Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria, California

Mr. Vista is relaxing in Cambria on the Central California Coast — as well as I can considering the frigid weather.

Cambria is best known for the nearby Hearst Castle at San Simeon, and also for its cutesy downtown, but it has some nice natural areas as well. The Fiscalini Ranch preserve is a coastal area of 430 acres that was formerly a cattle ranch and dairy. The ranch was sold in 1993, and housing was planned, but a local group, working with the American Land Conservancy and other organizations, raised the money to preserve the space for public use. The preserve is managed by the Cambria Community Services District, which created number of wheelchair-accesible paths along the bluff overlooking the shore.

cambria coast

Cormorants nest on rocks offshore.

cormorants on rock at cambria coast

At this time of year the the Cambria Morning Glory (Calystegia subacaulis) blooms in the bluff meadows. Also known as Hill Morning Glory or Fall Bindweed, this low-growing herb is found nowhere but the California coast.

cambria morning glory

More to come. Stay tuned . . .

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4 Comments

  1. I’m glad that you are enjoying your vacation. There hadn’t been a new post in a while so I was concerned that you had hurt yourself shoveling all that dirt. The area around San Simeon is gorgeous this time of year; my mother lives in Santa Maria and we’ve visited in the Spring before the hills got all brown and burned.

  2. Moving that dirt did just about do me in, and work deadlines came close to finishing the job. Maybe that’s why I’ve been allowing myself some slack on the blogs.

    It’s very green here (it’s also pouring rain). I’ll have a few more posts about this area in coming days.