| Hearst San Simeon State Park | |
|---|---|
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| Location | San Luis Obispo County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | San Simeon, California |
| Coordinates | 35°35′01″N121°07′18″W / 35.58361°N 121.12167°W /35.58361; -121.12167 |
| Area | 2,309 acres (934 ha) |
| Established | 1932 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
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Hearst San Simeon State Park is astate park ofCalifornia, United States, preserving rocky coast and rare habitats. It is located betweenCambria andSan Simeon. The 3,409-acre (1,380 ha) park was first established in 1932.[1] The park includes theSanta Rosa Creek Natural Preserve, theSan Simeon Natural Preserve and thePa-nu Cultural Preserve, which were established in 1990.
A 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail runs through parts of the San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Washburn Campground. The trail includes scenic overlooks, rest-stop benches and interpretive panels with information on wildlife and habitat. A portion of the trail along the seasonal wetland is wheelchair accessible.
Santa Rosa Creek Preserve is an area that includes valuable riparian forests and coastalwetlands, which provide habitat for endangeredtidewater goby.
San Simeon Natural Preserve consists of vast wetlands,riparian zones, and several undisturbed native plant communities, including uniquemima mound topography. The Preserve is also the wintering site formonarch butterfly populations.
In 2005 an additional 1,100 acres (445 ha) of coastal lands were added to the state park following an easement agreement and property exchange with the neighboringHearst Ranch.[2]
The 13.7-acre (55,000 m2) Pa-nu Cultural Preserve contains the most significant archeological site within Hearst San Simeon State Park. The site has been dated to 5850 years before the present, and it contains significant evidence documenting prehistoric technology, subsistence practices and social organization over the course of several centuries.
Prehistorically this entire general area of the central coast was inhabited by theChumash people, who settled the coastal San Luis Obispo area approximately 10,000 to 11,000BCE, including a large village to the south atMorro Creek.[3]
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument containsHearst Castle.Cambria State Marine Conservation Area andWhite Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area are marine protected areas offshore from San Simeon campground. Nearby ocean waters are also a part of theMonterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where visitors can learn more at the Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay, located atHearst Beach. A largeelephant seal rookery is found on many beaches of Hearst San Simeon State Park. Adjacent to the northern stretches of the park are thePiedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, and thePiedras Blancas Light Station.
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