Nature reserves in California
Land set aside and kept that way — refuges, game lands and wilderness, each held by somebody who says so on the record.
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1,410 nature reserves are published in California. The list below holds the 700 best-documented.
- Half Moon Bay State Beach
- Muir Woods National Monument
- Wilder Ranch State Park
- Sand to Snow National Monument
- Butano State Park
- Garrapata State Park
- Mojave National Preserve
- The Forest of Nisene Marks State ParkBuilt 1963
- Angeles National Forest
- Gualala Point Regional Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Andrew Molera State Park
- Fort Ord Dunes State Park
- Fort Ord National Monument
- Red Rock Canyon State Park
- Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge
- Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
- Mount Madonna County Park
- Lava Beds National Monument
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
- Coyote Lake - Harvey Bear Ranch County Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Los Padres National Forest
- San Vicente Redwoods
- Death Valley National Park
- Coast Dairies State Park
- Bucks Lake Wilderness
- Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve
- Blue Oak Ranch Reserve
- Máyyan 'Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
- Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve
- Jensen Ranch Historical Park
- LAX El Segundo Dunes Preserve
- Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
- Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
- Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station
- Little River State Beach
- Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Trinidad State Beach
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
- Fort Funston
- Lake Sonoma
- Azalea State Natural Reserve
- Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
- Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve
- Coyote Hills Regional Park
- San Joaquin Experimental Range
- Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve
- Aramburu Island
- Nelder Grove Historical Area
- Phleger Estate
- Nike Missile Launch Site LA-88 (Closed)
- Auburn State Recreation Area
- Auburn State Recreation Area
- Hidden Villa
- Harmony Headlands State Park
- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
- Humboldt Redwoods State Park
- Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
- Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- Asilomar State Beach
- Salinas River State Beach
- Calaveras Big Trees State Park
- Silver Peak Wilderness
- Ventana Wilderness
- Pogonip Open Space Preserve
- Twin Lakes State Beach
- Salinas River National Wildlife RefugeBuilt 1973
- Montaña de Oro State Park
- John Little State Natural Reserve
- Mojave Trails National Monument
- Henry W. Coe State Park
- Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge
- Grover Hot Springs State Park
- New Brighton State Beach
- Cardiff State Beach
- Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
- Zmudowski State Beach
- Kern National Wildlife Refuge
- Sullivan Canyon Park
- Coldwater Canyon Park
- Carmel River Bird Sanctuary
- Challenger Park
- Peters Canyon Regional Park
- Ramirez Canyon Park
- Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve
- Bishop Ranch Regional Open Space Preserve
- Wunderlich County Park
- Goleta Slough Ecological Reserve
- Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve
- California Citrus State Historic Park
- Rustic Canyon Park
- Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve
- Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
- Pescadero Creek County Park
- Rivas Canyon Park
- Forrestal Reserve
- Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve
- Tapia Park
- Coal Oil Point Reserve
- Greenwood State Beach
- Moss Landing State Beach
- Rose Canyon Open Space
- Encino Reservoir
- Del Sol Vernal Pool Preserve
- Butte Valley Wildflower Sanctuary
- Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve
- Ramona Grasslands Preserve
- Pelanconi Park
- Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve
- Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park
- George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon
- Big Break Regional Shoreline
- Russian Wilderness
- Lodato Open Space Preserve
- George F Canyon Nature Preserve
- Pacheco State Park
- El Escorpion Park
- Dinwiddie Preserve
- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
- Burton Creek State Park
- Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
- Hendy Woods State Park
- Chumash Park
- Landels-Hill Big Creek Nature Reserve
- Los Jilgueros Preserve
- Vicente Bluffs Reserve
- Abalone Cove Reserve
- Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
- Bell Canyon Park
- Malibu Bluffs Park
- Worcester Park
- Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
- Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve
- Manresa State Beach
- Agua Caliente County Park
- Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park
- Mountain Park
- Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
- Marjorie Saunders Park
- San Joaquin Marsh Reserve
- Martin Griffin Preserve
- Will Rogers State Historic Park
- Edgewood Park and Nature Preserve
- Laurel Canyon Park
- Redwood Grove Nature PreserveBuilt 1974
- Northern Wildlife Preserve
- Ulistac Natural Area
- Rocky Oaks
- Boyd Memorial Park
- Sycamore Canyon Park
- The California Sea Otter State Game Refuge
- Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve
- Uvas Canyon County Park
- North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve
- Pixley National Wildlife Refuge
- Turtle Bay Bird Sanctuary
- Red Cliffs Natural Preserve
- LA City Open Space
- Springtown Wetlands Preserve
- Del Mar Mesa Preserve
- NPS Land
- Ridgeview Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Hawthorne Canyon Open Space Preserve
- Red Rock Canyon Park
- MRCA Open Space
- Land Bank
- Southridge Village Open Space Reserve
- MRCA Open Space
- NPS Land
- Sage Ranch Park
- Rancho Simi RPD Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Parma Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve
- Memorial Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Tarplant Hill
- Olympic Blvd. Staging Area
- Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
- Carr Ranch PreserveBuilt 2016
- Millard Canyon Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Johnson Canyon
- Henry Ridge Open Space
- Coppins Meadow
- MRCA Open Space
- SMMC Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Lower Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area
- Rush Creek Open Space Preserve
- Green Cove Seal Rookery
- Painted Rock
- The Big Brush
- Oak Forest Canyon Natural Area
- Marble Mountains Wildlife Area
- Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge
- Dry Canyon Creek Park
- LA City Open Space
- Las Virgenes MWD Open Space
- Dublin Hills Regional Park
- Sorich Ranch Park Open Space Preserve
- White Hill Open Space Preserve
- Stevens Canyon Ranch
- NPS Land
- Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park
- MRCA Open Space
- Bobelaine Audobon Sanctuary
- BLM Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Camp 8 (NPS land)
- Sentinel Nature Preserve (WAN)
- MRCA Open Space
- Wilderness Conservation Foundation
- Monte Rio Redwoods Regional Park and Open Space Preserve
- Hilton Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Tern Nesting
- Wildwood Canyon Park
- Woodlands Special Treatment Area
- Placerita Canyon State Park
- Colusa Bypass Wildlife Area
- West Hills Farm
- Crocker Lake Open Space
- Red Hill Open Space Preserve - Leased
- NPS Land
- LA City Open Space
- La Selva Open Space
- Caspar Headlands State Beach
- New Chicago Marsh
- Lake Perris State Recreation Area
- Deukmejian Wilderness Park
- Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve
- Liberty Canyon Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Mojave River Forks Regional Park
- MRCA Open Space
- Coldwater Canyon Open Space
- Sky Oaks Reserve
- Hanson Felton Quarry Preserve — West Perimeter Set-Aside Area
- Rush Ranch
- North Etiwanda Preserve
- Deer Canyon Park Preserve
- Knoll Open Space
- Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park
- Labisco Hill Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Prime Desert Woodland Preserve
- Meins Landing
- NPS Land
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Almond Ranch
- Andrews Meadows
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Garibaldi Unit
- BLM Open Space
- Towle Conservation Easement
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Grizzly Island Unit
- Malaga Reserve
- LA County Fire Open Space
- Land Bank
- Cottonwood Court Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Dow Wetlands Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- San Timoteo Nature Sanctuary
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- LADWP Open Space
- Bucknam Tract Conservation Easement
- MRCA Open Space
- Hahamongna Watershed Natural Park
- Panoche Hills
- LA County Open Space
- NPS Land
- Shell Ridge Open Space
- Sylvan Meadows Multi-Use Area
- MRCA Open Space
- The Cedars
- LA County Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- North Richmond Wetlands
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- South Richmond Shoreline
- Shasta Valley Wildlife Area
- Fran Pavley Meadow
- Uvas South Reserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Dales Lake Ecological Reserve
- Mike Thompson Wildlife Area
- Wild Walnut Park
- Doolan Canyon
- LA County Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- La Selva Open Space
- Dutch Flat Wildlife Area
- MRCA Open Space
- Hill Slough Wildlife Area
- Polygon Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- Walteria Lake
- LA City Open Space
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- Sierra Madre Historical Wilderness Area
- Lower Sherman Island Wildlife Area
- MRCA Open Space
- Sepulveda Pass Open Space
- Bodfish Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Charmlee Wilderness Park
- Snowy Plover Roost
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- MRCA Open Space
- Mount Vernon Park
- Oak Crest Open Space
- Land Bank
- Casa Del Caballero
- BLM Open Space
- Day Use Area
- MRCA Open Space
- Camino Corto Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Eaton Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center
- MRCA Open Space
- Horse Hill Open Space Preserve
- NPS Land
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Pillar Point Bluff
- Rasmussen Open Space
- NPS Land
- MRCA Open Space
- Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (Closed)
- Old Greenwood
- MRCA Open Space
- Big Tujunga Wash Open Space
- Lake Hollywood Open Space
- Marsh Creek 1
- Minniear Day Use Area
- Linden H. Chandler PreserveBuilt 1994
- Sweet Springs Nature Preserve
- Finnon Recreation Area
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Fillmore Nature Park
- MRCA Open Space
- La Tuna Canyon Park
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Dutch Slough
- MRCA Open Space
- LA County Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Laing-Brookfield Open Space
- San Benito Wilderness Study Area
- Santa Anita Habitat Mitigation Project
- LA City Open Space
- Spencer Lake Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Tiburon Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Jepson Prarie Preserve
- Indian Springs Open Space
- Palo Corona Regional Park
- Tulare Hill Ecological Preserve
- Mojave Desert Land Trust
- Carnadero Preserve
- Blue Heron Trails
- Siesta Valley
- Wright Canyon
- Agua Amarga Reserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Voorhis Ecological Reserve
- LA City Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Ventura River Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Buck Gully Reserve
- Sisquoc Condor Sanctuary
- MRCA Open Space
- McKinleyville Community Forest
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- Fairfield Osborn Preserve
- Burton Homestead Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- Leo A. Carrillo and Edith Carrillo Memorial Park
- NPS Land
- Klamath River Fishing Access
- MRCA Open Space
- Lot 25
- Mojave Desert Land Trust
- LA City Open Space
- Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve
- Wistful Vista Open Space
- Lower Arroyo Park
- Joel McCrea Wildlife Refuge
- BLM Open Space
- Griswold Hills Day use area
- Hidden Creeks Open Space
- Fisher Creek Conservation Easement
- Anderson Boat Launch Entrance
- MRCA Open Space
- Malibu Springs (NPS)
- MRCA Open Space
- Yreka Phlox Preserve
- Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Hidden Palms
- Secret Canyon Open Space
- Washoe Meadows State Park
- MRCA Open Space
- Burns Piñon Ridge Reserve
- Manila Dunes Recreation Area
- LA County Open Space
- Robie Park
- LADWP Open Space
- Puente Hills Preserve
- Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve
- Rancho Simi RPD Open Space
- Valley View Preserve
- Basking Ridge Conservation Easement
- MRCA Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- NPS Land
- Linder Grove
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Cascade Canyon Preserve
- SMMC Open Space
- Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve
- Tobin Clark Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- Filiorum Reserve
- Natomas Station Wildlife Area
- Kinneloa Irrigation District Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Texas Canyon Open Space
- Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Joice Island Unit
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Upper Toyon Ridge Nature Preserve (WAN)
- MRCA Open Space
- Strawberry Hill Open Space
- Ocean Trails Reserve
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Moorhen Marsh
- Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve Entrance
- NPS Land
- Andrea Wilson Triangle
- MRCA Open Space
- Chateau Calabasas
- MRCA Open Space
- Roy's Redwoods Open Space Preserve
- Toyon Group Area Entrance
- Monrovia Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Rubio Canyon
- Rancho Simi RPD Open Space
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Digawututklh
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Land Bank
- MRCA Open Space
- Butte Valley Wildlife Area
- BLM Open Space
- LA County Open Space
- Fond Nature Preserve
- Longridge Park
- LA County Open Space
- Dixie Canyon Park
- La Cañada Irrigation District Open Space
- Gull Park
- North Richmond Shoreline
- MRCA Open Space
- Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve
- Private Open Space Preserve
- Santa Margarita Island Open Space Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Marsh Creek 2
- Elliott Nature Preserve
- Gray Davis Dye Creek Preserve
- Surprise Valley Wildlife Area
- MRCA Open Space
- Pilson Property
- MRCA Open Space
- NPS Land
- Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve
- Riddell Preserve
- Black Wall
- Glider Hill Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Abrams Open Space
- Tom & Giselle Hennesy Nature Preserve
- Cache Creek Nature Preserve
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Grey Goose Unit
- Adobe Falls Ecological Reserve
- Huddart County Park
- Delevan National Wildlife Refuge
- MRCA Open Space
- Black Swan Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- LA County Open Space
- White Point Nature Preserve
- San Venetia Marsh Open Space Preserve
- China Hill Yreka Phlox Preserve
- Henderson Canyon Open Space
- Ojai Saddle Trails
- Casa Dorinda Oak Woodland
- Bracut Tidelands Public Access
- Quarry Park
- MRCA Open Space
- Martis Camp Conservation Easement
- Hope Nature Preserve
- Garaventa Wetlands Preserve
- Rip Van Winkle Open Space
- Deervale-Stone Canyon Park
- Calabasas Peak
- MRCA Open Space
- San Jacinto / Lake Perris Core Reserve
- Castle Canyon
- Harvey Ranch Preserve
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- West Family Unit
- MRCA Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Monte Rio Redwoods Regional Park and Open Space Preserve
- Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary
- MRCA Open Space
- Bohemia Ecological Preserve
- Blithedale Summit Open Space Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Dominican Nature Preserve
- Pole Mountain Preserve
- BLM Open Space
- Private Open Space Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Willoughby Preserve
- King Clone Ecological ReserveBuilt 1993
- MRCA Open Space
- Desert Tortoise Preserve
- MRCA Open Space
- Elizabethtown Meadows
- LA City Open Space
- Tule Elk Reserve State Park
- LaPoint Land Bank
- Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
- MRCA Open Space
- Puente Hills Preserve
- Cerro Villa Park
- Round Mountain Conservation Easement
- Woodpecker Wildlife Preserve / Geri Bergen Memorial Forest
- Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve
- Ishxenta State Park
- Carbon Canyon Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Golden Hills Unit
- MRCA Open Space
- Carnadero Preserve
- Coastal Prairie Conservation Easement Area
- Louis Robidoux Parkland & Pecan Grove
- Viera-North Peak
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- LA City Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- John L. Carter Memorial Park
- Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
- Tulare Hill Conservation Area
- MRCA Open Space
- Dal Molin-Runcie Nature Preserve
- LA City Open Space
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Emerson Oaks Reserve
- Headwaters Corner
- MRCA Open Space
- Grizzly Island Wildlife Area- Crescent Unit
- Land Bank
- French Ranch Open Space Preserve
- Arcadia Wilderness Park
- Oak Hill Lane
- MRCA Open Space
- NPS Land
- James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve
- San Jacinto / Lake Perris Core Reserve
- Beverly Glen Park
- MRCA Open Space
- LA County Open Space
- Mead Ranch Reserve
- Wood Ranch Open Space
- Robert Yoshio Nagata Park
- Halperin Open Space Preserve
- Ma-le'l Dunes South
- Grove of the Old Trees
- MRCA Open Space
- La Selva Open Space
- Harper Dry Lake
- The Nature Conservancy Land
- Heath Property
- Holser Canyon Open Space
- Hidden Valley Wildlife Area
- Curtis
- Rancho Simi RPD Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Cahuilla Hills Park
- Dry Creek
- MRCA Open Space
- Cow Mountain Management Area
- Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve
- Dawson-Los Monos Canyon Reserve
- Lake Calavera Preserve
- NPS Land
- Oakshire Canyon Open Space
- Mountains Restoration Trust Land
- Shiloh Ranch Regional Park
- Greyhound Rock Fishing Access
- Lokern Ecological Reserve
- Coal Canyon Ecological Preserve
- Antone Meadows Natural Preserve
- Mitteldorf Preserve
- Mount Diablo Gateway
- Coastal Prairie Conservation Easement Area
- Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Lab
- LA City Open Space
- Volta Wildlife Area
- Woodlands Special Treatment Area
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- MRCA Open Space
- Novato Lands 005
- LaPoint Land Bank
- MRCA Open Space
- Upper Uvas Creek Open Space Preserve
- Land Bank
- BLM Open Space
- BLM Open Space
- Red Hill Open Space Preserve
- Lake of the Woods State Wildlife Area
- Ohlone Regional Wilderness Area
- Hopland Research & Extension Center
- MRCA Open Space
- Schwartz Property
- Decker Island Wildlife Area
- LA City Open Space
- Pescadero Ranch Reserve
- Upper Arroyo Seco
- MRCA Open Space
- Del Mar Mesa Ecological Reserve
- LA City Open Space
- Hennesy Property
- LA City Open Space
- Land Bank
- LA City Open Space
- Fryman Canyon Park
- Gooseflats Wildlife Area
- LA City Open Space
- Chesbro Reservoir County Park
- Pine Creek Wildlife Area
- Puente Hills Preserve
- The Nature Conservancy Land
- Monte Rio Redwoods Regional Park and Open Space Preserve
- Upper Stevens Creek County Park
- Carmel Mountain Preserve