Explore! - Discover the Elkhorn Slough

One of the finest jewels in the Monterey Bay’s treasure chest of natural beauty is Elkhorn Slough (pronounced slew). This haven of wildlife is just 20 miles north of Monterey, right next to Moss Landing, a charming fishing village on the edge of the deep-sea Monterey Canyon.

Elkhorn Slough, where the 45,000-acre watershed harbors the second-largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California, is one of the state’s largest and last remaining coastal wetlands. This ecological gem at the center of the Monterey Bay coastline provides a habitat for a remarkable variety of plants, animals and birds — including several endangered species. The slough encompasses several diverse habitats, including sand dunes, prairie land, pickleweed marshes, freshwater wetlands, oak woodlands, coastal scrub and maritime chaparral.

The slough is one of the premier birdwatching sites in the western United States because it is in the path of the western migration route. More than 300 species visit or find permanent refuge here, an extraordinary number considering the slough’s small size. There are several rare and endangered bird species, including the brown pelican, snowy plover and peregrine falcon. Year-round, great blue herons and great egrets reside in the slough. For the last 20 years, from March to August, as many as 50 pairs of these birds have gathered to nest in the Monterey pines in Elkhorn’s “Rookery” in the north marsh. During these few months, the birds build their nests, mate, hatch their eggs and train the fledglings to fly. In recent years, double crested cormorants have joined the rookery.

While spring is the best time for seeing nesting birds, there’s something special to see each season. In spring, there are sanderlings, scoters and curlews; in summer, Caspian terns, stilts and pelicans. Fall brings phaleropes, godwits, sandpipers and willets and in winter, you can observe grebes, avocets and plovers. Permanent residents include kites and red-tailed hawks, along with the venerable egrets and herons.

But there is more to Elkhorn than birds. Throughout the year, you can see a profusion of wildlife on a guided or nonguided walk through the five miles of trails on the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. Deer, rabbits, weasels, turtles and the occasional bobcat on the trail are truly amazing, not to mention the sea critters that find their way into the slough from the ocean. There are also more than 2,400 species of native plants and a huge variety of insects in the various habitats.

The 1,400-acre Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Game, which provides access to trails, a visitors center and a field laboratory for scientific research and estuarine education. The Elkhorn Slough Foundation is a nonprofit, membersupported organization working to conserve and restore the diverse ecosystem as a living laboratory for all generations. The foundation works to preserve the land, acquire new land, support educational programs, administer research grants, restore habitats as well as other efforts that promote and protect the slough. For more information on the Elkhorn Slough Foundation and the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, visit www.elkhornslough.org/esf.

Because the reserve is dedicated to preservation, camping, horseback riding and fishing are not allowed on the grounds; and there are no boat launches on the reserve itself. A popular way to see the slough is in a kayak or canoe, launched from Moss Landing or Kirby Park. Quietly slipping through the channels of the estuary just above water level, you might come face to face with a mischievous sea otter swimming on its back, a harbor seal lounging in the mud or a grebe about to dive for fish.

A visit to Elkhorn Slough gives you the perfect opportunity for a visit to the boating and commercial fishing community of Moss Landing, which lies at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough, just opposite the 500-foot-high steam stacks on Highway 1. It’s a perfect place for lunch after a visit to the slough or perhaps to spend the morning touring the village before an afternoon stroll through the slough. This whimsical village is home to a marine research facility, fresh fish markets, fine art galleries, many antique shops with collections of nostalgic American antiques and collectibles as well as restaurants serving delicious meals or simple snacks to suit your every whim. It’s a quirky little place that seems like an island because to get there you must drive across the water on an old, single-lane bridge. Moss Landing is also the launching point for whale-watching excursions, bird and otter safaris and kayak rental for both the harbor and the slough.