Enjoy a private 90-minute guided tour at Año Nuevo State Reserve by a docent naturalist. See the Elephant Seals and learn of the ship wrecks, the history of the Ohlone Indians, a murder mystery, and more! Up to 10 people for an exclusive after-hours walk during the mating and birthing season (or anytime but the best action is from December through March). This rare opportunity gets you access normally very limited for the general public.

Año Nuevo State Reserve is the site of the largest mainland breeding colony in the world for the northern elephant seal, and the interpretive program has attracted increasing interest every winter for the past 19 years. The males battle for mates on the beaches and the females give birth to their pups on the dunes.

During the breeding season, December through March, daily access to the reserve is available via guided walks only. People who hope to see the seals during the winter breeding season get their reservations early before they are sold out. Most of the adult seals are gone by early March, leaving behind the weaned pups who remain through April. The elephant seals return to Año Nuevo's beaches during the spring and summer months to molt and can be observed during this time through a permit system.

Año Nuevo State Reserve is located on State Hwy 1, between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. For more information on Año Nuevo visit the California State Park website at: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523