Farallon National Wildlife Refuge

An elephant seal roars on a beach.

The Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, covering 211 acres of rocky islands in the Pacific Ocean, is home to the largest seabird breeding colony on the Pacific coast south of Alaska.

Steller sea lions and northern elephant seals breed and raise their pups on the South Farallon Islands.

Although the refuge, located about 30 miles west of San Francisco, is not open to the public, wildlife can be observed, studied and photographed from boats. There is also whale watching and saltwater fishing in nearby waters.

Many local conservation groups sponsor wildlife observation trips to the Farallon Islands. Information about these trips is available at the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex visitor center or at the Oceanic Society at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.