CNLM’s Dana Point Preserve

** Public Access Interim Hours in Place — See Below

Update on Protection of Pacific Pocket Mouse – July 24, 2026

CNLM wins CEQA case against City of Dana Point

On July 20, 2026, the Orange County Superior Court issued another decision in favor of CNLM and supporting protection of the Pacific pocket mouse. Specifically, the Court found that the City of Dana Point violated the California Environmental Quality Act (known as CEQA) when it imposed improper requirements on processing CNLM’s coastal development permit (or CDP) application to set trail hours at the Dana Point Preserve that are more protective of the Pacific pocket mouse. This decision follows the Court’s ruling issued on June 25, 2026, requiring CNLM to implement interim trail hours at the Preserve that are more protective of the Pacific pocket mouse. These interim hours will stay in place until a CDP is approved.

CNLM applied to the City for a CDP to set the trail hours on October 1, 2024. The City of Dana Point delayed consideration of CNLM’s CDP application by, among other things, insisting on preparation of unnecessary and expensive CEQA documentation. The City’s overreach included requiring CNLM to prepare an environmental impact report, when just months before the City Planning Commission approved a CDP submitted by the City to set trail hours without one. The City also ignored hundreds of pages of documents and data included in CNLM’s application; the advice of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the California Coastal Commission; as well as the plain language of the law and its own Local Coastal Program.

CNLM appealed that decision to the Planning Commission and the City Council, and ultimately to the Court. The Court determined that the City abused its discretion and violated CEQA. The Court stated that the conclusions of the City’s consultant and the City “are at odds with both the plain text of [CEQA] and with common sense.” The Court found that the City abused its discretion by not applying two separate CEQA exemptions to CNLM’s CDP application, and further abused its discretion by requiring the preparation of a subsequent environmental impact report.

Per the Court’s decision, the City must now properly apply CEQA to CNLM’s CDP application and process the application in a timely manner. The City’s improper CEQA determinations have delayed consideration by the public of CNLM’s CDP application by nearly 2 years. This delay has cost the City and the public time and money, while delaying protection of the endangered species on the Preserve.

The Court’s decision is another victory for CNLM and more importantly, the Pacific pocket mouse.

Area: The CNLM Dana Point Preserve consists of 29.4 acres within the City of Dana Point and adjacent to the City of Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center.

Location: Dana Point, Orange County, CA

Date Acquired: 2005

Acquisition Type: Center for Natural Lands Management owns the preserve. We protect and manage species and habitats on the preserve in perpetuity.

Key Habitats: Coastal sage scrub; Coastal bluff scrub

Species of Special Interest to CNLM: Coastal California gnatcatcher, Pacific pocket mouse, California box-thorn, Cliff spurge, Prostrate spineflower

Introduction

CNLM acquired the 29.4 acre headlands promontory in December of 2005. This acquisition was due to a generous donation from the Harry and Grace Steele Foundation.

Conservation Significance

The CNLM Dana Point Preserve was created to protect the federally threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) and endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus). The Pacific pocket mouse was thought to be extinct before it was rediscovered on the CNLM Dana Point Preserve in 1993. To date, the only other location where the Pacific pocket mouse has been found is within three different geographic areas on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, one of which has been extirpated (i.e., went extinct). The Dana Point Preserve is now one of only three remaining locations where this species exists in the wild. Given its extreme rarity and vulnerability, in October 2025 it was declared a candidate species for listing by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife—an additional legal protection along with the pre-existing ‘endangered species’ status conferred by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The natural vegetation on the preserve—coastal sage scrub and coastal bluff scrub—is an increasingly rare vegetation type in southern California. Eight rare plant species have been documented on the Preserve, including California box-thorn (Lycium californicum), cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera), and prostrate spineflower (Chorizanthe procumbens).

Our Work

Our primary goals are focused on protecting habitat for the Pacific pocket mouse, coastal California gnatcatcher, rare plant species, and other sensitive species that utilize coastal sage scrub and coastal bluff scrub. Due to the small size of the Dana Point Preserve, and its degree of isolation from similar habitats, maintaining conditions to allow the persistence of these endangered and rare species requires focused monitoring and adaptive management. CNLM monitors the rare and listed species and habitat on-site to identify threats, record population dynamics, and establish methods to alleviate problems that negatively impact the species. The current biggest threats to the Preserve are impacts related to recreation

Introducing Dana Point Preserve

View all videos here. For more information, please contact us at (760) 731-7790.

including the number and timing of visitors and off-trail use, as well as the introduction of invasive species and pathogens. The trail receives many hundreds of visitors daily, on average, and the noise, smells, and vibrations from this heavy pedestrian use impacts the wildlife and their habitat.

Public Access (Updated June 25, 2026)

The CNLM Dana Point Preserve is located adjacent to the City of Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center (NIC). A ½-mile public (non-looping) trail that traverses through the Dana Point Preserve is accessible from the parking lot at the NIC and the terminus of Dana Strand Road. Please note that the trail may be closed up to 72 hours after a rain event. The trail is designed for pedestrian use only—bicycles and pets/dogs (on or off-leash) are strictly prohibited.

The Coastal Commission has ordered CNLM to implement interim trail hours at CNLM’s Dana Point Preserve. The Orange County Superior Court has issued a ruling dated June 25, 2026 requiring CNLM to implement these hours. Pursuant to these orders, effective June 25, 2026, the trail will be open four days per week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the winter (Labor Day to Memorial Day) and 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. in the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day).

These are interim hours —they will only stay in place until a coastal development permit is approved. A permit application has already been submitted to the City of Dana Point.

Trail Hours of Operation (Summer schedule):

Monday Closed
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday Closed
Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

These hours are in effect June 25, 2026 – September 7th, 2026.

A winter schedule will be posted for winter trail hours commencing September 8, 2026.

Contact

For information about Dana Point Preserve, volunteer opportunities, or Center for Natural Lands Management please contact Korie Merrill at 760.731.7790 x. 204 or by email at kmerrill@cnlm.org. For volunteer opportunities at the City of Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center please contact: Bernice Villanueva, City of Dana Point Natural Resource Protection Officer at bvillanueva@danapoint.org.