Paddle on.
Want to see wetland wildlife right from the water? Glide into the heart of one of the Reserve’s estuaries with a kayak trip at Newport Beach’s Back Bay.
Kayaking at the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve gives you a front row seat for soaking up the scenery, and a whole new perspective on just how special the NROC is.
This Newport Beach estuary is the only area of the Reserve where visitors can kayak, and the paddling makes for an incredibly peaceful journey. Launch your own kayak from North Star Beach, or register for a naturalist-guided kayak tour with the Newport Bay Conservancy.
The wetlands of the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve are surrounded by towering bluffs with the city beyond—it’s a truly serene spot where you’d least expect to find it. Here you’ll share the water with brown pelicans and snowy egrets, great blue herons and light-footed clapper rails. Beneath your paddle, you might spot schools of anchovies swimming or a stingray gliding past. Pretty soon, all you’ll hear is a cacophony of bird calls and the rhythm of water lapping against your kayak. Find out more at Newport Bay Conservancy and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
