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Nature reserve · California

Zmudowski State Beach

Zmudowski State Beach from directly overhead

Zmudowski State Beach is a nature reserve in California, at a modelled elevation of 7 m. Loma Prieta stands 1,154 m to the north, 19 miles off. The nearest named place is Pajaro River Mouth Natural Preserve, a nature reserve 0.6 miles away. Big Sur Coast Highway - Route 1 passes 17 miles off.

Visiting

What to expect

Operated by
California Department of Parks and Recreation

Official site

Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates36.83973, -121.80394

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Nature reserves
Artworks: 60
  • Motorcycle from chains: 1.9 mi
  • Motorcycle from license plates: 1.9 mi
  • If it has no other explanation, it must be art: 3.6 mi
  • Compass: 7.4 mi
  • Jesus Statue: 11.1 mi
Beaches
Parks
  • Sunset State Beach: 2.3 mi
  • Sunset State Beach: 2.6 mi
  • Kirby Park: 3.4 mi
  • Seaview Ranch Park: 4.8 mi
  • Las Brisas Park: 5.0 mi
Attractions
  • Sea otters: 2.6 mi
  • Crystal Bay Farm: 5.5 mi
  • Giant artichoke: 6.0 mi
  • S. S. Palo Alto: 10.8 mi
  • Capitola Wharf: 12.2 mi
Picnic sites
  • Lower Shade Ramada: 3.1 mi
  • Emmet Reed Picnic Area: 11.4 mi
  • Pourroy Picnic Area: 11.7 mi
  • Special Events Ramada: 12.0 mi
  • Lone Maple: 12.3 mi
Peaks
  • Tarplant Hill: 5.2 mi
  • Mulligan Hill: 6.3 mi
  • Schneider Hill: 9.6 mi
  • Pinecate Peak: 10.5 mi
  • Mount Chamberlain: 10.8 mi
Historic sites
Museums: 50
Gardens: 40
  • Bamboo Giant Nursery: 10.4 mi
  • Tiger Lily Garden: 11.8 mi
  • Yorktown community garden: 12.3 mi
  • Roses of Yesterday: 12.5 mi
  • Memorial Rose Garden: 13.6 mi
Springs: 12
  • El Pajaro Springs: 11.7 mi
  • Olive Springs: 16.4 mi
  • Dodero Spring: 16.7 mi
  • Crystal Springs (private): 16.9 mi
  • Horse Trough Spring: 17.5 mi
Waterfalls: 12
  • Fairy Falls: 14.1 mi
  • Five Finger Falls: 14.8 mi
  • Bonfante Falls: 14.9 mi
  • Maple Falls: 15.2 mi
  • Triple Falls: 16.5 mi
Ghost towns: 8
Cliffs: 7
Lighthouses: 3
Covered bridges: 2
Natural arches: 1
  • Natural Bridges Rock Arch: 15.9 mi
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 22.6 miles of Zmudowski State Beach. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Loma PrietaN 353°1,154 m18.9 mi
Crystal PeakN 355°1,097 m19.0 mi
Mount ChualN 355°1,046 m19.4 mi
Fremont PeakESE 109°966 m17.5 mi
Santa Rosalia MountainN 350°806 m16.3 mi
Knibbs KnobN 358°801 m17.0 mi
Loma ChiquitaN 357°794 m18.4 mi
Bluerock MountainESE 122°782 m20.7 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:1218:4519:19
June solstice05:4919:5220:30
September equinox06:5618:3119:06
December solstice07:1716:1516:55

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F515254565961636364615651
Precip in4.44.53.61.60.60.10.00.00.11.02.34.5

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Watsonville WTR WKS, 7 mi away.

Wildlife nearby
  • Long-billed Curlew206 obs
  • Snowy Plover203 obs
  • Sanderling167 obs
  • Marbled Godwit140 obs
  • Pismo Clam110 obs
  • Sea Otter106 obs
  • Greater Yellowlegs83 obs
  • Willet77 obs

Research-grade iNaturalist community observations within 3 km — what people have recorded, not a species inventory.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikidataOfficial site

OpenStreetMap element way/39855839

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