Wildlife Viewing

 
Gray whale calf swimming.
Gray whale calf. Follow the gray whale's annual migration of more than 10,000 miles from Alaska to Baja, CA and back.

Mike Rivers/Oregon State Parks

Wilife Viewing:

  • Whale watching! Peak migration months for viewing gray whales are November - December and March - April. A resident population may be seen any month of the year at the Klamath River Overlook. Pick a clear, calm day. Bring your binoculars and watch for their spouting. Other good viewing spots include: Crescent Beach Overlook, Wilson Creek, High Bluff Overlook, Gold Bluffs Beach, Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center.
  • Roosevelt elk, one of the largest members of the deer family, are the most easily observed wildlife in the parks. They are seen throughout the parks, but primarily south of the Klamath River in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Gold Bluffs Beach, along the Bald Hills Road, and in the Orick area. Males sport large antlers in late summer through winter. Females are smaller in stature and have no antlers. The rut, or mating season, occurs in fall. Calves are born in grassy, open areas in May and June. Be careful: elk are wild and unpredictable animals. They are particularly dangerous during calving and the fall rut. Always observe them at a safe distance.
  • Tidepool marine life and seabird viewing! Enderts Beach, ½-mile (1 km) walk down the Coastal Trail from the Crescent Beach Overlook; Lagoon Creek/Yurok Loop, 1-mile (1½ km) hike to Hidden Beach; Wilson Creek along Highway 101; pick up a tides schedule at a visitor center.
 
 

Last updated: July 5, 2024

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1111 Second Street
Crescent City, CA 95531

Phone:

707 464-6101

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