Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge

Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge spans 14 acres on a coastal rock formation rising 335 feet above sea level, located half a mile from the California shore.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the refuge from The Nature Conservancy in 1979 to establish protected habitats for marine mammals and seabirds.

The Tolowa people historically used the waters near Castle Rock for collecting shellfish, seaweed, and hunting marine mammals from their seagoing canoes.

Visitors can observe the refuge and its wildlife through spotting scopes at the public overlook positioned along Pebble Beach Drive in Crescent City.

The refuge hosts the second largest seabird colony south of Alaska, supporting approximately 150,000 birds with common murres representing the predominant breeding species.

Location: California

Inception: 1979

Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/castle_rock

GPS coordinates: 41.76178,-124.24952

Latest update: March 5, 2025 23:12