Ellwood Mesa Open Space and Sperling Preserve
Located in western Goleta right up the coast from Coal Oil Point, the Ellwood open space area is home to a variety of habitats and species. Its most well-known and unique feature is that it serves as an overwintering site for monarch butterflies along their annual migration south. Monarchs typically start roosting in the trees around October or November and are present for several months depending on that year's climate conditions.
Year round, don't overlook all the other interesting sights and experiences that Ellwood has to offer. The same eucalyptus grove that hosts the butterflies is also great bird habitat, so bring your binoculars or long lens camera and keep your eyes and ears alert. Beyond the butterfly grove is a blufftop environment of grassland mixed with coastal sage scrub, and even some small vernal pools that develop when it rains. You can look toward the ocean for great views and maybe some whale watching, or back toward the grove to see raptors perched at the edge looking for prey in the grassland.
Sunny days bring lots of birdsong and pollinators flying over the grassland, overcast weather makes the grove seem more mysterious and magical, and evenings bring great sunsets and a reasonable chance of seeing or hearing an owl. There's always something to explore at this open space!
View this open space's iNaturalist page here.
Explore the Open Space
Access Information
Ellwood can be accessed via several entrances:
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Parking lot at 7729 Hollister; a portable restroom is available here.
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End of Santa Barbara Shores Dr; a gate with a pedestrian opening leads to a paved path up to the bluffs and side paths through the grove.
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Coronado Butterfly Preserve entrance; this is a signed entrance that you will encounter on your right as you drive toward the end of Coronado Dr.
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End of Coronado Dr; go around the low wooden fence that keeps vehicles out and the Ellwood Main grove will be to your right. (Avoid this entrance in the rainy season as it takes you through a seasonal wetland that is difficult to access when wet.)
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North Campus Open Space owned by UCSB has continuous paths leading into Ellwood; this can be accessed from the corner of Phelps and Cannon Green or from a parking lot on Whittier Dr. off of Storke.
Resources to Explore Ellwood
Download and print a scavenger hunt suitable for all ages:
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