Day Hikes Around Monterey and Carmel* by Robert Stone

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz – Capitola -Aptos – Watsonville
  1. Moore Creek Preserve
  2. Natural Bridges State Beach
  3. Lighthouse Trail / Point Santa Cruz
  4. Pogonip Park
  5. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
  6. Top of the World: DeLaveaga Park
  7. New Brighton State Beach
  8. Seacliff State Beach from Rio del Mark Beach
  9. Aptos Racho Trail: Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
  10. Manresa State beach
  11. Wetlands of Watsonville

North Monterey County

Moss Landing / Prunedale / Castroville
  1. Zmudowski State beach
  2. Moss Landing State Beach
  3. Moss Landing State Wildlife Area
  4. Old Salinas River Road
  5. Salinas River State Beach: Southern Access
  6. Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
  7. Five Fingers–Long Valley Loop
  8. South Marsh Loop Trail
  9. Kirby Park: Upper Slough Trail
  10. Manzanita Park
  11. Royal Oaks County Park: Echo / Oak Ridge / Pine Meadow Loop
  12. Woodland Loop: Royal Oaks County Park

Seaside / Sand City / Del Rey Oaks

  1. Marina State Beach and Marina Dunes Open Space
  2. Fort Ord Dunes State Park
  3. Laguna Grande Park
  4. Frog Pond Wetland Preserve

Monterey / Pebble Beach / Carmel

  1. Presidio View – Bear Track
  2. Presidio View – Summit
  3. Quarry Park to Veterans Park
  4. Seaside Beach
  5. Monterey State Beach to Fisherman’s Wharf
  6. Monterey Bay Aquarium to Point Pinos
  7. Asilomar State Beach and Coast Trail
  8. The Links Nature Walk at Spanish Bay
  9. The Bay Nature Walk at Spanish Bay
  10. Point Joe to Bird Rock
  11. Bird Rock to Indian Village
  12. George Washington Park
  13. Rip Van Winkle Open Space
  14. S.F.B. Morse Botanical Reserve
  15. Hatton Canyon
  16. Carmel Beach
  17. Scenic Bluff Pathway at Carmel Beach
  18. Mission Trail Park
  19. Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Preserve
  20. Carmel Meadows to Monastary Beach

Jacks Peak County Park

  1. Skyline Trail and Jacks Peak
  2. Iris – Rhus Loop
  3. Coffeeberry – Lower Ridge – Pine Loop
  4. Earl Moser – Madrone Loop
  5. Sage – Madrone – Ceanothus Loop
  6. Band Tail Point and Hidden Meadow

Fort Ord National Monument

  1. Jerry Smith Access Corridor
  2. Old Reservoir – Engineer Canyon Loop
  3. Oil Well Road – Goat Trail Loop
  4. Guidotti – Skyline – Oil Well Loop
  5. Laguna Seco Loop

Toro County park

  1. Eagle Peak
  2. Toyon Ridge – Bessie Canyon Loop
  3. Ollason Peak: Ollason Trail – Cougar Ridge Loop
  4. Ollason Trail – Gilson Gap Loop
  5. Ollason – Meyers Loop

Carmel Valley: Garland Ranch Regional Park

  1. Snively’s Ridge Trail
  2. Rancho Loop: Cooper Ranch Addition
  3. Lupine Loop Trail
  4. Buckeye Nature Trail
  5. Maple Canyon – Fern Canyon Loop
  6. Garland Ranch Falls – Mesa Loop
  7. Lupine Loop to La Mesa
  8. Lupine Meadow to Snively’s Ridge
  9. Garzas Canyon to Redwood Canyon
  10. Veeder – East Ridge – Terrace Loop
  11. Vasquez Ridge: Laureles – Vasquez – Apring Loop
  12. Hitchcock Loop: Kahn Ranch Addition
  13. Osborne Ridge: Kahn Ranch Addition

Carmel Valley: Los Padres Reservoir / Tassajara Road

  1. Carmel River Trail to Danish Creek
  2. Big Pine Trail to Danish Creek Camp
  3. Anastasia Trail: East Trailhead
  4. Anastasia Trail: West Trailhead
  5. Chews Ridge Fire Lookout
  6. Chews Ridge Hennickson’s Ridge Trail from Tassajara Road
  7. Church Creek Divide
  8. Church Creek Canyon from Church Ranch Road
  9. Horse Pasture Trail to Horse Pasture Camp
  10. Horse Pasture Trail to the Narrows at Tassajara Creek
  11. Palo Corona Regional Park

Point Lobos State Reserve

State park pass required (link)
  1. Granite Point: Whalers Cove to Ichxenta Point
  2. Whalers Knoll Trail
  3. North Shore Trail
  4. Allan Memorial Grove: Cypress Trail
  5. Sea Lion Point Trail
  6. South Shore Trail
  7. Bird Island Trail: China Cove – Pelican Point – Gibson Beach

Garrapata State Park

  1. Sobrantes Canyon Trail
  2. Rocky Ridge – Soberanes Canyon Loop
  3. Soberanes Point Trails
  4. Garrapata Beach and Bluff Trail
  5. Rocky Point

Palo Colorado Road

  1. Mill Creek Redwood Preserve
  2. Skinner Ridge Trail to Skinner Ridge Overlook
  3. Skinner Ridge Trail to Mount Carmel
  4. Pico Blanco Road to Little Sur River

Old Coast Road

  1. Brazil Ranch
  2. Old Coast Road: Northern Access
  3. Old Coast Road: Southern Access
  4. Point Sur Lightstation State Historic Park

Andrew Molera State Park

State park pass required (Link)
  1. Molera Point and Molera Beach
  2. Bluffs – Panorama – Ridge Loop
  3. Bobcat Trail – River Trail Loop
  4. East Molera Trail

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

State park pass required (Link)
  1. Pfeiffer Falls: Valley View Overlook
  2. Buzzard’s Roost
  3. Oak Grove Trail
  4. Mount Manuel Trail
  5. Pine Ridge Trail to Terrace Creek

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

  1. Partington Cove
  2. Tanbark Trail to Tin House
  3. Fire Road Trail to Tin House
  4. McWay Falls and Saddle Rock
  5. Ewoldsen Trail to Canyon Falls and Overlook

Pinnacles National Monument

Park Pass Required (Link)
  1. High Peaks – Tunner Trail Loop via Juniper Canyon
  2. Balconies Cave – Balconies Trail
  3. Balconies Cave – via Old Pinnacles Trail
  4. Condor Gulch and the High Peaks Trail: East Loop
  5. Condor Gulch and the High Peaks Trail: West Loop
  6. Bear Gulch Cave