Nature reserve · California
Salinas River Dunes Natural Preserve
Salinas River Dunes Natural Preserve is a nature reserve in California, at a modelled elevation of 8 m. Mount Toro stands 1,081 m to the south-southeast, 20 miles off. The nearest named place is Salinas River State Beach, a nature reserve 0.2 miles away. Big Sur Coast Highway - Route 1 passes 13 miles off.
How to reach it
Coordinates36.78148, -121.79492
- 13.5 mi off the Big Sur Coast Highway - Route 1, National
Overlooks nearby
- 1 Shepherd's Knoll · 15 mi
- Rumsien Overlook · 19 mi
- China Lookout · 23 mi
- Granite Canyon Bridge · 25 mi
Named places within 25 miles
Nature reserves
- Salinas River State Beach: 0.2 mi
- Salinas River Mouth Natural Preserve: 2.0 mi
- Moss Landing State Beach: 2.3 mi
- Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge: 2.8 mi
- Zmudowski State Beach: 4.1 mi
Beaches
- Island Beach: 1.6 mi
- Jetty Beach: 2.0 mi
- North Marina: 5.7 mi
- Marina State Beach: 5.8 mi
- Palm Beach: 6.2 mi
Peaks
- Mulligan Hill: 2.2 mi
- Schneider Hill: 7.5 mi
- Tarplant Hill: 9.0 mi
- Artillery Hill: 10.1 mi
- Elliott Hill: 10.7 mi
Parks
- NCRPD: 2.4 mi
- Crane Street Park: 2.5 mi
- Cato Phillips Park: 2.9 mi
- Little Acorn Park: 5.0 mi
- Kirby Park: 5.1 mi
Attractions
- Sea otters: 2.6 mi
- Giant artichoke: 2.7 mi
- Crystal Bay Farm: 9.5 mi
- Kissing Rock: 12.4 mi
- Kelp Forest: 12.7 mi
Artworks: 60
- Motorcycle from license plates: 3.6 mi
- Motorcycle from chains: 3.6 mi
- If it has no other explanation, it must be art: 4.2 mi
- Jesus Statue: 7.1 mi
- Compass: 11.3 mi
Picnic sites: 51
- Lower Shade Ramada: 7.1 mi
- Outdoor Navy Dining Area: 13.5 mi
- El Estero Picnic Area: 13.6 mi
- Veteran's Park Picnic Area: 14.2 mi
- Emmet Reed Picnic Area: 15.3 mi
Historic sites: 48
- Battle of Natividad State Historic Landmark: 10.6 mi
- Veterans Memorial: 11.1 mi
- First High Altitude Aeroplane Flights: 12.1 mi
- John Denver Memorial: 12.5 mi
- John Steinbeck Memorial: 12.8 mi
Museums: 46
- Shakespeare Society of America: 1.3 mi
- Elkhorn Slough Reserve Visitor Center: 4.3 mi
- Boronda History Center: 8.5 mi
- William H Volck Museum: 9.5 mi
- Pajaro Valley Historical Association: 9.5 mi
Gardens: 40
- Yorktown community garden: 8.3 mi
- Memorial Rose Garden: 10.2 mi
- Sand City Community Garden: 12.0 mi
- Pacific Grove Community Garden: 13.1 mi
- Sensory Garden: 13.5 mi
Waterfalls: 13
- Bonfante Falls: 17.9 mi
- Fairy Falls: 18.1 mi
- Five Finger Falls: 18.9 mi
- Maple Falls: 19.2 mi
- Triple Falls: 20.5 mi
Springs: 10
- El Pajaro Springs: 13.5 mi
- Horseshoe Spring: 19.6 mi
- Dodero Spring: 19.7 mi
- Crystal Springs (private): 20.2 mi
- Olive Springs: 20.3 mi
Cliffs: 7
- Cavalry Bluff: 9.5 mi
- Capitola Bluffs: 15.7 mi
- Chrystal Cliff: 18.7 mi
- Anthony's Bluff: 18.8 mi
- Upper Quarry: 20.9 mi
Lighthouses: 3
- Point Pinos Lighthouse: 12.8 mi
- Santa Cruz West Breakwater Light: 16.9 mi
- Santa Cruz Lighthouse: 17.4 mi
Covered bridges: 2
- Felton Covered Bridge: 24.1 mi
- Felton Covered Bridge: 24.1 mi
Natural arches: 1
- Natural Bridges Rock Arch: 18.6 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 22.3 miles of Salinas River Dunes Natural Preserve. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Toro | SSE 150° | 1,081 m | 20.4 mi |
| Mount Harlan | ESE 105° | 991 m | 22.3 mi |
| Fremont Peak | E 96° | 966 m | 16.2 mi |
| Santa Rosalia Mountain | N 350° | 806 m | 20.4 mi |
| Knibbs Knob | N 357° | 801 m | 21.0 mi |
| Bluerock Mountain | ESE 112° | 782 m | 18.4 mi |
| Lands End | N 1° | 780 m | 19.6 mi |
| Simas Peak | SSE 152° | 685.3 m | 16.9 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:12 | 18:45 | 19:19 |
| June solstice | 05:49 | 19:52 | 20:30 |
| September equinox | 06:56 | 18:31 | 19:06 |
| December solstice | 07:17 | 16:15 | 16:55 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 51 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 59 | 61 | 63 | 63 | 64 | 61 | 56 | 51 |
| Precip in | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 4.5 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Watsonville WTR WKS, 10 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap element relation/5173379
Day trips start here
- Moss Landing · 2 mi
- Marina · 7 mi
- Watsonville · 10 mi
- Salinas · 11 mi
- Seaside · 12 mi
- Pacific Grove · 13 mi
Private beta · Free to join
Take the scenic way to Salinas River Dunes Natural Preserve.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.