Read more about Fire and the Giant Sequoia
Majestic Giant Sequoia Growing in a lush grove, giant sequoia trees can stand up to 325 feet tall and live as long as 3,000 years. Their imposing size makes Sequoiadendron giganteum seem remote and invincible, but these trees that only grow on the western slope of the... Read MoreRead more about Fire and the Giant Sequoia
Read more about Shifting Sands
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) lies within the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex, one of the most extensive coastal dune systems remaining in California. Oceano Dunes SVRA comprises approximately 3600 acres of unstabilized and stabilized sand dunes.... Read MoreRead more about Shifting Sands
Read more about Invasive Species in California State Parks
Cape ivy One of the central components of our State Parks mission is to preserve representative examples of California’s native ecosystems and native species diversity. Landscapes invaded by non-native invasive species do not portray an accurate view of natural... Read MoreRead more about Invasive Species in California State Parks
Read more about Bringing Back the Tule Elk
On the broad, flat plains at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, a small herd of tule elk makes their home. Pronounced “too-lee,” tule elk are a subspecies of elk native to California. Once nearly extinct, a portion of their replenished population now lives at... Read MoreRead more about Bringing Back the Tule Elk
Read more about Northern Elephant Seals
Two of California’s coastal state parks host large, strange-looking creatures each winter. Both Año Nuevo State Park and Hearst San Simeon State Park serve as breeding grounds for northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). Named for their large size and... Read MoreRead more about Northern Elephant Seals