AREA HISTORY stations, aqueducts, quarries, kilns, crop was expanded, allowing small carts to take Built on a hilltop in San Simeon Native People lands and grazing. In some areas entire native agricultural products to San Simeon for overlooking the Pacifi c Ocean, Archaeological evidence suggests that plant communities were destroyed by the shipment. However, the trail was passable “La Cuesta Encantada” was the ancestors of today’s Chumash and heavy grazing of mission livestock. only seasonally, and shipping by steamer creation of Mr. Hearst and world- Salinan people inhabited this In 1833 Mexican government offi cials gave continued for another twenty years. renowned architect Julia Morgan. part of the coast for thousands out the newly secularized mission holdings as Later, gasoline-powered trucks and Construction began in 1919 and of years, adapting to climatic land grants. They divided the former mission railroad service to San Luis Obispo continued until 1947. Young elephant seals napping properties into three ranchos: Piedra Blanca, brought about changes in shipping The Mediterranean Revival-style At right: adult male elephant seal and environmental changes. They traveled from the coast to Santa Rosa, and San Simeon. Cattle ranching patterns. By 1915 the practice of home houses a collection of art pups, battling and mating on the interior valleys, following the was still the major enterprise, as it had been shipping by steamer had ended. In 1937 from all over the world. In addition the beach up the road from San abundant marine and terrestrial during the mission period. the highway now known as California Neptune pool at Hearst Castle to his fi ne arts collection, William Simeon Bay at scenic vista points on resources. Their diet included fi sh, Taking advantage of the annual gray whale State Route One was completed. Randolph Hearst established migration between Baja California and Alaska, landscaped gardens and a private the coast side of Highway 1. shellfi sh, wild game, waterfowl and the The Hearst Family PARK HISTORY grasses and seeds found inland. Clothing, Portuguese whaler Joseph Clark established In 1850 Missourian George Hearst, drawn zoo on the property. Descendants of some Plants Hearst San Simeon shelter and tools were made from resources a whaling station at San Simeon Bay in 1852. by the gold rush, arrived in California of the zoo animals, including zebras, can Native plant communities include riparian, State Park and Historical available in the immediate area; the natives From December to April, whale spotters on with a degree in mining. sometimes be seen today grazing on the wetland, Monterey pine forest, oak Greek hydria, Monument were both traded other groups for those goods that the bluffs watched for the white plumes of He staked several mining green hillsides. During the 1920s and 1930s, woodland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, 5th century B.C. part of a rancheria during could not be procured or produced locally. spray as a whale surfaced. Small boats were claims throughout the West. famous guests arrived at this magnifi cent coastal strand and grassland. Look for the mission era—an then launched to capture the whale and haul Although Hearst managed country house by car, train and airplane. willow, coast live oak, cottonwood, wax Settlement and Enterprise access point for goods shipped to and from it into the station for processing. At the peak several other types of Donated to the State in December myrtle, blackberry bushes and a great In 1769 the fi rst European overland Monterey’s Mission San Antonio. In 1932 the of the whaling period, forty-fi ve buildings— businesses around the state, 1957 by the Hearst Corporation, the estate display of seasonal wildfl owers. Take a hike expedition, led by Gaspar de Portolá, made State acquired more than 500 acres of beach including a general store, a blacksmith shop, he made his fortune mining was opened to the public on June 2, 1958. through the Monterey pine forest—one of its way up the coast of California, clearing the and inland parcels from local ranchers to a barbershop and a saloon—stood at San the Comstock, Homestake, Hearst Castle, an accredited member of only fi ve native groups left in the world—on way for Spanish missionaries. The mission establish the state park. The Washburn Day- Simeon, and twenty-two families lived on the George Ontario and Anaconda mines. In the American Association of Museums, the Hearst San Simeon State Park Nature system brought drastic, permanent change in Use Area was a gravel quarry until the late point. The whaling station’s general store is Hearst 1865 Hearst began acquiring the offers guided, year-round tours. Call (800) Trail, reachable from the campground and the lifeways of the indigenous people, who 1920s, before it became a part of the park. the only building dating back to San Simeon’s land that would become the Hearst Ranch, 444-4445 or visit www.hearstcastle.com the Washburn day-use area. now had to adopt new means of subsistence. In 2005 the Hearst Corporation donated whaling days. where he raised cattle and race horses. for reservations. The park is home to rare and endangered Local missions included Mission San 1,131 additional acres, expanding the San Simeon That year Mr. Hearst became a member plants, including maritime ceanothus, dwarf Antonio de Padua (1771), with an outpost California Coastal Trail and protecting this RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES at San Carpoforo Creek; Mission San Luis Roads into this remote section of the coast of the California State Assembly, and was goldenstars, Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita, exceptional example of California’s biological In addition to Hearst Castle tours, the Obispo de Tolosa (1772), within 50 miles were almost nonexistent until about 1850. elected to the U.S. Senate in 1886. When adobe sanicle, Hickman’s onion, diversity, natural and cultural resources and Hearst Castle Visitor Center, and the Coastal of San Simeon; and Mission San Sailing vessels and steamships stopped he died in 1891, his wife Phoebe Apperson Blochman’s dudleya unmatched scenery. Discovery Center, park activities include Miguel Archangel (1779), with an at San Simeon to deliver freight and Hearst inherited Rancho Piedra Blanca, and Arroyo de la camping, hiking, picnicking, beach walking, outpost at San Simeon. load cargoes of mining and agricultural later adding more property that had once HEARST CASTLE® Cruz mariposa lily. windsurfi ng, kayaking, fi shing, surfi ng, The typical mission equipment for delivery to San Francisco and been the whaling station. The Hearsts’ only Prairie grasslands are Hearst Castle was the historic estate of viewing elephant seals and tidepooling. For among the area’s native landscape included ranch Los Angeles. Around 1850 the horse trail child, William Randolph, inherited the ranch William Randolph Hearst—newspaper between San Simeon and San Luis Obispo property upon Phoebe’s death in 1919. camping reservations, call 800-444-7275, or plant communities. publisher, movie producer and art collector. visit www.parks.ca.gov. Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita

Our Mission earst San Simeon State Park and Hearst mélange material is a mixture Bird watchers will be amazed “ The mission of California State Parks is Hearst H love this ranch. It is San Simeon State Historical Monument® of sandstone, chert, basalt, by the diverse number of birds I to provide for the health, inspiration and preserve more than 20 miles of dramatic greenstone, serpentine, shale, to see at the beach, in the wonderful. I love the sea education of the people of California by San Simeon central California coastline. Located 35 eclogite and blueschist. This wetlands and on the trails. Look helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary miles north of San Luis Obispo along scenic assemblage contains all for black phoebes, white-tailed and I love the mountains biological diversity, protecting its most State Park Highway 1, the parks frame shoreline three rock types—igneous, kites, mergansers, egrets and valued natural and cultural resources, and and the hollows in the hills vistas of beaches, rocky promontories sedimentary and metamorphic— black oystercatchers. creating opportunities for high-quality and Historical Monument and magnifi cent views of the Santa Lucia and has a jumbled appearance. Low tides reveal tidepools outdoor recreation. and the shady places in the Mountains and Hearst Castle®. Low, rolling mima mounds, a with seastars, chitons, limpets, creeks and the fi ne old oaks The Mediterranean climate is typically unique geological feature in some of turban snails, barnacles and fi sh. mild with average daytime highs of 69 the park’s grasslands, are found near vernal Please leave the plants and animals of the and even the hot brushy degrees and evening lows of 42 degrees. pools—seasonal pools with abundant plant tidepools undisturbed; they are vulnerable Rain is most likely from January through and animal life. to human impact and are protected by March. Spring and summer are pleasant hillsides . . . I would rather Wildlife law. From December to April, gray whales during the day, cooling in the evening as California State Parks supports equal access. Bobcats and coyotes hunt for brush rabbits, migrate past this stretch of coastline on spend a month here than wind moves fog in from the ocean. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who gray tree squirrels and California ground their way to and from feeding grounds in Alaska to birthing waters in Mexico. any place in the world.” need assistance should contact the park at NATURAL HISTORY squirrels; black-tail deer graze on hillsides. (805) 927-2035. This publication is available Sensitive species include California red- Don’t miss the fascinating northern The diverse habitats of these two parks -William Randolph Hearst, in alternate formats by contacting: legged frogs, tidewater gobies, steelhead elephant seals. From December to March include wetlands, seashore, grassland, in a letter to his mother, trout, Western snowy plovers, golden they can easily be seen resting, having coastal scrub and riparian areas. Phoebe Apperson Hearst. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS eagles and longbilled curlews. From P. O. Box 942896 Geology November to February, monarch butterfl ies Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 This part of the coastline consists mostly roost in the Monterey pines. For information call: (800) 777-0369 of geologically young alluvial sediment (805) 927-2035, outside the U.S. and older marine terrace deposits. In 711, TTY relay service the park, Cambria slab sandstone— visible at Leffi ngwell Landing—becomes www.parks.ca.gov Franciscan mélange toward the north. The

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Hearst San Simeon State Park and Historical Monument 750 Hearst Castle Road San Simeon, CA 93452 (805) 927-2035

© 2009 California State Parks Printed on Recycled Paper area, restrooms, visitor center, Hearst Piedras Blancas Light Station has been Castle Theater and the gallery are in continual operation since 1875. Owned accessible. Accessible tours are provided. and operated by the Bureau of Land Assistive devices, touchable artifacts and Management since 2001, the light station Braille transcripts may be requested. Sign is still in use as a navigational aid and for language interpreters can be provided with scientifi c research. Public tours of the advance notice. Reservations are highly Light Station are available. Visit recommended for the accessible tours. www.blm.gov to learn more. California Coastal National Monument San Simeon manages many of the small, off-coast rocks Campground— that are teeming with life. The Bureau of Three sites Land Management works with many partners have accessibly to protect this unique and fragile ecosystem. designed picnic Friends of Hearst Castle is a nonprofi t tables and level cooperating organization that supports routes of travel preservation and interpretation of the park. Tidepooling to restrooms with Through membership and fundraising, generally accessible FHC provides funding for educational features. PARTNERSHIPS and interpretive programs and artifact Look for Friends of the Elephant Seal conservation programs. These programs Washburn Campground—This volunteers to learn about elephant seals. provide visitor appreciation and enjoyment undeveloped campground has two generally Part of a nonprofi t group that interprets of this unique historical and cultural accessible sites with fi rm surfaces and and protects the elephant seals, the resource. For specifi c details, visit accessible fi re rings. Toilets and routes of blue-jacketed volunteers can be found www.friendsofhearstcastle.org. travel are generally accessible. at the elephant seal vista points. Visit www. Washburn Loop Trail—Accessible trailhead, elephantseal.org to learn more. PARK PROGRAMS parking and restrooms are available at One of the world’s most diverse marine Ranger-led park programs include Junior Washburn day-use area. ecosystems, the Monterey Bay National Ranger programs for children ages 7 to 12, Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) encompasses a guided hikes and campfi re programs. Call Moonstone Bluff Trail—This accessible shoreline length of 276 miles from Cambria (805) 927-2035 for more information. one-mile beach boardwalk follows the to Monterey, and 5,322 square miles of coastal bluffs from the northern end of ocean. The sanctuary protects the coastal Cambria to the mouth of Santa Rosa Creek. resources and offers activities such as scuba diving, kayaking, boating, surfi ng and fi shing. PLEASE REMEMBER California State Parks and the MBNMS • All features of the park are protected by jointly operate the Coastal Discovery law and must not be disturbed. Center at San Simeon Bay, across the road • Stay on designated trails and paths. from Hearst Castle. Volunteers will orient • Watch out for poison oak, which causes you to the natural and cultural resources an itchy rash. of Hearst San Simeon State Park and the • Dogs must be on a leash no longer sanctuary. Call (805) than six feet and under control at all 927-6575 or visit Coastal Discovery Center exhibit times. Only registered service animals http:montereybay. are allowed on Hearst Castle tours. noaa.gov for hours. ACCESSIBLE • Restaurants, shopping, service stations Visitors to FEATURES and hotels are nearby in the towns of Hearst Castle are California State San Simeon and Cambria. surrounded by the Parks is committed Hearst Ranch. The to making certain 80,000-acre Hearst that all visitors NEARBY STATE PARKS Ranch is one of have access to the • Limekiln State Park the largest working Moonstone Boardwalk natural and cultural 40 miles north on Hwy. 1, Big Sur cattle ranches on the resources of the (831) 667-2403 coast of California, parks. Accessibility is continually improving. • Harmony Headlands State Park and one of the largest conservation For updates, call (805) 927-2035 or visit 18 miles south on Hwy. 1 easements in the U.S. Today, Hearst Ranch http://access.parks.ca.gov. (805) 772-7434 specializes in grass-fed beef and has won • Morro Bay State Park several awards in the beef industry and for Hearst San Simeon State Historical 33 miles south, Morro Bay State Park its stewardship of the land. Visit Monument—Accessible parking is Road, in Morro Bay, (805) 772-7434 www.hearstranch.com for further details. designated. The ticket and information • Montaña de Oro State Park 43 miles south, Pecho Valley Road, in Los Osos, (805) 772-7434

What is a Marine Protected Area? As a result of the Marine Life Protection Act, California’s marine protected areas (MPAs) are geographic marine or estuarine areas set aside to protect or conserve marine life and habitat. There are specifi c regulations for each area. To learn more, please visit: www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.