In two months, it will be standing room only at Año Nuevo State Park when thousands of northern elephant seals return to mate and give birth at this protected spot on the Pacific Ocean in San Mateo County. But for now, the coast is relatively clear. There are only 20 juvenile seals there.
In high season, from December through March, docents guide visitors in tightly controlled groups of 15 to keep humans from getting too close to the massive sea creatures that weigh up to 2 tons. Visitors need to secure reservations before joining a tour.
But in the offseason through the end of November, no reservations are required. Visitors can pick up a required permit at the park. The permit is simply a brochure containing rules and a map. Hikers without a guide are allowed to go to viewing areas along the coast.
At fenced-in bluffs, they are greeted by docents who answer questions and reel off facts about the scene in front of them. The park, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is located about 20 miles north of Santa Cruz on State Highway 1.
The seals can easily be seen a few hundred yards away, along with a colorful cast of shorebirds that includes pelicans and brown cormorants.
The offseason hike over sand dunes to see the juvenile seals is a slightly longer walk than the one that visitors go on in winter, but it’s a lot more serene. The fall weather is often mild, and hikers may be comfortable wearing short sleeves.
Completing the hike over mostly flat terrain, including the stop to check out the seals, takes about 2 1/2 hours. The farthest viewing area is a 4-mile roundtrip walk from the parking lot; the closest is about a 3-mile roundtrip from the lot.
It’s easy to hear, and smell, the seals and shorebirds in the distance well before they are seen. The seals grunt, clap and yell. There are other signs of nature, too: blooming poppies, a strutting quail and a harbor seal sunning itself on an offshore rock.
The juvenile sea elephants, the stars here, lie in the sun on the beach. Some tussle in the water. The scene is more mellow than during the mating season, when males fight and females take care of their newborns.
During winter tours, visitors get closer to the seals, close enough see whiskers on males and the nails on their flippers. In fall, the only closeups are through binoculars and iPhone lenses.
Park rules require humans to be at least 25 feet away from the seals year-round and there are ropes to keep visitors on the trails.
Visitors should bring water, sunscreen and a hat. No food is allowed on the trail, but there are picnic benches near the Marine Education Center at the park entrance.
Año Nuevo State Park is on State Highway 1 in San Mateo County at 1 New Years Creek Road, Pescadero. It costs $9-$10 per vehicle to enter. For more information, go to Año Nuevo SP (ca.gov). Guided tours from Dec. 15 to March 31, 2024 require reservations, which open Oct. 20.