This site is a National Wildlife Refuge along the south side of the Salinas River on the border of Castroville and Marina, CA. From north or southbound Highway 1, take the Del Monte exit, which is surrounded by grasslands and artichoke fields. From southbound Highway 1 turn right after the exit. From northbound Highway 1, turn left after the exit. You will be heading into an artichoke field. Keep driving, and you will eventually reach a parking lot with a sign for the National Wildlife Refuge. Winter weather and irrigation in the fields can dramatically affect the condition of the road and make it impassable at times. Take the trail at the south end of the parking lot that leads down a dirt road (not into the field). The dirt road winds around the lagoon and eventually narrows to a single trail over the dunes and to the beach. The lagoon is a great place to look for migrating and resident birds. It will take about 15 minutes to walk to the beach. Do not leave any thing of value in your car.

To get to the site turn right when you get to the beach, the monitoring site is where the trail intersects with the beach.