Where to see the Monarch Butterflies in Migration

When we’re headed to Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, CA, we’re usually there to spend some time on the beach (and me to gaze at the sea arch). This time, however, we were there for an entirely different reason. We were there to see some seasonal visitors — some butterflies. Not just any butterflies; we are talking about the Monarch Butterflies in migration. If you’re in the northern part of the state, remember the answer to Where to see Monarch Butterflies in California is Santa Cruz — Natural Bridges State Beach, in particular, because that is one of the places closest to you.

Just north of the beach where the striking ‘Natural Bridge’ is, is a small canyon that’s home to a grove of Eucalyptus trees and this is where thousands of Monarch Butterflies come to spend the winter.

The natural preserve there is protected by the State Parks system to ensure that the area remains undeveloped, and inviting to the endangered orange-and-black winged beauties.

The Monarch Butterfly Migration

What I learnt from this trip to Santa Cruz and some extra reading about the Monarch Butterflies is that it is the butterflies of this species west of the Rocky Mountains that travel here in the fall. (The ones east of the Rockies apparently travel down to Mexico.)

These monarchs of the states on the west coast tend to fly south to California’s Central Coast for the winter months. They arrive in the area around October and stay on till about February, after which, they fly inland or up north, some as far as the southern parts of Canada, some of them flying over thousands of miles in this journey.

An information board by the visitor center says it’s the butterflies that are born in the late summer months that fly down to this part of California’s Coast. According to the experts, these butterflies mate in the winter and when they fly back, they go looking for milkweed and lay eggs on the leaves of the plants setting the stage for the next generation. Once they are done laying eggs, their work here on earth is done.

The next generation gets on to a start by feeding on the milkweed for nutrition as well as some poison to keep their predators away. Once they turn into butterflies, they continue on the journey their ancestors set out on,  leaving the world dumbfounded about how the butterflies transfer information about the migratory paths and about where to stay in the winter months!

Monarch Butterflies in California: The Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve in Santa Cruz

The Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve in the Natural Bridges State Beach has a number of eucalyptus trees that attract migrating butterflies. There’s a boardwalk that takes you into the canyon where you might be able to see the monarchs in migration.

If you’d like to see the butterflies, October – November is the best time to see the Monarch Butterflies at the preserve.

We were there on a late November morning to see the orange and black butterflies. Having stopped to pick up some fuel for the car and for ourselves, we ended up getting to the area around 10 am. The idea had been to get there earlier than that.

When we reached the end of the boardwalk, we found a crowd of people looking up to the top of the tall eucalyptus trees there. We stopped and followed suit, and up above the branches — and against a clear blue sky for a background — we could see many butterflies flitting around.

It was a pretty sight but it looked like most of the butterflies had flown away and we were not going to see them hanging off the eucalyptus branches. The sun had begun to shine down into the canyon and that meant most of the butterflies had warmed themselves up and taken flight.

After quite disappointedly looking up for a few minutes, we were about to leave the area when a naturalist arrived and was talking about the Monarchs that are regular visitors here. He then pointed out to what looked like some dried leaves in the shadows of the sun-kissed branches. We looked carefully and realized that the ‘leaves’ there looked smaller than the eucalyptus leaves we knew, and they were fluttering!

A better look and we could see little orange patches in between the clusters of brown. My goodness! Those were the winged creatures we had come to see. Although they were higher up than I wished, there they were — in clusters, wrapping around eucalyptus leaves!

If only we’d come in earlier!
But then again, if the naturalist hadn’t come down at that point, we just might have missed even this marvelous sight.

How to visit the Butterfly Preserve (and other things you need to know):

• Go in the winter months to see this species of butterflies on California’s Central Coast. October and November are considered the best months to go. However, you might be able to see them up until February.
• Go as early as possible. The butterflies are said to use the morning sunshine to warm up for a bit and then they fly away to get some nectar to snack on. You might want to get there as the sun begins shining into the canyon, and before the temperature hits 55 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale.
• Make sure to dress up warm. It could be cold in the canyon in the fall and winter months (even though the sea breeze doesn’t really hit the area.
• Make sure to carry binoculars and telephoto lenses for the sights here.
• The boardwalk into the canyon makes the grove wheelchair-accessible to a certain extent.
• And if you’d like to go on an easy hike, hit the trail near the end of the boardwalk and it will loop back to the road that leads to the parking lot by the visitor center.
• Dogs are not allowed in the area.

Where to see Monarch Butterflies in California

California’s Central Coast is the place to see Monarch Butterflies in winter

• (Other than the Butterfly Preserve in Natural Bridges State Beach), there’s the
• Lighthouse Field State Beach
• Pismo State Beach  

More:
From California’s Central Coast
See Elephant Seals in Ano Nuevo SP

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