Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves established nationwide as field laboratories for scientific research and estuarine education. The Slough
is located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south of San Francisco, California
on the central shore of Monterey Bay
. The Reserve is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
. It is managed as Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve by the California Department of Fish and Game
.
The approximately 1700 acres (6.9 km²) Reserve hosts programs that promote education, research, and conservation in Elkhorn Slough
. The visitor center has exhibits and is a trailhead for five miles (8 km) of trails that meander through oak woodlands, calm tidal creeks, and freshwater marshes. It is also a popular spot for kayaking and birding.
The Reserve's visitor center is located at 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA 95076.
Admission is free to the Visitor Center and picnic areas.
The Visitor Center features exhibits about the birds, plants, animals and marine life of the watershed. Naturalists provide information about the Slough, and there are guided nature walks on weekends led by volunteers.
To walk the trails there is a $2.50 day-use fee (cash or check, no credit cards) for adults 16 and older; children are free. Entry is also free with a California hunting or fishing license. A one-year pass is available for $15.
Slough (hydrology)
For other uses, see Slough .Slough , is a term in hydrology that refers to:* Slough, a stream distributary or anabranch, or in some cases, a regular stream.More localized meanings of Slough are:...
is located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south of San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on the central shore of Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
. The Reserve is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
. It is managed as Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve by the California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
.
Description
The Mission of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is to ensure the perpetual health of ecosystems in Elkhorn Slough and the surrounding watershed through preservation, restoration, research, information exchange and education with particular emphasis on the Research Reserve.The approximately 1700 acres (6.9 km²) Reserve hosts programs that promote education, research, and conservation in Elkhorn Slough
Elkhorn Slough
Elkhorn Slough is a tidal slough and estuary on Monterey Bay in Monterey County, California. The community of Moss Landing and the huge Moss Landing Power Plant are located at the mouth of the slough on the bay....
. The visitor center has exhibits and is a trailhead for five miles (8 km) of trails that meander through oak woodlands, calm tidal creeks, and freshwater marshes. It is also a popular spot for kayaking and birding.
The Reserve's visitor center is located at 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA 95076.
Entrance fee and hours
The Reserve and Visitor Center are open Wednesday - Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Admission is free to the Visitor Center and picnic areas.
The Visitor Center features exhibits about the birds, plants, animals and marine life of the watershed. Naturalists provide information about the Slough, and there are guided nature walks on weekends led by volunteers.
To walk the trails there is a $2.50 day-use fee (cash or check, no credit cards) for adults 16 and older; children are free. Entry is also free with a California hunting or fishing license. A one-year pass is available for $15.