Point Sur Lightstation Walking Tour Pt 1, Big Sur, California

Gray whales have the longest known migration of any mammal, traveling around 10,000 miles round trip between the Arctic and Mexico every year. During their migration, the entire Gray whale population migrates within three miles of the Monterey coastline every winter and spring, as they pass through the Monterey Submarine Canyon to feed. January is peak season for observing their migration south. And Point Sur is a perfect on land observation post.

Our tour starts at the multi-padlocked gate 18.6 miles south of Rio Road on Highway 1 (park entrance). This is where we wait for docent tour guides from the Point Sur Lightstation (entrance to its pathway) to met us.

Docents direct our caravan to follow the road which cuts through an area covered with low sand dunes, European Beach Grass, and

cattle from El Sur Ranch who appear to be our greeters. No car gets passed #158 without his okey dokey.

The El Sur Ranch was originally Rancho El Sur an 8,949 acre Mexican land grant deeded by Governor José Figueroa to Juan Alvarado in 1834. Juan Alvarado went on to become Governor of Alta California. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).