Guides
A nice loop through the cypress trees to many great views of coves below.
This 1-mile loop is a favorite among park visitors because it offers great views and a close look at the area's famous Cypress trees, which naturally grow in only one other place in the world: Carmel Bay. The hike is relatively flat with views of headland cove, pinnacle cove, and cypress cove with 2 very short trails to get closer to the views. ...
Sea lions, shore birds and more share this gorgeous chunk of Pacific Coast south of Carmel, California
You can cram all the charms of California's amazing coastline into one stop at Point Lobos State Reserve, about 100 miles south of San Francisco. It's all there at Point Lobos: crashing waves, barking sea lions, chattering shorebirds, sun-bathing sea otters, remarkable rock formations. Granted, you get a few nibbles of this anywhere along California...
The diverse habitats at Point Lobos provide a wonderful birding opportunity.
You can't actually go to Point Lobos without seeing a bird. There are birds all over. They are on the rocky cliffs, in the water, in the scrub meadows, in the pine and cypress forests and in the air above it all. With a bit of easy hiking, you can see birds in a number of different habitats. This guide is an introduction to some of the good birding...
4.7 mile trail in Garrapata State Park, California
The most spectacular part of the hike is through the Soberanes Canyon where the trail is flanked on both sides by impressive redwoods. Once you leave the redwoods and get above treeline, it isn't the immediate scenery that captivates, but rather the panoramic views. These views are typically obscured facing west due to the blanket of fog and mist that...
Found on the Fort Ord Army Base, these public lands are a must if you are in the Monterey area. Little known to the local public due to its location on the now closed Fort Ord, these trails are true treat. Walk, bike or ride a horse through the grove after grove of oaks. Shown here is but one of the many trail routes that you can take and with the...
5.9 mile trail near Carmel Valley Village, California
Garland Ranch to Sniveley's Ridge is about 5.9 miles long and located near Carmel Valley Village, California. The trail is great for hiking and normally takes a half day
4.0 mile trail near Carmel Valley, California
This is a fun moderate hike to Redwood Canyon. Starts through a beautiful oak grove. A lot of wildflowers in bloom in the spring, and a small patch of Redwood trees and ferns with that incredible smell you only get in redwood groves.
Trips
Point Lobos State Reserve
Carmel Highlands, California, United States
Hiking | 7.6 miles (7.7 miles away)
Hiking | 7.6 miles (7.7 miles away)
Point Lobos State Reserve
Hwy 1 & Riley Ranch RdCarmel, CA 93923http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571
Palo Corona Regional Park
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States
Hiking | 5.5 miles (6.2 miles away)
Hiking | 5.5 miles (6.2 miles away)
One of my favorite hikes in the Carmel area. Permits are required (see tips), with the result that there are not a lot of other hikers, which is great. The trail starts off relatively flat through fields and then climbs moderately to the top of the hill at Inspiration Point. The views of Carmel, Point Lobos, Pebble Beach and the Carmel Valley are phenomenal and well worth the uphill hike. Continue from the top...
Point Lobos State Reserve - Perimeter trail
Carmel Highlands, California, United States
Hiking | 4.9 miles (7.7 miles away)
Hiking | 4.9 miles (7.7 miles away)
Gorgeous sunny day at Point Lobos. We took a nice easy fun hike today (still trying to break in my new hiking shoes). We saw 2 bunnies, a deer that let us walk very close, a millipede, seals, sea lions, and many birds. There was also a multitude of wild flowers in bloom, especially the wild iris' and sticky monkeys.
Point Lobos - Interior Trails
Carmel Highlands, California, United States
Hiking | 4.7 miles (8.2 miles away)
Hiking | 4.7 miles (8.2 miles away)
For this hike, I wanted to focus on the interior trails at Point Lobos and pick up a few places that I haven't covered so far. I define the interior trails as those that cut across the Reserve in contrast to the main trails that go around its perimiter. There are four main interior trails at Point Lobos, the Mound Meadows trail, the Pine Ridge trail, the Lace Lichen trail and the...
Garland Ranch to Sniveley's Ridge
Carmel Valley Village, California, United States
Hiking | 5.9 miles (6.8 miles away)
Hiking | 5.9 miles (6.8 miles away)
A short hike up Sniveley's Ridge in Garland Regional Park.
Toro County Park: Ollason Peak Loop
Serra Village, California, United States
Hiking | 7.4 miles (7.9 miles away)
Hiking | 7.4 miles (7.9 miles away)
Toro County Park (near Salinas) seems like an interesting place. It feels to me much like a less-popular Alum Rock; there are playgrounds and "fitness trails" near the parking areas, which are all clustered near the park entrance, but beyond that there are about twenty miles of apparently rarely-used hiking trails that head uphill quickly.Heading into last Saturday, I knew I was going to have a chance to hike but had no...
Up to the top of the hill with the Watchtower on it.
Point Lobos Grand Loop
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California, United States
Hiking | 5.6 miles (8.3 miles away)
Hiking | 5.6 miles (8.3 miles away)
As part of our effort to create guides for all California State Parks, Joost and I set out for Point Lobos. It was a beautiful November day so we parked the car and set out with our cameras over our shoulders and our iPhone apps set to tracking mode. The sea lions were out in full force around Sea Lion Cove. We parted ways around the north end of Cypress Cove and...
Garland Ranch - Maple Canyon / Mesa Trail / Siesta Point / Waterfall
Carmel Valley Village, California, United States
Hiking | 3.8 miles (6.9 miles away)
Hiking | 3.8 miles (6.9 miles away)
Just a quick hike before J had to go to work. Beautiful blue sky and a lot of seasonal changes since we last did the hike. Most of the rolling green fields had turned brown. We ran about a third of the hike.
Garland Ranch - Redwood Canyon Trail
Carmel Valley, California, United States
Hiking | 4.0 miles (8.8 miles away)
Hiking | 4.0 miles (8.8 miles away)
Garzas Canyon / Terrace / East Ridge / Redwood Canyon / Garzas Canyon. Fun moderate hike to Redwood Canyon. Starts through a beautiful oak grove. Had to rock hop across Garzas creek four times, J fell in on the last crossing. A lot of wildflowers in bloom (even saw one lonesome Blue Bonnet). Small patch of Redwood trees and ferns with that incredible smell you only get in redwood groves.
Del Monte Beach and Monterey Coastal Bike Trail
Del Monte, California, United States
Hiking | 5.2 miles (2.2 miles away)
Hiking | 5.2 miles (2.2 miles away)
