Website:https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Elkhorn-Slough-ER (Website)
Description:Estuaries: a nursery ground, a resting place, a smorgasbord, where rivers meet the sea. If you're a nature enthusiast, you've probably heard this description before. But what exactly does it mean? And what in the world is a slough anyway? A visit to the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is a great way to find all this out, and much more. Elkhorn Slough is a seven-mile arm of the Monterey Bay located halfway between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey. This arm has a bend in it as it extends inland, and at the "elbow" lies the reserve. The reserve is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and it operates in partnership with the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the local, non-profit Elkhorn Slough Foundation. It is one of 22 national estuarine research reserves around the country that serve as representative estuaries for research, education and habitat stewardship. It was designated as an ecological reserve by the Fish and Game Commission in 1980. The approximately 1,700 acres that comprise the reserve include salt marsh, mud flat, freshwater pond, oak woodland, and grassland habitats. A stroll on any one of the three loop trails reveals a variety of both wetland and upland wildlife. Elkhorn Slough features unpaved roads and trails. It is not uncommon for a black-tailed deer to be foraging in the oaks while a grey smoothhound shark is gliding through the backwater shallows just below in search of a meal of mud crabs. An excellent location for bird watching and hiking.
Site Condition:For more information, visit ElkhornSlough.org or call the reserve at (831) 728-2822 or the Central Region Fresno office at (559) 243-4005 x151.
General Notes:verified 2.16.24 bd / Updated contacts 11/26/24 J.Jackson
Jurisdictions::CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE - CDFW, CALIFORNIA FILM COMMISSION - CFC
Within 30-Mile Zone: N
State Property: Yes
Closed/Vacant: No
GPS Source:Google Maps (interactive), x coordinate: 36.8176714, y coordinate: -121.7368625
Contacts: Battistoni (Primary), John *Acting Reserve Manager, Department Of Fish & Wildlife - Elkhorn Slough Reserve559-978-3595 Phone 1[email protected]
Bakker (Backup), MichelleStaff Services Analyst, Department of Fish & Wildlife831-728-2822 Phone 1[email protected]
Buildings & Facilities, Permits Department,California Film Commission7080 Hollywood Blvd, Suite 900, Hollywood, CA 90028 USA323.860.2960 Phone 1800.858.4749 Phone 2[email protected]https://film.ca.gov/state-permits/buildings-facilities/
* Key Contact
