pickleweed
Pickleweed
Pickleweed is a common name used for two unrelated genera of flowering plants:*Batis, family Bataceae*Salicornia, family Amaranthaceae...
salt marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, river lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
, riverine, and a saline pond. The Refuge was established in 1974 because of its “particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program.”
The area provides habitat for several threatened
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
and endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, including the California Brown Pelican, Smith's blue butterfly
Smith's blue butterfly
Smith's blue butterfly, Euphilotes enoptes smithi, is an organism in the family Lycaenidae, which is also known as the "gossamer wing" family...
, the western snowy plover, the Monterey sand gilia, and the Monterey spineflower. The Refuge is used by a variety of
migratory birds during breeding, wintering, and migrating periods. Refuge mammals include muskrat, golden beaver, gray fox, red fox, striped skunk, longtail weasel, Virginia
opossum, vagrant shrew, broad-footed mole, brush rabbit, raccoon, duskyfooted
woodrat, deer mouse, and coyote.
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public though there are no facilities beyond a parking lot and footpaths. Those willing to walk from the parking lot to the beach are rewarded with beautiful scenery and an excellent presentation of native dune vegetation.
Dogs, horseback riding, and camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
are not permitted due to the sensitivity of the habitat.