Let’s look for our wintering monarchs! Join the Weekend Amblers for a hike at Ellwood Bluffs and its Coronado Butterfly Preserve, a winter home to the monarch butterflies. From November to February, they fly about the eucalyptus forest.  However, the monarch population has decreased in recent years, as described in the Santa Barbara Independent, which describes how you can do your part in counting the monarch population for researchers: Https://www.independent.com/2025/09/15/santa-barbara-asked-to-count-monarch-butterflies/.  We hope this will be a hike where we can see some and have some great opportunities for beautiful lepidopteran photos!  As far as the trails we will be traversing, Ellwood Bluffs are a wide expanse of land criss-crossed with dirt trails. The trails are mild in elevation gain and sandy.

The parking lot for Ellwood Bluffs Walk is called Goleta Butterfly Grove Parking and is located at 7559 Palos Verdes Dr, Goleta CA 93117. From Highway 101, exit at Glen Annie/ Storke Rd and head toward the ocean. Turn right on Hollister Avenue. Drive for 2 miles and then turn left into the large parking lot across from Ellwood Elementary School. Look for the red NEWCOMERS sign! Parking is free.

After the walk, join us at Dean Coffee, 6100 Hollister in Goleta for coffee and tea and great conversations.