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The Carrizo Plain (Obispeño: tšɨłkukunɨtš, "Place of the rabbits") [ 5 ] is a large enclosed grassland plain, approximately 50 miles (80 km) long and up to 15 miles (24 km) across, in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, California, United States, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Los Angeles. [ 6 ]
The Carrizo Plain is home to one of the largest concentrations of rare plants and animals in all of California and is vital to their survival. It is one of the last refuges for the San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, burrowing owl, giant kangaroo rat, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard.
The Carrizo Plain National Monument, located 100 airline miles (160 km) from Los Angeles, is an area by-passed by time. Soda Lake, its centerpiece, is a glistening bed of white salt, set within a vast open grassland, rimmed by steep mountains.
Carrizo Plain National Monument. Three hundred years ago, California’s Central Valley was vast grassland where antelope and elk grazed and wildflowers swept the spring landscape. Today, amid urban and agriculture development, a remnant remains in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
The Plains Conservation Center is a non-profit working to restore one of the world's most endangered ecosystems, grasslands. Our visitor experience currently offers six miles of hiking trails where diverse wildlife can be observed including: Raptors, pronghorn antelope, insects, snakes and prairie dogs. Please note, our tipi and sod homestead ...
Common animals that live throughout all the state include raccoons, weasels, otters, beavers, hawks, lizards, owls, coyotes, skunks, snakes, cougars, black bears, deer, squirrels, and whales. As of 2024, there are 687 bird species listed by the California Birds Records Committee, 16 of which are introduced, not native to the state. [4]
The Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve is approximately 38,900 acres and includes the American Ranch, North Chimineas, and South Chimineas Units. The Carrizo Plain is a diverse complex of scrub and woodland.
