Monarchs Are Back at Natural Bridges. Late October Through November Is the Best Time to Go

Western monarch butterflies are returning to the eucalyptus grove at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, and California State Parks says late October and all of November is often the best time to see them.

When to go

Monarchs typically begin arriving in mid-October and leave by mid-February, though numbers and dates vary every year, according to State Parks. On days below about 60 degrees, the butterflies cluster together in the trees.

Know before you go

• Hours: park open 8 a.m. to sunset; visitor center 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31
• Parking: $10 vehicle day use
• Access: a wheelchair- and stroller-accessible boardwalk leads to an observation deck in the grove
• Rules: no dogs in the park; no bikes, skates or skateboards on the boardwalk; don't touch the butterflies
• Directions: take Swift Street south from Highway 1, or follow West Cliff Drive to its end

A shrinking population

The grove is the only state monarch preserve in California. State Parks says about 10,000 monarchs overwintered there in 2024. A volunteer docent told KAZU the park counted 120,000 in 1997. Statewide, counts last year found about 11,000 western monarchs across 250 sites, KAZU reported, and biologists worry strong El Niño storms this winter could damage groves.