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Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
11 reviews for Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
This place fills my childhood memories. My elementary school took us here for many field trips, and as an adult I still enjoy this place with the same enthusiasm.
It is a great place for a walk with friends or to spend the day bird watching or spending a day with your children teaching them about all the things this ecological reserve has to offer.
Visit their website to plan your day
http://bolsachica.org/...
The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is located along the east side of Pacific Coast Highway in the city of Huntington Beach from Warner Avenue to Seapoint Avenue. It is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset.
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One of the last remaining wetlands in Southern California. Several years ago, they reopened a channel to the ocean to the wetlands, and it has just gotten better and better.
A great spot for easy hiking (it's pretty much all flat) and bird watching. You'll also see lots of squirrels, rabbits, and lizards. Great for kids.
Note, if you enter next to the interpretive center at PCH and Warner, you will need to walk on Warner Ave (in the bike lane, there is no sidewalk) for about a hundred feet, crossing Los Patos bridge, to get to the main trail. People drive very fast on Warner, so be careful! There is a pedestrian bridge planned but construction is in limbo due to the CA budget crisis.
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If you're a bird, I'm a bird. This Ecological Reserve suggests you to think like a bird or fish when entering. Wow, what a concept!
The Native Indians were the earliest people found on this reserve. It is one of the last remaining wetlands in Southern California. Over 200 species are found throughout the year. They have signs that advise you not to feed the endangered species.
I found this neat bird watching area off of PCH (after Warner Ave). The parking is free and holds approximately 20 spaces.
You are greeted by a long wooden pedestrian bridge. This platform is great for capturing tons of feisty diving Terns as they look for fish.
The reserve has several nature hiking trails that require lots of walking I suggest you wear comfortable walking shoes, and not flip-flops; don't make the same mistake as I did! The park opens from 6:00 am-8:00pm. I saw the sunset at the top of the hill. It was so beautiful watching skimmers fly across the sunset. I thought I was watching the Lion King for a minute! (Wake up its only Huntington Beach!)
They have two wildlife stops, where your binoculars come in handy. These areas are filled with professional photographers.
My favorite birds were the Great Egrets. Their long, white bodies glided across the green marshy waters. I saw Pintails, Black Skimmers, Terns, and Egrets. I was a little disappointed that I didn't see any Pelicans.
Note: It is very hard to capture birds while using a digital camera they don't sit still!
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Is this as good as it gets? No, but it is as good as it gets here in our urban metropolis.
We left the parking lot in front of the interpretive center and found our way across the bridge to the trail which leads back into the reserve. Didn't see much wildlife at first, but the farther we went, the more life we saw. Lots of birds and the hugest of huge pelicans. And, at the bridge, you could get within a few feet of them. (Guess they knew they were protected!)
A great urban escape, and the cost.... FREE!!!! Go, and take out the trash you bring and any that you see. It will be worth bringing your children here. And don't forget to take your camera!
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We have made so many trips up and down PCH along Bolsa Chica. On the inland side of PCH is the Bolsa Chica wetlands area. We've stopped there previously and looked around and walked on the bridge leading inland.
With a little unexpected time on our hands, we decided to go visit the wetlands. We crossed the bridge and found a nesting area behind what I thought was the back side. There was a major water area even larger than water adjacent to PCH.
I'm not a bird watcher so the only thing I can describe is that some were ducks, some had long legs, others had long beaks, some dipped below the water surface for a minute or so (apparantly looking for sushi), while others were flying majestically overhead.
Did I mention that it was foggy and cold? That shortened our experience for this trip. But it certainly left us with a strong desire to return soon!
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You don't need binoculars to enjoy the birds here. You're surrounded by thousands of birds, and the Caspian and Foster's terns dive right in front of you and perch confidently on the boardwalk. It's a shorebird paradise, all right. The birds are so unafraid and comfortable looking here.
Wear a hat.
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This place is one of THE best birding locations in Southern California. Every year, during the migration seasons especially, almost 200 different species of bird can be seen here. It's amazing to walk along the water and see a huge flock of loons, grebes, or scoters just feet away from you.
This place can be difficult to find, because the only access point is off of PCH, across from Bolsa Chica State Beach. Actually, there's another parking spot off of Warner (where the Bolsa Chica Conservancy/Interpretative Center is located), but the lot off of PCH is closer to all the hot, bird-on-bird action! Be sure to bring your binoculars because you'll be sure to see a lot of 'peckers and 'tits! What?! I meant woodpeckers and bushtits! Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, will ya?! Sheesh! They're just birds!
Anyway, I love stopping by here early in the morning (prime bird watching time), around lunch time (great for a quick hike/jog/walk), or mid-afternoon (when a lot of birds start coming back in for the day). Birdwatchers love this place. They're easy to spot with their spotting scopes, binoculars, and bird identification guides in hand. Joggers love this place because the trails are well worn, easy to navigate, and loops back to the parking lot.
If you stop by, be warned that this place has no benches or tables and the bathroom stinks to high heaven. Ground squirrels and pigeons (aka - winged rats) are in abundance, too, so watch where you leave any lunchtime leftovers. They've been known to attack in small groups...
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A fantastic park for watching birds, and other wildlife (including coyotes, sharks, rays, and other cool critters).
The wooden boardwalk is a great viewing platform. The trails are surprisingly long, and it can take a while to traverse the entire park.
Every time I come hear, it's a different experience. My first trip, there was a huge flock of pelicans dive-bombing the water around the bridge. Next time, it was terns. The last time I went, the shallow waters around the bridge were teaming with sea hares and stingrays. Pretty cool!
Bring binoculars, and bring a camera.
More areas on the northern and western edge may be restored added to the park soon, I hope.
Parking is free, but if you park here and cross PCH to go to the beach, you can get a big ticket.
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I've been going to this sanctuary for many years. Close to my home turf.
Cleansing spritzer of natures own tonic. Bring your digital camera, the wild life there presents many photo ops.
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good hiking trail with benches along the way. I go there all the time for my workout.
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Wow, it's huge and undiscovered. In fact, I'm hesitant to tell Yelp how cool this is because a lot of what makes it nice is that there aren't a hundred people on the paths. It's serene, we walked. I brought a small picnic. There is a little educational building with lives snakes. My husband liked that. The view, water, tranquility and many birds are amazing. If you want a cement path, go to a manicured park. If you want to watch flocks of birds demonstrate intricate choreography with the ocean in the background and no music from some idiot's car stereo - you'll like Bolsa Chica.
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