 Park |
Features |
Location |
| Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve |
Low hills at the edge of the Mojave Desert, bearing brilliant orange poppy flowers from February to mid May. Crossed by 8 miles of trails |
14 miles west of Lancaster |
| Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve |
Old growth coastal redwood forest, with a secluded setting on hilly land near the Russian River |
Three miles north of Guerneville, Sonoma County |
| Azalea State Natural Reserve |
Grassy slopes bordering the Mad River - habitat for the western azalea, producing pink and white flowers in spring |
Near the junction of US 101 and Hwy 299, north of Arcata |
| Caspar Headlands State Natural Reserve |
Sandy beach, rocky cliffs, tide pools and tiny islands |
Four miles north of Mendocino, along Hwy 1 |
| John B. Dewitt Redwoods State Natural Reserve |
Small old growth redwood groves either side of the Eel River |
Near Redway - just off US 101, south of the Humboldt Redwoods |
| John Little State Natural Reserve |
Short section of cliffs and bluffs around the lower end of Lime Creek, along the Big Sur coast |
West side of US 101, 40 miles south of Carmel |
| Jug Handle State Natural Reserve |
Pacific Ocean beach, and a series of wave-cut terraces extending several miles inland |
Along Hwy 1 between Mendocino and Fort Bragg |
| Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve |
Second-growth redwood trees and giant rhododendrons, which produce showy pink flowers in springtime |
Along Hwy 1, Sonoma County |
| Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve |
Small area of sand dunes covered with grass, bushes and two species of oak trees |
Five miles south of Morro Bay and Hwy 1 |
| Mailliard Redwoods State Natural Reserve |
Grove of medium-sized redwoods, bisected by a paved road. No facilities |
Four miles from Hwy 128, Mendocino County |
| Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve |
Strange, photogenic tufa formations on the south shore of Mono Lake |
5.5 miles from US 395, near Lee Vining |
| Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve |
Steep hills around Montgomery Creek, covered by ferns and coastal redwoods. Toured via a 3 mile trail |
13 miles west of Ukiah and US 101 |
| Point Lobos State Natural Reserve |
Beautiful rocky peninsula marking the north end of the Big Sur coast; beaches, tidepools, cliffs, meadows and varied woodland |
Three miles south of Carmel along Hwy 1 |
| Smithe Redwoods State Natural Reserve |
Small area of redwoods beside the Eel River; parking but no other facilities |
Four miles north of Leggett on US 101 |
| Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve |
Habitat for the rare torrey pine - bluffs and woodland next to the Pacific Ocean; also has meadows, beaches and eroded sandstone cliffs |
Just north of La Jolla - close to I-5 and I-805 |
| Tule Elk State Natural Reserve |
Flat, grassy land near the south end of the Central Valley, home to a population of tule elk |
Three miles from I-5, 20 miles west of Bakersfield |
