A really great place to learn about monarchs. Don't get to see many butterflies here in September but it was nice. We did see one butterfly on the ground that was beautiful!
Shawn Slauson
Sep 25, 2022
Only saw one butterfly when I was there. I walked around for a half hour before asking someone where all the butterflies were and they told me they are only there in November.
Teresa Martain
Sep 11, 2022
A nice, leisurely walk along the dunes with easy access to Grove beach. We'll need to come back during the butterfly season.
Pismo State Beach Campground and the Monarch Grove are open to pedestrians only. The nearest facilities are at the ocean end of Grand Avenue.
At this time, Sep 2020, it is unclear as to when the campground will open for camping ànd the Monarch Grove will be staffed with Docents.
Depending on the seasonal variations yes you might catch a big array of butterflies especially since californias fires,slowed the migration down.I hope your family vacation is fun either way..
Across the street is the best place to park. Drive straight to the Monarch Butterfly Grove and then you will find a parking spot on one of the sides. Very easy
I visited last week. There were some butterflies but the majority that create the large clusters huddled together are there in Nov. The volunteer told me that Thanksgiving week was the best time to visit especially due to the warmer weather as of late.
No not till November is when they start to arrive in the Grove hopefully we see more than last yr as of spring of this year only 23,000 were counted due to decline of the monarchs.. for sine reason their not eating milkweed so it's really sad because that's all they eat and lay there eggs on.. hopefully we can get this figured out real soon or we will no longer be able yo enjoy them I'm a Inaturalist for national geographic I count and raise monarch thos spring I had 5 monarchs last yr I had about 50
Sweetie, northern CA is on fire. Will it effect the area? Yes it will. But the park is on the ocean....so maybe breeze will remove smoke. It was not Smokey a few weeks ago when we were there, I'll recommend find restaurant on the ocean...FINS Restaurant
Are there a lot of butterflies there now? It's Mend of May.
Fayanne Kirkpatrick | Sep 29, 2019
Sandi Prusa | Sep 29, 2019
They are not here now. Around October I believe to the end March is .The best time to go is around Valentine's Day as long as it's a clear day not raining or foggy.
Are there monarchs there now if i travek from tucson to monarch grove tomorrow march 4? I know the numbers were drastically down this year. Do they leave all at once? Can u describe a little right now.? Marchb4 5 & 6?. Thnx
Grace A A | Sep 29, 2019
Glenn Heiser | Sep 29, 2019
Unfortunately, the Monarch Butterfly Grove is closed for the season. You can still go there but there is no docent and very few if any butterflies left. They don't all fly away at once but slowly leave over a. Of weeks on their journey to Canada.
They were a few weeks ago...some you had to see through a telescope. They were up inside and at the top of the trees. You can still get a pic with your phone
I was there on the 20th and they were still at the good amount of good amount of them it's better to go when there is warm weather because they're actually active so try to make sure it's a sunny day otherwise they just sit in the trees on a cold overcast day
What's the best hotel near the butterflys? Best restaurant?
paul kelly | Sep 29, 2019
Chris Hood | Sep 29, 2019
You have a lot of options. There are dozens of hotels and restaurants in 5 miles either direction. Check out Zorro's Cafe for great Mexican. For hotels, we stayed at The Cliffs hotel and spa.
As Rustics says there is a row of porta potties but it also butts up against a campsite that has actual bathrooms. They were all gated off when I was there a few weeks ago but they might be open now.
As a boy ,we lived in morro bay Ca.And would go to a place called eagle mountain, to see huge plies of butterflies hanging from trees. I wonder if they still go there?
Buddy Lewis | Sep 29, 2019
E Ybarra | Sep 29, 2019
Yes from what I hear. I went to early in the season to see them.
When is the best time to go? I wanted go when the grove is the fullest of butterflies.
3/31/18 There are maybe 300 or so left at the Grove. There was 14,000 at the peak in Dec & early Jan. Monarch butterfly overwintering season is from mid October thru the end of February. Then they head back North East
When we visited a couple of weeks back, their count was at around 2,000 which was the lowest of the season. One of the staff members mentioned that the peak was around Thanksgiving at about 14,000.
This place is technically always open. The guides may not be there and the telescopes won't be up, but you are free to walk around a view the butterflys yourself.
I live one block away from the grove and am there often. It's impressive right now (15000 last estimate from the volunteers) and The numbers should just just get better when you're here. Good timing Ketty!