Condors generally nest only once every other year and lay but one egg. They do not build nests, but use the soft earth within caves in sandstone cliffs or bluffs. Two sanctuaries have been established in Los Padres National Forest so that condors can roost, nest and bathe free from molestation by curious humans. The Sisquoc Sanctuary of 1,200 acres in the San Rafael Wilderness was established in 1937, and in 1947 the 53,000 acre Sespe Condor Sanctuary was established in Ventura County north of Fillmore. The areas provide nesting sites in inaccessible, high rocky cliffs.
Public entry is restricted in both areas.
Today, condors are most frequently seen in flight over the Ojai and Mt. Pinos Ranger Districts. Visit the Condor Observation Site at the summit of Mt. Pinos or the Valle Vista Condor Observation Site on the Mt. Pinos District for the best opportunity to see condors. Both are popular locations where the birds may be best observed from June through October. The condor may eventually become extinct with or without your help or the help of the many agencies, organizations and individuals who are attempting to save the species. The Peregrine population has greatly diminished in California during the past forty years.