Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore

      rugged peninsula extending into the Pacific Ocean northwest of San Francisco, northern California, U.S. It fronts the Pacific Ocean to the west, Drakes Bay to the south, and Tomales Bay to the northeast; the latter bay extends inland about 13 miles (21 km) along the San Andreas Fault zone. The national seashore, authorized in 1962 and established in 1972, covers an area of 111 square miles (288 square km). It is surrounded on the west and south by Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and borders a portion of Golden Gate National Recreation Area to the southeast.

      The English explorer Sir Francis Drake (Drake, Sir Francis) landed on the peninsula, then inhabited by Coast Miwok Indians, in 1579; the site was named in 1603 by the Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno, who sailed past on the day of the Feast of the Three Kings and named it La Punta de los Reyes. Ranching began in the mid-19th century, and dairy farming has continued to the present day; Pierce Point Ranch is preserved as a remnant of 1850s agriculture.

      The rocks of the peninsula match those of the Tehachapi Mountains some 300 miles (500 km) to the south, the tectonic forces along the San Andreas Fault line having moved the park's land northward. Although the site is frequently foggy, a dozen beaches provide vistas of cliffs, dunes, and ocean breakers. Grasslands and wooded ridges of pine, California laurel, and Douglas fir are also part of the landscape. Gray whales can be seen from the Point Reyes Lighthouse on the southwestern tip of the peninsula, while reintroduced Tule elk roam its northern tip. Several other wildlife-viewing areas allow visitors to observe elephant seals, harbour seals, and sea lions; however, the national seashore is most renowned for its bird-watching, which is excellent throughout its area. The seashore's visitor centres have exhibits devoted to the area's plants, animals, and marine environment and 16th-century exploration. A bird observatory and research centre is at the southern end of the peninsula.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Point Reyes National Seashore — Der Point Reyes Strand erstreckt sich über rund 20 km …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Point Reyes National Seashore — Infobox protected area | name = Point Reyes National Seashore iucn category = V caption = locator x = 3 locator y = 75 location = Marin County, California, USA nearest city = San Francisco, California lat degrees = 38 lat minutes = 03 lat seconds …   Wikipedia

  • Point Reyes Station, California — Point Reyes Station   census designated place   State Route 1 runs through Point Reyes Station …   Wikipedia

  • Point Reyes — National Seashore Der Point Reyes Strand erstreckt sich über rund 20 km …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Point Reyes — is a prominent cape on the Pacific coast of northern California. It is located in Marin County approximately 30 mi (48 km) WNW of San Francisco. The term is often applied to the Point Reyes Peninsula, the region bounded by Tomales Bay on the… …   Wikipedia

  • National Seashore — Inseln im Schutzgebiet Canaveral National Seashore Als National Seashore (engl. Nationale Meeresküste) werden an der Küste gelegene Schutzgebiete in den Vereinigten Staaten bezeichnet, die durch die Bundesregierung der Vereinigten Staaten als… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • National seashore — A National Seashore, in the United States, is a seashore area federally designated as being of natural and recreational significance as a preserved area.There are 10 National Seashores with a total area of 479,054 acres (1,938.4 km²).cite book |… …   Wikipedia

  • Point Reyes — 37° 59′ 48″ N 123° 01′ 11″ W / 37.99677, 123.01984 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cumberland Island National Seashore — IUCN Category II (National Park) …   Wikipedia

  • The Point Reyes Light — Infobox Newspaper name = Point Reyes Light caption = logo used in the 2008 online edition type = Weekly newspaper format = Tabloid foundation = 1948 (as The Baywood Press ) ceased publication = price = $1.00 owners = Tomales Bay Publishing… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”