Hearst’s private zoo closed in 1937, but his zebras never left, and you can still spot them from Highway 1
The most surprising wildlife sighting on the Central Coast isn’t a whale or an elephant seal. It’s a herd of zebras, grazing next to cattle on the hills above Highway 1 like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
They didn’t escape from a roadside attraction, either. They’re the descendants of the private zoo William Randolph Hearst kept at his castle in San Simeon, and the herd has been quietly growing for decades. Ready to go zebra hunting (binoculars only)?
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Hearst’s hilltop zoo was wild, even by his standards
Hearst didn’t do anything small, and his zoo was no exception. Officially called the Hearst Garden of Comparative Zoology, it kept animals from fifty species of herbivores in huge fenced enclosures, so guests felt like they were driving through wildlife roaming free.
The roster reads like a fever dream: antelope, camels, llamas, kangaroos, ostriches, emus, yaks and up to four giraffes. A separate menagerie a few hundred yards north of the castle held bears, big cats, primates and even an elephant.
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The zoo closed in 1937, but the zebras stayed
Money trouble caught up with Hearst in the 1930s, and the zoo started coming apart in 1937. Most of the animals were sold or donated, though the process dragged on for years and never fully wrapped up.
The zebras are the ones that stuck around. When the castle went to the State of California in 1958, zebras were still living on the ranch, along with elk, llamas, white fallow deer and a few other holdovers.
One version of the story, reported by Sports Illustrated back in 1976, says a winter storm knocked down their fencing and nobody ever rebuilt it. However it happened, they wandered out onto the surrounding ranch and made themselves at home.
So how many zebras live there now?
More than you’d guess! The herd went from 126 zebras in 2020 to 151 in 2022, according to the director of agricultural operations for the Hearst Ranch.
They live on the roughly 77,000-acre ranch, mostly in its southwestern corner near Highway 1. That stretch has the feed, water and flat coastal terraces they like, which is great news for anyone driving past with a camera.
Where to spot them from Highway 1
Here’s my favorite part: the best zebra viewing doesn’t need a ticket. They most often show up on the east side of Highway 1, anywhere from just north of Cambria up to San Simeon and the castle, usually grazing right in among the ranch’s cattle.
Scan the hillsides slowly and look for stripes in the herd. During the driest months they tend to drift farther east toward the tree line, so binoculars or a long lens make a real difference.
The ranch is private property, so this is strictly roadside viewing. Pull fully off the highway before you stop, stay on your side of the fence and keep your distance, because zebras can kick and bite.
Look for zoo leftovers at the castle
Touring Hearst Castle? Keep your eyes peeled on the bus ride, which climbs 5 miles from the visitor center to the top of the hill with Alex Trebek narrating the way up. The route back down takes a different road and passes what’s left of the zoo’s old bear pits.
A log feeding shelter from the zoo days still stands on the hillside along the road up, too. Tour options change, so check the official Hearst Castle site before you go.
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Make a whole San Simeon day of it
Right below the castle, William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach is the perfect place to come down from all that gilded excess. It’s day-use only, with a pier, a sandy beach and room to kayak or paddle board.
Cambria is just down the road, and our guide to the best things to do in Cambria covers Moonstone Beach, the bluff trails and more if you want to stay the night. We’ve camped at Hearst San Simeon State Park on this same stretch of coast, and it makes an easy base for a zebra-spotting drive.
Heading north instead? Highway 1 keeps climbing toward Big Sur from here, and our Big Sur drive guide rounds up the best stops. Check Caltrans for current Highway 1 conditions before you commit to the full drive.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
So, be honest: did you know California had free-roaming zebras? Tell us in the comments, and share the strangest animal you’ve ever spotted from a car window!
