California’s Annual Monarch Migration Phenomenon Is Underway — Here’s Where to Spot Them Near L.A.

One of California’s most spectacular phenomena is the gathering of thousands of monarch butterflies every single winter. Along the California coast, monarch sanctuaries are starting to receive butterflies at their annual overwintering sites. These delicate insects are unable to fly or survive through the cold temperatures of northern regions, so they migrate to coastal eucalyptus groves in California , entering a dormant state and gathering together to ride out the cold season. They typically gather from October or early November through February. Monarch populations are known to fluctuate drastically year to year due to extreme weather, including winter storms, heatwaves, and droughts. According to the Xerces Society, early 2025 population numbers are showing about 5,000 individuals so far across monitored sites, a modest number compared to previous years. Nonetheless, you can still catch a glimpse of this unbelievable California phenomenon at several overwintering sites up the coast. Where to See Monarch Butterflies in 2025 ---------------------------------------- Some of the largest overwintering sites in California are found further north in Santa Cruz, [Pacific Grove](https://secretlosangeles.com/pacific-grove-california-best-small-town/), and Pismo Beach. At Santa Cruz’s Natural Bridges State Beach and Lighthouse Field State Beach, early population numbers have already reached about 2,000. You can read Secret San Francisco’s guide for more details about the northern monarch overwintering sites , which are your best bet for seeing the migration at its fullest. In Southern California, several natural preserves and parks see seasonal monarch activity. Although you may not see the dramatic clusters of larger northern sites, you may still be able to observe monarchs at these local spots. 2025 numbers are still coming in, so we may have a more complete picture of monarch populations in December. * Leo Carrillo State Park , Malibu * Point Mugu State Park , Malibu * El Dorado Nature Center , Long Beach * Doheny State Beach , Dana Point * Coronado Butterfly Preserve , Goleta * Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove , Goleta If you want to learn more about the monarch life cycle, consider visiting Culver City’s [Stoneview Nature Center](https://parks.lacounty.gov/stoneview-nature-center/) . They raise monarch caterpillars and release them back into the garden, providing a closer look at the insects. 2025 Monarch Butterfly Season ----------------------------- Each year, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation collaborates with over 100 community scientists on the Western Monarch Count , which monitors monarch butterfly populations. “Early reports estimate approximately 5,000 monarchs observed so fa r, though data are still coming in,” they wrote in a recent announcement. “Last year’s early-season count tallied 7,601 butterflies.” The Western Monarch Count includes three official count windows during the winter season, with full count report data usually published a few weeks after the period ends. The first window ran from Oct. 18 through Nov. 2, 2025, so stay tuned to hear more about the official early-season numbers. The mid-season count period will take place from Nov. 15 to Dec. 7 , and the late-season count follows from Dec. 27 to Jan. 11. You may recall that monarch butterfly populations experienced a major rebound back in the winter of 2021, resulting in numbers above 335,000 in California at the beginning of 2023. Considering the 2020 count was less than 2,000, this was an exciting exponential increase. However, numbers are still concerning, given that the population was in the millions in the ’80s. If you’re interested in helping out with monarch conservation , consider looking into the Western Monarch Call to Action, which works to protect monarchs and their native habitats all across the state. Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/monarch-migration-california-winter-los-angeles/