National wildlife refuge

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in San Luis Obispo County, California run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There is no entrance fee. Hours: Sunrise to sunset; beach closed early March through late September for western snowy plover, every day of the year.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge
Photo: Kevin P. Rice, CC BY-SA 3.0

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge map

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

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Fire restrictions

Fire restrictions change with the season and can start or lift within days. Check the current orders for this area before any campfire, stove, smoking, target shooting or off-road driving.

Common questions

Yes. Hours at Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge: Sunrise to sunset; beach closed early March through late September for western snowy plover, every day of the year.
No. There is no entrance fee at Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge.
No. Hunting is not allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. General public hunting not available where refuge access is closed or permit-only.
No. Fishing is not allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. No public fishing where refuge lands are closed to entry.
Yes. Dogs are allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge on a leash. Leashed pets allowed on signed trails and roads unless posted otherwise.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

Hours at Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge: Sunrise to sunset; beach closed early March through late September for western snowy plover, every day of the year.

There is no entrance fee at Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge.

What visitors do here: an auto tour route, birding, environmental education, fishing, hiking, hunting, photography, wildlife viewing.

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Wildlife

  • BirdWaterfowlWhen: winterPeak concentrations during Pacific Flyway migration
  • BirdShorebirdsWhen: spring and fallMudflats and shallow wetlands during migration

Hunting

Hunting is not allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. General public hunting not available where refuge access is closed or permit-only.

Hunting rules for Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Fishing and boating

Fishing is not allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. No public fishing where refuge lands are closed to entry.

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Pets

Dogs are allowed on Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge on a leash. Leashed pets allowed on signed trails and roads unless posted otherwise.

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Trails

  • Oso Flaco HikeFoot access from Oso Flaco Lake parking; no direct vehicle access into the refuge
  • Rancho Guadalupe HikeFoot access from Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve parking

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Places on the refuge

  • PlaceRefuge beachClosed early March through late September to protect western snowy plover habitat

Source: fws.gov/refuge/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes/visit-us, checked 2026-09-29.

Public lands next to Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.