Monarch Grove Sanctuary - Pacific Grove, California - Public Access Lands on Waymarking.com

From the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History site:
"In late summer and early fall, a special generation of Monarchs is born. These Monarchs live much longer, up to eight months. Triggered by the decreasing daylight and angle of the sun, these butterflies delay sexual maturity and begin flying south toward the overwintering grounds, up to 2,000 miles away. The Monarchs feed on flower nectar during the journey, attempting to build up fat reserves which will enable them to survive the winter months. At night they may cluster together in small groups, but as winter approaches, they move on to more permanent overwintering sites.

After arriving at their destination, the monarchs cluster in large masses to conserve heat. Their flight muscles do not function well unless the temperature is above 55 degrees. They rest quietly on the trees, resembling dead leaves, until sunlight warms them enough to fly. On warm days, the butterflies will leave the trees entirely, seeking out nectar sources with which to replenish their energy reserves, but always returning well before evening to once again cluster in the trees.

The overwintering Monarchs do not mate until the increasing temperatures and daylight hours in February trigger the development of their sexual organs. They can then be seen performing spiral mating flights, after which the coupled pair will rest overnight. The male passes a nutrient rich sperm packet to the female during mating. This extra energy will allow the female to travel far in search of milkweed on which to lay her eggs. By March, most of the butterflies have departed on the spring migration."
(visit link)


This sanctuary is not a city park but is a public open space. It has been preserved under the auspices of the museum to ensure that the migrant monarchs always have a safe place to return in their tradition winter home. The main entrance is a marked easement past an inn, although it is possible to miss the narrow sidewalk and small sign. There is free parking along the road on either side. The sanctuary is accessible at all hours, but there is nothing much to see after dark.
There is a short trail through the sanctuary which passes the trees where the butterflies reside. On weekends from October through February museum docents are available to answer questions and loan out binoculars for a better view.

Estimated size of the public land (in regional measurement standard: hectares, acres, kms, etc.): 1 Is there a trail system?: Yes If there is a trail system, please describe length, terrain, etc.: 2 city blocks, hard-packed dirt, 8 to 12 percent grade What points of interest are there?: butterflies in trees What activities are available?: butterfly and bird watching List of known hazards (cliffs, snakes, poison plants, etc.): falling branches or falling trees Dogs Allowed?: No Is a permit/fee required?: No If a permit/fee is required please describe in detail how to get one, how much, etc.: no fee, no permit required Please supply the website of the land if available: [Web Link] Hours of accessibility?: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Visitors are encouraged to supply a picture of either themselves or their GPS at the trailhead and/or signage of the public access lands - describe your experience there and what you saw - tell us why other folks should come visit!

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.