Wildflower Watch: Elephant seals, gray whales and wildflowers await at Point Reyes

The Point Reyes National Seashore features dramatic wildflowers like the checker bloom at Chimney Rock. (Joan Linn Bekins / For The Ark)

Point Reyes National Seashore rewards visitors this month with elephant seals on the beach, gray whales offshore and early spring wildflowers in bloom.

Take a picnic and head to Drakes Beach to see the large, magnificent seals lounging on the sand, using their flippers to sprinkle themselves and help regulate their body heat. The pups are there, too, but the tired females — who have given birth and nursed their young — have gone. Before leaving, they mate with the alpha bull in their harem, but the fertilized egg does not attach itself for several months, giving the female time to feed and gain weight. Park staff and knowledgeable volunteers offer fascinating behavioral insights.

On the uphill side of the road as you leave the beach, look for bright purple Douglas iris — the first of this season.

Drive on to Chimney Rock to see the newly bloomed buttercups, checkerblooms and other seasonal favorites. With binoculars, you can see elephant seals on long stretches of beach. For a closer view, Drakes Beach is the better choice.

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