Nipomo Dunes
| Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes | |
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A view of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dune complex from its southern tip at Mussel Rock.
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| Location | San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, USA |
| Nearest city | Oceano and Guadalupe, California |
| Coordinates | 34°58′34″N 120°39′00″W / 34.976°N 120.65°WCoordinates: 34°58′34″N 120°39′00″W / 34.976°N 120.65°W |
| Area | 22,000 acres (89 km2) |
| Governing body | Federal, state, local & private |
| Designated | 1974 |
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is the largest remaining dune system south of San Francisco and the second largest in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses an 18-mile (29 km) stretch of coastline on the Central Coast of California and extends from southern San Luis Obispo County to northern Santa Barbara County.
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex is home to a unique dunes ecosystem as well as many endangered and threatened species of plants and animals. To protect the dunes environment, much of the Complex has been set aside for conservation. In addition, it is recognized as a National Natural Landmark.
Another portion of the Dunes is utilized for recreation, such as camping and Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is owned by a number of federal, state, and local agencies, and private companies, organizations and individuals. These include the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, California State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County.
Within the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex are several distinct regions, each managed by different organizations and used for various purposes.
The first known inhabitants of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes were Native Americans of the Chumash tribe; early Spanish maritime explorers noted their settlements. However, Europeans did not travel through the Dunes themselves until September 2–4, 1769, when members of Don Gaspar de Portolà's overland expedition stayed in the Dunes and shot a skinny bear by the shores of what is now called Oso Flaco Lake. After eating the bear, two of the explorers became sick. The Chumash had poisoned the skinny bear - as a means of protection, they often incapacitated dangerous wildlife by feeding them tainted meat. This incident resulted in the lake's name: Oso Flaco or "Skinny Bear".
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Wikipedia