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Juan Cabrillo | Lighthouse | Whales | Military | Flora & Fauna | View | Tidepools | ||
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Juan Cabrillo | Lighthouse | Whales | Military | Flora & Fauna | View | Tidepools | ||
General Information
Winter HoursPark Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 a.m. Bayside Trail: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Coastal Area: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lighthouse: 9:00 am. to 5:00 p.m. Bookstore: 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
FeesFamily/Friends pass: $4.00 per vehicle or $2.00 per person (cyclists and walk-ins). Annual Monument pass: $10.00. Annual Golden Eagle Pass to all National Parks: $25.00. Golden Age & Golden Access Passes honored.
DirectionsFrom I-5 South or I-8 west: exit at Rosecrans St., right on Canon St., left on Catalina Blvd. From I-5 North: exit and left on Hawthorne St., right on N. Harbor Drive, left on Rosecrans St., right on Canon St., left on Catalina Blvd. Public Transportation; San Diego Transit, route 26.
If you have questions or concerns contact us at:
(619) 557-5450 or write the Superintendent at:Cabrillo National Monuement
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego California 92106
Daily Auditorium programs:10:00 Steps to the Sea - Discover Cabrillo NMÕs tidepools!
11:00 In Search of Cabrillo - Sail with Cabrillo on his 1542 voyage!
12:00 Our Treasured Lands - Explore the National Parks system!
OR The Gray Whales (during Whale Season)
1:00 In Search of Cabrillo
2:00 Steps to the Sea
3:00 Our Treasured Lands
OR The Gray Whales (during Whale Season)
4:00 In Search of Cabrillo
Ranger-led talks:*Whale Season (Dec. 15 - March 1)
Saturdays and Sundays: 11:30 Gray Whales & Whale Watching 2:30 Gray Whales & Whale Watching 3:30 Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, The Explorer 4:30 The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Spring Season (March 2 - Summer)
Saturdays: 11:30 Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, The Explorer 2:30 San Diego Harbor & Skyline 3:30 Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, The Explorer 4:30 The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Sundays: 11:30 Coastal Sage Scrub 2:30 Point LomaÕs Military History (1 1/2 hour walk). 4:30 The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Third Saturday of Each Month (year round)
2:30 Birds and Biodiversity Walk (Meet at Visitor Center)
Weekdays
Check at the Visitor Center or call the day of your visit for schedule. * Unless otherwise noted, talks last twenty minutes. Check at the Visitor Center for the location of the talk. Please note that duing low tides, we may offer a Tidepool Walk instead of the scheduled talk. Please call ahead or check at the Visitor Center for the dates and times of low tides.
Facilities & Opportunities
Visitor CenterThis is a good area to get oriented. Here you can learn about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, watch audio-visual program about the park, meet with park rangers, find out about ranger-led programs and enjoy a spectacular view of the San Diego Bay area.
Bookstore
Park-related books, postcards and educational gifts are available.Statue
See the statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and enjoy the marvelous view.Old Point Loma Lighthouse
Explore the restored 1880Õs interior of this San Diego landmark and experience a little bit of what life was like at the old light.Bayside Trail
Take a two-mile walk and discover the coastal sage scrub ecosystem and see coastal defense remains while enjoying yet more spectacular views of San Diego Bay.Whale Overlook
From December to March visitors can watch Pacific Gray Whales from this vantage during their annual migration, or just enjoy a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean any time of year. Many old coastal defense structures are visible in the area.Coastal Area
Enjoy coastal overlooks and explore life in the tidepools during low tides (winter is best). Stay back from the crumbling cliff edges.
Cabrillo Historical Association (CHA)
The Cabrillo Historical Association (CHA) is a private, non-profit organization that works in cooperation with the National Park Service. The purpose of CHA is to support interpretive, educational, and scientific activities at Cabrillo National Monument. CHA is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors, and is supported by the sales of publications and other educational items. Your purchases enable CHA to help the National Park Service perform its important mission.
Cabrillo Historical Association MembershipCHA membership is $12, and runs for 12 calendar months. Membership entitles you to quarterly copies of CHAÕs newsletter The Explorer, a 15% discount on all purchases at the Cabrillo National Monument Bookstore, discounts at participating Cooperating Association bookstores in other National Park areas, and invitations to special events such as exhibits, lectures and functions of CHA and Cabrillo National Monument.
Voyages of Discovery
Here are a few of the educational books and videos about Cabrillo National Monument available from CHA:
Cabrillo
Nancy Lemke; Paper, 125pp - $8.95
A biography of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
DeSoto, Coronado, Cabrillo
David Lavender; Paper, 112pp - $4.00
A National Park Service Handbook describing the expeditions of Hernando DeSoto, Francisco Vasquez Coronado, and Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.In Search of Cabrillo
Video, 27 minutes - $14.95
An exploration of the life and times of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who, in 1542, became the first European to explore what is now the west coast of the United States of America.Cabrillo National Monument
Joseph Brown; Paper, 44pp - $4.95
A lovely pictorial introduction to Cabrillo National Monument.
A Harbor Worth Defending: A Military History of Point Loma<
BR> Dr. Barry Alan Joyce; Paper, 69pp - $16.95
An extensive history of the fortifications defending San Diego Harbor.The Old Point Loma Lighthouse
F. Ross Holland; Paper, 51pp - $4.95
A look at the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, one of the first eight lighthouses built on the west coast, and now the heart of Cabrillo National Monument.For information on becoming a member or ordering a book, stop by our bookstore at Cabrillo National Monument, or contact us at:
Cabrillo Historical Association 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive San Diego, CA 92106-3601 (619) 222-4747
Rules and Safety:
Hiking For your safety, and to protect the ecosystem, stay on designated trails.
Bicycles Bicycling is allowed on paved roadways only.
Smoking Smoking is not allowed on the Bayside Trail, near the tidepool area, or in park buildings.
Pets
Pets are not allowed in the park, except in the coastal area. While you are visiting the park, your pet must be left, confined, in a vehicle. Guide dogs are exempted. Pets in the coastal area must be on a leash of no more than six feet.Skate Boards and Roller Blades
Skate boards, roller blades and skates are prohibited on all surfaces.Swimming, Surfing and Diving
Swimming, surfing and diving are prohibited within park boundaries (the park boundary extends 300 feet from the shore). This is for your safety and to protect the intertidal ecosystem.
FishingFishing is permitted with hook and line only, in accordance with California state law. Finfish only may be taken. A California fishing license is required, and must be worn in plain sight.
Tidepool Animals and ObjectsNo shellfish, octopus, or other animal beside finfish may be taken, used as bait, or possessed within the boundaries of Cabrillo National Monument. No shells, rocks, or other objects may be taken from the park other than finfish legally caught.
Watch Your Step!Stay Back!
Cliff areas in the park are very unstable. Stay back from cliff edges.
Go Slow!
Slick, algae covered rocks in the tidepools are very slippery. Wear shoes with good traction and take your time. Go slow! You will see more this way anyhow.
Stay on Trail!Many prickly plant species border park trails; stay on trails to avoid having foliage tear at your skin and clothes. Rattlesnakes are sometimes seen in the park. They are a shy and natural part of the parkÕs ecosystem that happen to be poisonous; stay on trails to avoid them, so that they can avoid you.
A Special Note About Plants:Many plant species, such as California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), may appear dead during summer months, but in fact they are just dormant. During CaliforniaÕs hot, dry summer the stems and petals of many plants become dry and brittle to conserve water. After theyÕve had a chance to quench their thirst with the first rains of winter, however, these unique drought-deciduous plants become green and look very much alive. Please enjoy you stay at the park, and stay on trails to avoid damaging these sensitive, yet hardy, plants that seem to die each summer, but come back to life with the winter rains.
This site launched on December 1, 1996
Web Coordinator / Park Ranger: George Herring,
Web Developers: Bill Edwards: edwards1@mail.sdsu.edu
Evan Jessen: jessen@mail.sdsu.edu
