Each year in Grover Beach from October to February, residents and visitors get to behold a beautiful and rare natural phenomenon: the return of monarch butterflies to their overwintering site on our coast. The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, just on the northern border of Grover Beach heading into Pismo Beach, generally has one of the largest overwintering western monarch populations in the state, according to California State Parks.
It’s been typical in recent years to find butterflies numbering in the tens of thousands at the local grove of towering eucalyptus trees, but the winter 2024-25 numbers have been very low. Central Coast State Parks Association volunteers told us that the number of butterflies peaked around 500 in early December, and the numbers are now in the mid-300s as of Jan. 1, 2025.
About the Monarch Butterflies
Western monarch butterflies spend their summers in Canada and head south down the coast in the winter, sometimes traveling as far as 200 miles a day. They stop at more than 200 spots up and down coastal California. Strangely, the monarchs go through about four generations a year, but they continue to return to the same summer and winter sites as generations past.
Our local grove, with its tall eucalyptus and Monterey cypress trees just inland from the windy beach, makes a perfect shelter. Native flowering plants around the grove provide nectar for food. Butterflies can be spotted in dense clusters in the trees, where they keep warm overnight.
Why Are Monarch Butterfly Numbers Low This Year? |
According to the Western Monarch Trail, the number of butterflies overwintering along the Pacific coast has declined more than 95% since the 1980s. “This is because of a variety of factors, including increased development, vast farming areas, and the use of pesticides which have caused the loss of milkweed habitat along their migratory routes. Serious drought in the western US caused a decline in nectaring plants and milkweed habitat. Massive wildfires may play a part in the decline also.” The local counts in Pismo Beach have fluctuated widely in recent years. Before this year’s small count, the previous two winters saw numbers over 20,000. |
How to Visit the Monarch Grove
Monarch butterflies can be found in their highest numbers on our coastline in the winter, from October through February of each year. The Monarch Mercantile Trailer, operated by the Central Coast State Parks Association, is open year-round from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours during butterfly season. They sell lots of neat butterfly merchandise to help support conservation efforts. Helpful docents will be on hand setting up telescopes and leading talks about butterflies and conservation, and educational signage is found all over the nicely landscaped pathways throughout the grove.
No matter what time of year it is, the grove is a beautiful place for a stop during your visit to Grover Beach or your road trip on the Pacific Coast Highway. The easily accessible grove is directly on the highway, and it’s also accessible from the Grover Beach Boardwalk that starts off Grand Avenue and ends at the grove. From the grove, it’s a quick trail walk to get to the shore for beautiful sea views.
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