Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve is a state-managed natural area in Orange County, California, right close to the City of Huntington Beach. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) declared the reserve to conserve a coastal wetland and upland habitat that is home to migratory and resident endangered and rare wildlife and wildflowers.
The ecological reserve’s western edge adjoins 2 more state agency lands along with State Highway #1 (Pacific Coast Highway), which are operated by the California State Department of Parks and Recreation (Bolsa Chica State Beach) and Cal Trans.
Interpretive Center
The Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features live animal displays, maps aquaria, and info on Bolsa Chica, as well as educational programs on wetland science. Exhibitions in the main chamber feature live marine creatures local to Bolsa Chica and the southern California coast, consisting of ochre stars, bat stars, warty sea cucumbers, giant-spined stars, Kellet’s whelks, striped shore crabs, chestnut cowries, and California spiny lobster. A secondary exhibit area is dedicated to living reptiles, including two-striped garter snakes, California kingsnakes, coastal rose boas, San Diego gopher snakes, and alligator lizards. All throughout the center, taxidermy specimens like opossums, snakes, and birds including the red-shouldered hawk, great blue heron, Cooper’s hawk, California brown pelican, and Anna’s hummingbird are on display.
Tours Three organizations in Bolsa Chica provide free public tours every month:
- The Amigos de Bolsa Chica provides the first Saturday at 9 a.m. from the south parking lot.
- The Bolsa Chica Conservancy offers the 2nd Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. from the north lot.
- The Bolsa Chica Land Trust conducts the 3rd Sunday at 10:00 a.m. from the south parking lot.
Visit and tour Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum
Amigos de Bolsa Chica
The Amigos provides a selection of programs to campaign for the conservation, rehabilitation, and upkeep of Bolsa Chica, with an emphasis on long-term advocacy, community awareness, and continuing repair. The following are some of the Amigos’ most renowned community-based programs:
Research & Education: Along with private and public docent-led walking tours, a docent training program, and numerous education-based book publications on the Bolsa Chica, the Amigos’ FLOW Program (“Follow and Learn about the Ocean and Wetland”) provides community members with a chance to learn more about coastal ecology and be a part of the environmental quality monitoring efforts. Each Friday, community members gather and analyze water samples as part of a regional monitoring network. The California Department of Public Health receives the data and administers the state’s Phytoplankton Monitoring Program.
Sustainable Rehabilitation & Management: For almost 40 years, the Amigos have labored to maintain and protect the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Residents can train to become docents or citizen scientists, join in monthly wetlands clean-ups, give water quality seminars to visiting students, and serve on a committee directed by the Board of Directors. (Source: Wikipedia)
Harbor Smiles is nearby.
Directions
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Continue on CA-1 N to Green Ln (2.7 mi)
Turn right onto CA-1 N (1.4 mi)
Turn right onto Warner Ave (1.2 mi)
Continue on Green Ln to Bolsa Chica St (0.4 mi)
Turn left onto Green Ln (0.3 mi)
Turn right onto Pearce Drive (0.1 mi)
Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Bolsa Chica St (0.2 mi)
Drive to your destination (482 ft)
Turn right (85 ft)
Turn left (361 ft)
Turn right – Destination will be on the left – Harbor Smiles (36 ft)