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California

When to catch Cabrilloat its best

Cabrillo through the year: wildflowers (usually: typically between late March and early April) and wildlife by season (usually: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March). Each has its own page with spots, sources and the latest reports.

RIGHT NOW · SEP 30

  • Latest reportNo dated report this season; the posters below show each usual window.
  • This weekend (NWS)Sat sunny, 84°F · Sun sunny, 84°F
  • Park alertsNo current NPS alerts

When are you going?

Fall at Cabrillo

Next peak here after fall

USUAL PEAK · WILDLIFE BY SEASONCabrilloMid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through MarchCalifornia

“Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March” · National Park Service ↗

Remind me →

Where to go at Cabrillo

Spots, visitor points and places nearby
  • Spring
  • Winter
Places on this map, as a list
Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census.

Best spots

Where each event's source says to go

Wildflowers

  • Bayside TrailA 2.5-mile round trip from near the Old Point Loma Lighthouse through rare coastal sage scrub, with Indian paintbrush, buckwheat, prickly pear and Mohave yucca; open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the uphill return can be a workoutNational Park Service ↗
  • Old Point Loma Lighthouse groundsA park photo shows spring flowers in front of the 1855 lighthouse; it's a short walk from the main lot by the visitor center, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.National Park Service ↗

Wildlife by season

  • Kelp Forest (Whale Watch) OverlookThe park's prime spot for migrating gray whales, particularly December to March; look west, toward the oceanNational Park Service ↗
  • Old Point Loma Lighthouse overlookThe heights by the old lighthouse have a glassed-in whale-watching observatory with telescopesNational Park Service ↗

Next 7 days at Cabrillo

Forecast: National Weather Service
  • TodayMostly Sunny73° / 69°–
  • ThuMostly Sunny75° / 70°–
  • FriMostly Sunny80° / 74°–
  • SatSunny84° / 74°–
  • SunSunny84° / 75°–
  • MonSunny83° / 74°–
  • TueSunny83° / 74°1% rain

Today: sunrise 6:43 a.m., sunset 6:36 p.m., light until 7:01 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 77% lit (our calculation)

Nearby, and when they peak

Straight-line miles; roads are longer

Towns nearby

Straight-line miles; each town page has frost dates and its nature year

Cabrillo in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
A slope of yellow flowers in front of the white Old Point Loma Lighthouse under a clear blue sky
Spring flowers in front of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument (date not given). Photo: NPS Photo / Mike Nelson · public domain · resized

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee?

Yes: $20 per private vehicle or $10 per person on foot or bicycle (groups of up to four walkers or cyclists pay $20 at most), valid for 7 days. A Cabrillo annual pass is $35.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Fees & Passes ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is the park open?

Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., when everyone must leave through the main gate; it's closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Bayside Trail closes at 4 p.m. and the coastal area at 4:30.Sources: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Operating Hours & Seasons ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Cabrillo: Bayside Trail ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is every spring a good flower year?

No. The park's annual wildflowers bloom in abundance only in years with plentiful rain; their seeds can wait in the soil for years.Source: National Park Service, Field Season Beginning for Mediterranean Coast Plant Monitoring Teams (March 15, 2017) ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Anything to watch for on the trail?

Rattlesnakes can be active along the Bayside Trail in summer, so watch your step, and stay on the path to protect the sage scrub.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Bayside Trail ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

Every timing above, from these pages; checked Sep 30