Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
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Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
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 Bay in Point Lobos |
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| location | Monterey County in California (USA) | |
| WDPA ID | 1111767 | |
| Geographical location | 36 ° 31 ′ N , 121 ° 57 ′ W | |
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| Setup date | 1973 | |
| administration | California Dept. of Parks and Recreation | |
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve , often simply called Point Lobos , is a protected area south of Monterey, California and north of the Big Sur coastline . The very steeply sloping sea coast (the sea floor quickly reaches characteristics of the Pacific several kilometers away from the coast) creates unusual tidal effects , with unusually large amounts of oxygen entering the ocean water. This in turn attracts unusual flora and fauna, from high plankton concentrations up the food chain to larger mammals. Point Lobos is best known for its sea otter population.
Point Lobos has many oceanfront hiking trails and several beaches. There is a small museum in the historic Whalers Cabin. Point Lobos is one of only two places where the Monterey cypress grows in the wild. Extensive kelp forests thrive in the waters around Point Lobos . About half of the protected area is under water and can only be explored while diving.
Web links
- Point Lobos State Natural Reserve at California Dept. of Parks and Recreation