Point Lobos
State Reserve

A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.

Point Lobos State Reserve

All Photos (c) Donna Dailey and Mike Gerrard

We asked someone in Monterey for some hiking ideas while we were there. 'Point Lobos State Reserve,' he said. 'I always send people there and they always love it.' So, on our way out of Monterey on our last Pacific Coast Highway drive, we slowed down a few miles south of Carmel, and pulled in.

Parking Tip
There's a fee to park at the Reserve but the lady at the window suggested we save the money and park on the roadside as they prefer people to arrive on foot. She even loaned us a map!

Our Walk in Point Lobos State Reserve

We took the Carmelo Meadows Trail, which led us just a short way through woodland to reach the seashore. And there right below us on the sand, the incoming tide just starting to lick around them, were a mother harbor seal and her pup.

Watch the YouTube video we produced from watching the harbor seals and their pups at Point Lobos.

When to Visit Point Lobos State Reserve

To see the harbor seal mothers with their pups, visit Point Lobos between about mid-April and the end of May

Whaler's Cabin

We walked a while and then on our left was the Whaler’s Cabin, now a tiny but fascinating museum. The cabin was built in 1851 by Chinese fishermen and is now on the Register of Historic Places. The Chinese fishermen and their families sailed directly here to Point Lobos all the way from China in junks. It became the first Chinese fishing settlement in California, and they lived here for almost 30 years.

Best Guide to Carmel and Monterey

Harbor Seal Birthing Area

Just across from the museum was a little sheltered beach with a small crowd of people gathered above it, and a docent who had a telescope on a tripod trained on the beach. The reason was that harbor seals come ashore here to have their pups. Down below us were a dozen or more of them, many with pups, a few without, not yet having given birth.

Seal and pup at Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey

Lucky Timing

It was a total delight for us, and just lucky timing, as we'd no idea we would stumble upon this wonderful scene. The seals are only here for about 6 weeks, from roughly mid-April onwards. The docent told us that they used to say that April 15th was the official start of the birth season but because of the climate changes they’re now starting a little sooner.

Teaching a Seal to Swim

Seals at Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey

He told us he'd seen some of the pups being born, but you had to be quick as it was all over in about half a minute. They’re usually born about 5-6am, and the mother then tears the sack and takes the pup out to sea to teach it to swim and to breathe out of the water and not under the water. The mothers swim underneath the pups to bob them into the water and out again once or twice, so they learn not to breathe underwater.

They stay out a few hours and then come back onto the beach again, where they are perfectly safe. We saw some coming ashore and the docent pointed out one of the day-old pups. Who knew that a baby seal can't swim and has to have lessons from mom?

A sign said 'QUIET PLEASE! Harbor seal birthing area'. The seals themselves were ignoring the notice, the pups constantly calling.

Taking the North Shore Trail

Signpost for the North Shore Trail at Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey

We eventually tore ourselves away from the birthing area and walked through the small car park to find the start of the North Shore Trail, which the kindly docent had directed us to. Here it’s misty and the surf is crashing against the beaches, the rocks, and the cliffs. We walk through the misty woods, as if in a fairy tale, and we find another harbor seal birthing area, but this time it is only the two of us looking down on a dozen or so seals with their pups.

Point Lobos Photos

Further on a brown lizard runs across the path in front of us, we spend some time watching a hawk in the sky, and try to take photos of a large orange butterfly that dazzles us on this dull day. After a while a side trail led out to a large rocky outcrop where dozens of cormorants sat, looking rather miserable in the mist and the cold wind.

We eventually emerge at another small parking area, and take the short but lovely Cypress Grove Trail, which loops back to the car park. From here it's only a short walk back to our car, taking an inland trail. We continue our Pacific Coast Highway journey feeling elated and fortunate that we were in the right place at the right time. It had been yet another PCH magic moment.

Point Lobos State Reserve Location

Map showing location of Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey

Map (c) Google Maps

More Information

Visit the website of the Point Lobos Foundation

Other Carmel pages

Scenic Spots on the Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the most scenic spots on the Pacific Coast Highway in California with Big Sur, Bixby Bridge and Pfeiffer Beach.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica near Los Angeles, with an amusement park, an aquarium and many other attractions.
Best Time to Visit Mendocino
PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld in San Diego is the original marine theme park, featuring killer whales, dolphins, shark encounters, manatee rescue, and Journey to Atlantis.
Bixby Bridge
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway and you have to cross Bixby Bridge in California, ten miles north of Big Sur and 30 minutes south of Monterey.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.
The Jellies Experience jellyfish exhibition at Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Jellies Experience jellyfish exhibition is the latest arrival at Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the top sights along the Pacific Coast Highway in California.
Where to Eat in Carmel
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to where to eat in Carmel with Italian, French, Mexican and American places, from inexpensive to Michelin-star fine dining.
Laguna Beach Inn and Spa
The Casa Laguna Hotel and Spa in Laguna Beach is right on the Pacific Coast Highway and has luxury rooms, a swimming pool, and real gourmet breakfasts.
Carmel-by-the-Sea Inn
If you want a Carmel-by-the-Sea Inn that is close to the ocean then the Lamp Lighter Inn is as near as you can get if staying downtown.
Stanford Inn by the Sea Mendocino
The Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino on the California coast is an eco-resort with yoga classes and the award-winning Ravens Restaurant.
Pacific Coast Highway Wildlife
The Pacific Coast Highway wildlife on and off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington is one of the highlights of any trip.
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway include some of the best independently-owned boutique hotels, spas, and lodges in California, Oregon and Washington.
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals Beach
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals Beach is near Hearst Castle, San Simeon and Cambria and is one of the best things to do when driving the Pacific Coast Highway.
Whale Watching from the San Diego Shoreline
Whale watching trips and tours in San Diego are one of the California city's best activities but you can watch the whales from the San Diego shoreline too.
Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a beach city north of San Diego in southern California famous for its flower fields, LEGOLAND resort and water park, surfing and SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Santa Cruz Downtown Wine Tastings
There are plenty of Santa Cruz downtown wine tastings including Beauregard Vineyards,Storrs Winery and Pelican Ranch Winery,all with tasting rooms.
La Jolla Aquarium
The La Jolla Aquarium, officially known as the Birch Aquarium at Scripps overlooks the Pacific Ocean, with sea creatures from seahorses to sharks.
Laguna Beach
The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is a small city on the Pacific coast of southern California, right on the Pacific Coast Highway and noted for its beaches and surfing.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row is one of the top sights in Monterey and along the whole Pacific Coast Highway.
La Jolla, in southern California
La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.
Humpback Whale
Seeing a humpback whale in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of California,Washington or Oregon is often the highlight of a whale-watching tour.
Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo
The Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo is a romantic, historic guesthouse on the Mendocino California coast, on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Florence Sea Lion Caves
The Florence Sea Lion Caves are one of the best wildlife attractions along the Pacific Coast Highway, north of Florence and south of Yachats.