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Exploring the beautiful nature of California


California Nature: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve


The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes are a National Natural Landmark. This unique treasure is home to thousands of species of plants and animals. The Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area is a California State Park located north of the city of Guadalupe. Visitors to the Natural Area can walk along the mile-long boardwalk that follows the creek, passing across Oso Flaco Lake, to the ocean.

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is the largest remaining dune system south of San Francisco and the second largest in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses an 18-mile stretch of coastline on the Central Coast of California and extends from southern San Luis Obispo County to northern Santa Barbara County.

The Dunes are separated into uplands and wetlands habitats. Uplands include the fore dunes, back dunes, and sandy beaches. The fore dunes begin at the high tide line, where only low growing plants with deep root systems can live. The strong winds, salt spray, and massive amounts of sand make this area uninhabitable for other types of plants. The back dunes, just behind the fore dunes, are stabilized and covered with plants, and are dominated by shrub species like mock heather, dune lupine, and coastal buckwheat.
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes has some of California best nature The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex is home to a unique dunes ecosystem as well as several endangered and threatened species of plants and animals. To protect the dunes environment, much of the Complex has been set aside for conservation. Another portion of the Dunes is utilized for recreation, such as camping and Off-Road Vehicle use.

The first inhabitants of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes were Native Americans of the Chumash tribe, whose settlements were noticed by early Spanish maritime explorers. However, Europeans did not travel through the Dunes themselves until 1769. These explorers were members of Don Gaspar de Portola’s overland expedition. While staying in the Dunes, the explorers shot a skinny bear by the shores of what is now called Oso Flaco Lake. After eating the bear, two of the explorers became sick. The skinny bear had been poisoned by the Chumash who, as a means of protection, often incapacitated dangerous wildlife by feeding them tainted meat. This incident resulted in the lake’s name: Oso Flaco or "Skinny Bear."
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes were formed by a combination of factors including beach sand which was blown inland by the wind and the Santa Maria River which brought sediment to the coast. Dune-building began 18,000 years ago with the Nipomo and Orcutt Mesas. This Dune System has the highest dunes on the entire western coastline of the United States. Among these, Mussel Rock Dune is the highest, measuring approximately 500 feet.

Another rare geographic treasure is Oso Flaco Lake, a freshwater lake located amid the Dunes. Even though the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes consist of moving sand with extremely low moisture that is seemingly deprived of nutrients, it is home to a variety of flora and fauna. There are at least 18 endangered species of plants living in the Dunes.

Many species of animals can be found among the Dunes. Over 200 species of birds live there, such as the western snowy plover, American peregrine falcon, California brown pelican, and California least tern. Other animals also depend on the dunes such as the California red-legged frog, coast garter snake, deer, black bear, bobcats, and mountain lions. Beetles, butterflies, lizards, saltwater and freshwater fish inhabit the dunes as well.
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is a great place to explore California Nature The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is located in the midsection of the Dunes Complex and  was established in August 2001 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the breeding habitats of the threatened California red-legged frog, the western snowy plover, and the endangered California least tern.

Pismo State Beach-North Beach Campgrounds is located at the northernmost part of the Dunes. While visiting the North Beach Campground, guests can enjoy family camping, surfing, swimming, surf fishing, and hiking.  Pismo State Beach-Oceano Campgrounds is located further south than the North Beach Campgrounds, near the town of Oceano. The Oceano Campground has a nature museum on site.

Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is located south of Oceano and consists of five and half miles of beach open for vehicle use and a large area of the sand dunes open for off-highway vehicle use. It is the only California State Park where vehicles may be driven on the beach. The park also offers guests the ability to camp on the beach itself. Other activities available at the park are horseback riding and bird watching
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is owned and managed by a collaboration of both private and public parties, including the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, the California State Parks, the Nature Conservancy, the Dunes Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Natural Lands Management, and the Land Conservancy.

In 1923, pioneer filmmaker Cecil. B. DeMille built the largest set in movie history in the dunes near Guadalupe, CA, for his silent (and early Technicolor) epic, The Ten Commandments. It was called "The City of the Pharaoh." After filming was complete, DeMille ordered that the entire set be dismantled and secretly buried in the dunes. And there it lay, forgotten, for the next 60 years and it still sits there, buried in the sand, known as the "Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille."  Some artifacts have been recovered and are on display at The Dunes Visitor's Center, while others may be seen from time to time as the dunes shift.
 
 
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