Viewing Elephant Seals

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Click on the following links to find out more about viewing opportunities for these species and to learn about their habitats and behaviors:

Birds ¦ Coho Salmon ¦ Elephant Seals ¦ Tule Elk ¦ Whales

 

A bull elephant seal trumpets a challenge at Drakes Beach on February 10, 2019.

A Brief History of Elephant Seals at Point Reyes

After being absent for more than 150 years, northern elephant seals returned to sandy pocket beaches on the south side of the Point Reyes Headlands in the early 1970s. In 1981, the first breeding pair was discovered near Chimney Rock. Between 1988 and 1993, the population grew at a dramatic annual average rate of 32%. Since 1993, the average growth rate has slowed to 8–9% per year. Fanning out from their initial secluded south-facing beaches of the headlands, the seals have since expanded to beaches which are not as remote, including, after 2019, Drakes Beach adjacent to the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center.

 

Males, females, juveniles, and/or pups are present at Point Reyes at various times throughout the year.

When are Elephant Seals Present at Point Reyes?

While some elephant seals may be present at Point Reyes on any given day of the year, the greatest number of seals haul out on beaches around the headlands from December through March for the birthing and mating season, and in the spring when adult females and juveniles haul out to molt. Visitors may observe a colony of elephant seals from the Elephant Seal Overlook near Chimney Rock, above beautiful Drakes Bay, or from the South Beach Overlook a short distance north of the Point Reyes Lighthouse visitors' parking lot. And, since 2019, visitors are also able to view a colony on the beach adjacent to the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center.

The males are the first to arrive here, in December, in an effort to stake out a claim on the beach they hope to dominate. Then pregnant females begin to arrive and, soon thereafter, give birth to a single pup (or, in an extremely rare case, twins). The southwest Drakes Beach colony, which can be viewed from the Elephant Seal Overlook, can number over 600 animals by early February.

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Bring binoculars to better see the elephant seals located on the beach at the base of the bluffs opposite of the Elephant Seal Overlook.

From the Elephant Seal Overlook, you can witness the fascinating behavior of these animals, including male dominance contests, birthing of pups, and the interactions of mothers and pups. You will hear the distinctive vocalizations of females and pups, as well as the powerful trumpeting of the adult males (referred to as "bulls"), which can be heard for over a mile.

After a month of nursing, female elephant seals will wean their pups and head back out to sea for a month or two of feeding to replenish deleted energy reserves, leaving the weaned pups ("weanlings" or "weaners") to survive on their own. Once adult females have left the colonies, adult males will also depart. By mid-April, most of the pups have left the area to find food. In early April, juvenile seals and adult females come to shore for two to three weeks in order to molt (shed their skin). Toward the end of the spring, the female molt has concluded and they head back to sea for a longer feeding period. The juvenile molt extends into early summer when the adult males start to haul out for their molting season. There tend to be very few elephant seals at Point Reyes in the late summer, but on most days a few elephant seals may still be seen from the Elephant Seal Overlook. By mid-September, juveniles will return to shore for a resting haul out. During this time, the juvenile seals are still growing and being onshore allows their bones and muscles to develop properly. It also gets them in sync with the coming on shore twice a year pattern and allows the seals to do this before the breeding season, in which they are too young to participate.

Check out our Weekly Elephant Seal updates to learn the latest news.

 

The view of Drakes Beach from the Peter Behr Overlook Trail on February 18, 2019. Orange traffic cones and barricades separate visitors from the elephant seals.

Elephant Seals at Drakes Beach

Last updated: April 1, 2021

Drakes Beach Road and Drakes Beach east of the visitor center are once again open from 6 am to midnight, seven days a week.
Male elephant seals returned to Drakes Beach adjacent to the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center in early December 2020 and pregnant females returned to the beach in late January 2021 to give birth to their pups. As a result, on January 19, 2021, Drakes Beach Road was closed unless park staff were present, and, on February 1, 2021, the beach itself was closed to public access. Visitors were allowed to view the elephant seals at Drake Beach from the sidewalk along the southern edge of the parking lot from 9 am until 5 pm, Fridays through Mondays, and from 9 am until 3 pm, Tuesdays through Thursdays (pending staff availability). On March 20, 2021, these closures were lifted; Drakes Beach Road and Drakes Beach east of the visitor center were opened from 6 am to midnight, seven days a week. There was no need to RSVP, purchase tickets, or make reservations to visit Drakes Beach. On April 1, 2021, the annual closure of Drakes Beach to the west of the visitor center area was lifted.

Please keep in mind that there are still many pups on the beach; please keep your distance and do not disturb them.

To view the larger elephant seal colony that is further southwest along Drakes Beach, please visit the Elephant Seal Overlook near Chimney Rock.

Annual Beach Closure

The beach to the southwest (e.g., towards Chimney Rock; to the right as one faces the bay) of the Drakes Beach parking lot is closed to all entry from December 15 through March 31. (See Interactive Map below.) Please review the Seal viewing tips below before coming to Drakes Beach. There are signs, fences, and other barriers that have been set up to mark closed areas; please respect the closures and do not enter closed areas. Citations will be issued to those who disregard the closures.

COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center is closed, although there are park personnel at Drakes Beach to provide safe elephant seal viewing opportunities for the public. Please follow all guidelines issued by public health officials, especially those regarding wearing a mask and staying at least six feet away from people you don't live with. Areas where individuals over the age of two years must wear masks, except when actively eating or drinking, include the following locations:

• All parking lots, overlooks, viewing areas, and trailheads;
• All park toilet or restroom facilities;
• All public areas adjacent to park visitor centers including sidewalks, kiosks, etc.;
• Sidewalks and other areas adjacent to Drakes Beach and Drakes Beach Parking Lot; and
• Elephant seal overlooks and viewing areas;

Peter Behr Overlook

The Peter Behr Overlook may be reached by following a steep, narrow paved path from the southwest corner of the parking lot to bluff-top viewpoint. It offers a great view of Drakes Bay, Chimney Rock, and Drakes Beach to the east…but not much of a view of the section of beach to the west on which most of the elephant seals are hauled out. For your safety, and the safety of the seals on the beach below, please stay on the paved path and do not go over or around the wooden fencing at the end of the paved trail. Loose soil and/or rock along the blufftops can give way suddenly and you may fall. Or you might initiate a rockfall or landslide that injures or kills the seals on the beach below. Also, there is a lot of poison oak growing among the vegetation surrounding the trail and overlook.

Despite the limited amount of space at the overlook, it is a very popular viewpoint…which is problematic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a look up toward the overlook before heading up the trail. If there are more than a few people at the overlook, please be patient and wait for some of them to depart so that you don't crowd them and so that you can maintain six feet of distance from those who are not part of your household. Masks are required.

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Winter Shuttle Bus System

The Winter Shuttle Bus System has been cancelled for the winter of 2020–2021.
Due to the high volume of traffic out to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas during the elephant seal pupping and mating season and the gray whale migration, the park will be operating a shuttle bus system from the Drakes Beach parking lot (usually from New Year's to Easter each year on weekends and holidays—weather permitting). Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from South Beach to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas WILL BE CLOSED during shuttle operating hours. Check the "Shuttles, Whales, and Elephant Seals" recording at 415-464-5100 x2 x3 x1 for updates on whether shuttles are operating.

 

Seal viewing tips

• For your own safety, always observe elephant seals from a distance. Use binoculars, telephoto lenses, and spotting scopes for a better view of the animals. If a seal becomes alert or nervous and begins to move away, you are too close.
• Stay at least 25 feet (~8 meters) from elephant seals.
• Do not come between a cow and pup, a bull and a group of cows, or two bulls challenging each other.
• Watch quietly; whisper. Move slowly.
• Limit overall viewing time to no more than 30 minutes.
• Avoid abrupt movements or loud noises around marine mammals
• Move away cautiously if behaviors are observed that indicate the animal is stressed.
• Avoid touching or swimming with wild marine mammals, even if they approach you.
• Bring your pets only where they are allowed.
• Observe beach closures and restrictions.

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Feeding or Harassing Marine Mammals in the Wild is Illegal and Harmful to the Animals

Why is it illegal to feed, attempt to feed, or harass marine mammals in the wild?

Feeding, attempting to feed, and harassment of marine mammals in the wild by anyone is prohibited by regulations enacted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Feeding, attempting to feed, or otherwise harassing marine mammals in the wild was made illegal because it is harmful to the animals in the following ways:

• It causes marine mammals to lose their natural wariness of humans or boats and become conditioned to receiving handouts and associate people with food.
• It changes their natural behaviors, including feeding and migration activities, and decreases their willingness to forage for food on their own. They may also begin to take bait/catch from fishing gear. These changed behaviors may be passed on to their young and other members of their social groups and increases their risk of injury from boats, entanglement in fishing gear, and intentional harm by people frustrated with the behavioral changes.
• Some of the items that are fed to marine mammals may be contaminated (old or spoiled) or not food at all. Feeding marine mammals inappropriate food, non-food items, or contaminated food jeopardizes their health.
• Marine mammals sometimes become aggressive when seeking food, and are known to bite or injure people when teased or expecting food.

How is "harassment" defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act?

Harassment means any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or that has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering, but does not have the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level B harassment).

More information on this topic may be found on the National Marine Fisheries Service's Frequent Questions – Feeding or Harassing Marine Mammals in the Wild page.

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Elephant Seal Protection Areas:

Download the Elephant Seal Protection Closures Map, which shows the areas that are affected by the year-round and/or seasonal closures described below. (1,179 KB PDF)

Drakes Beach Elephant Seal Colony Year-Round Closure

The Drakes Beach elephant seal colony as delineated by signs at the western-most end of Drakes Beach is closed to all entry due to seal activity at all times of the year. This closure is necessary to protect an established elephant seal colony from disturbance and protect the public. The elephant seal colony is used all year. No management action other than a year-round closure is sufficient.

Seasonal Closures:

From December 15 to March 31, the following areas are closed to all entry in order to better protect nursing elephant seal pups:

• Drakes Beach: starting at the southern edge of the cove in front of the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and continuing southwest to the current permanent elephant seal closure;
• the beach from the Chimney Rock Lifeboat Station to Chimney Rock;
• the road leading from the gate at the end of the Chimney Rock Road to the Fish Dock area, including immediately adjacent beaches. (Map - 301 KB PDF); and
• the southern end of South Point Reyes Beach (as signed) to the Lighthouse.

Temporary Closures

Temporary closures are in effect until further notice due to the presence of elephant seals. To better protect elephant seals from disturbance:

• Peter Behr Overlook and trail are closed to all entry through April 15, 2021.
• Drakes Beach (including the non-paved areas south of the parking lot) is closed to all entry through April 15, 2021. The closure of all of Drakes Beach was lifted on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The closure of Drakes Beach starting at the southern edge of the cove in front of the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and continuing southwest to the current permanent elephant seal closure remains in effect through March 31, 2021.

Determination of Temporary Closure for Drakes Beach and Peter Behr Overlook and trail - February 1, 2021, until April 15, 2021 - signed on February 1, 2021 (112 KB PDF)

Interactive Map Illustrating the Locations of the Closures Referenced Above

 

View full screen.

 

Learn More

During weekends and holidays, highly trained docents staff the Elephant Seal Overlook and Drakes Beach. They have binoculars, spotting scopes, and a wealth of information to share with you.

Check out our Elephant Seals page, the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center's Elephant Seals web page, or our Elephant Seals Resource Newsletter (1,338 KB PDF).

Adobe® Acrobat Reader® may be needed to view PDF documents.

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