#71 Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery
The Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery is a sure highlight for any road trip up Highway 1 on the Central Coast. Located just north of Hearst Castle in San Simeon, the rookery is managed by Friends of the Elephant Seals, a non profit group where volunteers observe and share their knowledge of these amazing marine mammals.
Elephant Seals migrate twice a year for thousands of miles to rest, breed and birth. Thought to be extinct by the end of the 19th century, a small group survived on Isla Guadalupe in Baja Mexico. Through breeding and protection by Mexico and the United States, there are now an estimated 150,000 going strong.
