Where is elkhorn slough

Have you been to Elkhorn Slough? This peaceful reserve is full of beauty and wildlife, plus you can choose how to explore, via waterways or on-foot on the 5 miles of trails. Check out these inspiring photos taken at this natural wonder and plan your own visit to Elkhorn Slough! KAYAK Probably the most photographed of adventures at Elkhorn Slough, visitors love to take to the water and experience the slough life by kayak.

Otters, seals, loads of birds, jellyfish, and more can be spotted in and around the waters. Sunrise, foggy morning, sunny day or sunset paddles, the Slough is never short on photo ops — just be sure to check your kayak for sleepy otters before you hop in! And although not physically located in the Moss Landing Harbor, rentals and awesome tours can also be arranged with Venture Quest. Work changes with the season and may involve weeding, planting, or collecting native seeds.

All ages and abilities are welcome, but everyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. November Tour is full. Sign up below for January 22, February 26 or March 26, Hosted in-person at. Treat yourself to an outer and inner exploration as you join Renata Funke, a Reserve Docent, in a two-hour walk through an area she has been enjoying for thirty years.

In-person events are back; most require RSVP. See the Full Calendar of Events. Would you like to have a big impact in protecting Elkhorn Slough?

To sign up today as a monthly supporter, please click here. Have you included the Elkhorn Slough Foundation in your estate plans? Join our Legacy Circle. ONLY when the gate is open and during the posted open hours. Remain on designated trails. Only foot traffic is allowed on trails. Strollers, wheelchairs, and walking sticks properly cleaned are allowed. Smoking is not allowed.

Take photographs and memories only. No collecting is allowed. All plants, animals, and artifacts are protected. Releasing of any animals, feeding of wildlife, or introduction of any plant is prohibited.

No pets on trails, in picnic areas, or in the Visitor Center. Fires, camping, boating, fishing, hunting, and firearms are not permitted at the Reserve. Picnic only in the designated area. Meandering seven miles inland from the coast in the center of the picturesque Monterey Bay, the Elkhorn Slough harbors the largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California outside of San Francisco Bay.

Estuaries—areas where fresh water meets salt water—are among the most productive habitats in the biological world, able to support many animal species. But they are also among the most endangered. In California, nearly 90 percent have been destroyed. More than 5, acres, out of a total watershed area of 45, acres, have been protected by The Nature Conservancy and a host of partners.

In , to protect Elkhorn Slough from major development, The Nature Conservancy purchased the first wetlands there for conservation. Public and private partners continued to acquire wetland and upland areas leading to the designation of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in In September , The Nature Conservancy transferred ownership of the majority of its Elkhorn Slough land holdings acres to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation for continued management. This was the largest single transfer of conservation lands in the history of Elkhorn Slough and cemented the Elkhorn Slough Foundation as a significant conservation leader and land trust in the central Bay Area.

Prior to this transfer, the Conservancy owned more than acres in the Elkhorn Slough watershed.