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California

When to catch San Luis Refugeat its best

San Luis Refuge through the year: wildflowers (local timing: April) and winter wildlife (local timing: January). 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 mostly sunny, 98°F · Sun sunny, 97°F
  • Park alertsCheck the managing agency before you go

When are you going?

Fall at San Luis Refuge

Good in fall

  • Sandhill cranes: back from mid-September, large numbers still visible in February (San Luis NWR Complex calendar)

From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.

Nearby in fall

Where to go at San Luis Refuge

Spots, visitor points and places nearby
  • Spring
  • Fall
  • 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

Winter wildlife

  • Waterfowl auto tour route8.5-mile drive-only gravel loop from the visitor center, open year-round; winter geese, cranes and tundra swansU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
  • West Bear Creek auto tour route2.25-mile drive from the West Bear Creek Unit entrance on Hwy 165, open when its wetlands are flooded (generally fall through spring)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Next 7 days at San Luis Refuge

Forecast: National Weather Service
  • TodaySunny94° / 59°–
  • ThuSunny95° / 61°–
  • FriMostly Sunny95° / 63°–
  • SatMostly Sunny98° / 64°–
  • SunSunny97° / 65°–
  • MonSunny96° / 64°1% rain
  • TueSunny96° / 64°1% rain

Today: sunrise 6:59 a.m., sunset 6:50 p.m., light until 7:16 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

San Luis Refuge in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
The San Luis refuge visitor center building
The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge visitor center, the starting point for the auto tour routes. USFWS.. Photo: USFWS · public domain · resized

Questions people ask

When do the wildflowers bloom?

April is the month the refuge's calendar gives for abundant wildflowers around the vernal pools. Early spring wildflowers then give way to summer grasses.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Species (Nature's Calendar) ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How hot does it get?

Summer can stay over 100 degrees for weeks at a time. Bring plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen; mosquitoes can be very active, especially in fall and spring.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Can I walk the auto tour routes?

No: the auto tour routes are for vehicles only. Walk one of the nature trails instead. There's no fee for the visitor center, auto tour routes or nature trails.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is the West Bear Creek tour route open in winter?

Generally yes: it opens when its wetlands are flooded, usually fall through spring, and closes in summer. Timing shifts from year to year. Its entrance is on Hwy 165, separate from the main entrance on Wolfsen Road.Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Auto Tour ↗ (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

Every timing above, from these pages; checked Sep 28