Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

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The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is an ecosystem along the Central California coast, both in San Luis Obispo County and in extreme northwestern Santa Barbara County. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve accounts for 18 miles along the San Luis Obispo County coast, and includes a variety of dune habitats, as well as several endangered and threatened species. A portion of the southern extent was formerly used for oil exploration and development, and is undergoing restoration.

The Dunes Center is an agency developed to promote the conservation of this ecosystem through education, research and cooperative stewardship. It receives funding from both private and public sources.

The 1923 production of "The Ten Commandments" by Cecil B. DeMille took place on these dunes. At the end of production, the massive sets reproducing ancient Egypt were dismantled and buried on the site to prevent reuse. They are still buried there today, and have been the target of various schemes for excavation for decades. Some artifacts have been recovered and are on display at The Dunes Visitors Center, others may be seen from time to time in situ as the dunes shift.