The Vernal Pools
These pools are a unique type of wetland and environment. They are located adjacent near the entrance to Sano Surf Beach, and the Songs Plant. This is a unique protected area of vernal pools, and a habitat for fairy shrimp, an endangered species.
Getting There
It’s tricky to find this spot, since the entrance seems to lead into the power plant next door. To reach the Vernal Pools, exit from Basilone Road off the 5 Freeway, and head south towards San Onofre State Beach. You will cross an overpass, and see the Songs plant in the distance. You will make your first first, before passing the plant. You will come to a four-way stop, and proceed up a hill. You will notice a few parking spaces off to the left, before the kiosk.
This is right by the entrance to Sano Surf Beach, and to Camp Pendleton’s San Onofre Marine Campground area. This beach is off limits to the general public. The kiosk is usually staffed from 6am-5pm daily, and parking is $15 a day beyond this point.
The Surf Beach
Once out at the edge of the bluffs, you can see all the way to Cottons Point, Trestles, and beyond. To the south you will see the Songs plant. Below you, you will see cars parked all along the beach, and can watch the surfers catch waves. This is a legendary surf beach, and it’s fun to check it out, even just for a moment.
A Seasonal Wetland
These pools are a type of seasonal wetland that is home to several forms of life, who thrive in the unique environment. It is essentially an underground cavern, filled with water that is prevented from draining due to a unique type of clay soil. These bodies of water are home to the fairy brine shrimp.
A Unique Environment
Vernal Pools are not quite a bog, and not quite a swamp. They are a unique type of wetland.
California has lost 90% of their Vernal pools. There are just a few like this left in existence. This is one of the best examples of one you can find in the area. You can learn more about Vernal Pools in California here.
Best Time to Visit
I recommend coming here after a rain if you can, for the best chance to see something in the pools. The entire loop hike takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. But you would not have to hike around the entire loop, to see the vernal pools. The biggest caveat to visiting here, is that the parking is limited to just 20 minutes. Overstay that time limit and you may be ticketed.
Fairy Shrimp
In winter and spring, the pools can become visible on the surface of the soil, especially after a rain. The fairy shrimp are well adapted to survive in these pools.You likely won’t see the Fairy Shrimp. They are tiny, and are only visible in pools after a rain. You may notice cracks in the ground, and this is when the pools may open up, so the shrimps become visible. Here is what they look like.
You can also learn more about Fairy Shrimp on the California Dept of Fish and Wildlife page about Vernal Pools. The Environmental Protection Agency also has information on them, at their website.
Santa Rosa Plateau
Another much larger vernal pool worth visiting, can be found nearby, at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in Murrieta. I visited the Sylvan Meadows portions of it, during a drier time of year. It’s a beautiful hike nonetheless, and you can read more about my visit here.
San Onofre State Beach
You may want to explore the area further, and the San Onofre State Beach, which is open daily until dusk, just south of the Songs plant. You can learn more about exploring the bluffs there in my post here.
San Onofre State Beach Website
About me
I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!
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Disclaimer: The work on this blog is my opinion and my opinion alone and I am not responsible for the outcome if someone were to apply these thoughts to their own life. All text and photography copyright 2021 by Serafina, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers’ usage of the ideas and opinions presented in the blog, are at their own risk. Be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, surfing, walking, cooking, and other activities, which may take place indoors or outdoors. By reading this, you agree not to hold the author or publisher of the content on this web site responsible for any injuries or inconveniences that may result from reading the blog, or partaking in any activity mentioned in the blog. Read the blog, and use its ideas, if you so desire, at your own risk.
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