Organization Description
Our Mission
The mission of the California State Park system is to provide for the health, inspiration and
education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological
diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for
high-quality outdoor recreation.
The California State Park system is responsible for almost one-third of California's scenic
coastline, and it contains the largest and most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of
any state agency in the nation. Of California’s 280 state parks, only 16, including Point Lobos,
are classified as Natural Reserves. Reserves are specifically designated to protect native plant
and animal life, along with other natural resources.
Program Information Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (SNR) has often been called “The crown jewel of the
California State Park System.” Landscape Painter Francis McComas called Point Lobos
“the greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” World class photographers Edward
Weston and Ansel Adams spent years of their lives patrolling the woods and shores of Point
Lobos for the perfect photograph. Originally known to indigenous people as "Isxhenta," Point Lobos was considered a sacred place to be cherished and nourished. Today, people come from
all over the world to be inspired by this unique reserve.
Point Lobos SNR is outstanding for sightseeing, photography, painting, nature study, picnicking,
SCUBA diving and jogging. The offshore area, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine
Sanctuary, forms one of the richest underwater habitats in the world. On land there are rare
plant communities, unique geological formations, and incredibly rich flora and fauna. What is
perhaps most remarkable is the ecological recovery of Point Lobos, once the site of a variety of
industrial activities, from whaling operations and gravel quarries to the largest abalone cannery
on the West Coast. Point Lobos is now classified as a State Natural Reserve, allowing visitors to
witness its incredible ecological recovery after years of heavy resource extraction.
Docent volunteers serve as visible representatives of California State Parks at Point Lobos
SNR, promoting the California State Parks mission. CSUMB Service Learners will volunteer
side by side with Docents to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources and to educate
and interpret for visitors.