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Map Satellite The name of this area is misleading, for there are no sea otters, Enhydra lutris, in the Reserve. The Reserve is all of the land area between the Carmel River in Monterey County and the Santa Rosa Creek in San Luis Obispo County lying to the west of Highway 1 to the high-tide line. Offshore, and not in the Reserve, are approximately 80% of the sea otters south of Alaska, as well as a number of nesting areas for various sea birds.
Along this stretch of coast there are several plant communities, primarily coastal scrub but with some chaparral, redwood forest, and grassland, and a variety of rare plants are found here as well.
A number of areas within the Reserve are worthy of note: see Cape San Martin Nephrite Jade Beaches, Carmel Bay Underwater Park, Castro Canyon, Garrapata Creek, Granite Canyon, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Limekiln Creek, Little Sur River Dunes and Bluffs, Pfeiffer Beach and Point, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Point Lobos State Reserve, Point Sur, Salmon Creek Monarch Butterfly Trees, Soberanes Point and Piedra Blanca Coast.
Integrity: There are various developments in the area, residential and commercial; however, most of the area is relatively undisturbed. The use of firearms within the Reserve is prohibited.
Use: Educational, research, observational, light recreation in public portions. Remainder, private.
April 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
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