The Causeway

Huntington Beach State Park is teeming with wildlife, and the best place for wildlife spotting is the Causeway, a stretch of road that crosses marsh near the park entrance. Neither the name nor it's description sounds like the place would appeal to wildlife, but its actually a hot spot. On one side of the road is a brackish water pound, and on the other side is salt marsh. Birds are always present. They love the various fishing options and trees surrounding the water provide their roosts. You are likely to see egrets, herons, storks, ibises, cormorants, and maybe even spoonbills. The best time to see spoonbills is at low tide, when they come to the shallow water to filter feed. Alligators live in the brackish pond and are common. Look for them basking among reeds at the edge, or the tops of their heads protruding from the water. You may even see them crossing the road because they sometimes visit the salt water to feed on crabs.

Parking on the Causeway is not permitted, but a lot at one end of it provides easy walking access. You can stroll along walkways on either side of the road and see wildlife quite up close. There are also a few observation decks and scopes for an even better view. You must drive along the Causeway to enter or exit the park, so you can see quite a bit from your car, but stopping and taking a walk is definitely worth the time. You never know what you might find!