Outdoors
Refuges, lakes and wild areas near Carmel-by-the-Sea for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.
Good to know: Early mornings and evenings are best for wildlife; bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance.
4 mi northeast · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the most spectacular marine protected areas. This sanctuary also has one of the largest underwater canyons and closest-to-shore deep ocean environments.
14 mi northeast · Fish and Wildlife Service
This 367-acre coastal National Wildlife Refuge is located where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay.
21 mi northeast · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Elkhorn Slough is one of the relatively few undisturbed coastal wetlands remaining in California.
Map of 33 places loads as you scroll.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the most spectacular marine protected areas. This sanctuary also has one of the largest underwater canyons and closest-to-shore deep ocean environments.
This 367-acre coastal National Wildlife Refuge is located where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay.
Elkhorn Slough is one of the relatively few undisturbed coastal wetlands remaining in California.
Amid a grove of towering trees, eight campsites create a loop within White Oaks Campground, just off Tassajara Road.
Pleasantly nestled under a large canopy of pine trees, China Camp is a campground where peace and quiet is commonplace. The spacious campsites allow you to set up camp with more than enough space between you and your neighbors.
Arroyo Seco Campground is a semi-rustic, but developed facility in California's westernmost national forest.
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city at Memorial Park -- a scenic and remote campground tucked away in the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky spires and deep canyons.
Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California. The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano.
Kirk Creek Campground is an oceanside paradise, with each site overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It offers a variety of opportunities for relaxation and recreation.
Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities.
Plaskett Creek Campground offers a beautiful location just minutes from Sand Dollar Beach, one of the largest and most popular beaches in central California.
Recreation facilities at San Luis Lake were constructed under a cost-share agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and the State of Colorado during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Within the steep and rugged Griswold Canyon, BLM land straddles both sides of the road.
The Laguna Mountain Area consists of somewhat rugged terrain with rolling hills covered in dense brush. The area's vegetation is characterized by classic chapparal habitat, oak forests, and grassy meadows.
The Los Banos Dam and Reservoir are on Los Banos Creek above the San Luis Canal, near Los Banos, California. The dam and reservoir are features on the Central Valley Project - San Luis Unit .
Little Panoche Dam is a feature of the Central Valley Project - San Luis Unit . The area is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Access by foot only. Parking lot provided. Nearest main highway, I-5.
Located in southern Monterey County, and standing over 2,700 feet in elevation, Williams Hill offers great views of the surrounding Salinas Valley.
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in a vast cultural and natural landscape.
Located on the outskirts of the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA), Condon Peak offers rolling grass-covered slopes with a few tall pines and shrubs, as well as steep slopes and rocky outcrops covered with pine and brush.
Look closely at the ground you will find evidence of the vast inland sea that once covered the Tumey Hills. The light porous rocks are composed of diatoms, the tiny, bleached, shell-like skeletons of sea algae.
The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 26,800 acres of wetlands, riparian woodlands, native grasslands, and vernal pools. A thriving population of endemic tule elk is showcased on one of three auto tour routes.
The Coalinga Mineral Springs National Recreation Trail was designated under the National Recreation Trails System Act in 1981. The trail is located on the scenic southern tip of the Diablo Mountains.
The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge located in Stanislaus County encompasses more than 7,300 acres of riparian woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California’s Great Central Valley.
The Merced National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 10,258 acres of wetlands, native grasslands, vernal pools, and riparian woodlands.
Private property surrounds Stockdale Mountain. Do not enter through private gates or fences.
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California.
Haypress Campground is nestled within the coastal scrub of Tennessee Valley, near Mill Valley. The hike to this campground is 1 mile from the Tennessee Valley Trail head parking lot, which means car or RV camping is not allowed.
Cerro Alto Campground is a well-known hiking and mountain biking paradise. It is located a short distance from the sandy beaches of Morro Bay, where visitors enjoy surfing, fishing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and more.
Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Renu Cherry.
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THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Visit Carmel.
Watch on YouTube ↗
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), about 4 miles northeast of Carmel-by-the-Sea as the crow flies. Next are Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge (14 mi) and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (21 mi).
Federal agencies including USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.