Recreational opportunities are equally diverse. Visitors can dive the waters off Point Lobos or Jade Cove, summit granite peaks, marvel at 5,000-pound male elephant seals, plunge into swimming holes along the Big Sur River, explore Hearst Castle, surf the rollers at Andrew Molera, learn about maritime history at Point Sur Lighthouse, or simply take a barefoot stroll on the beach. Whatever you choose, you’re bound to return.
CHAPTER seven
Carmel River State Beach & Point Lobos State Reserve
Carmel River State Beach
THIS PARK ACTUALLY comprises two beaches: Carmel River State Beach at the river mouth and San Jose Creek Beach (aka Monastery Beach) farther south. Together they form a mile-long crescent of coarse sand backed by bluffs that offer spectacular views. Visitors can go for a stroll, build a sandcastle, picnic, or watch wildlife on the sheltered inland side of the beach at Carmel River Lagoon.
While the turquoise Pacific may look inviting, neither beach is safe for swimming or wading. A deep underwater canyon just offshore contributes to hazardous surf conditions. Even on calm days, unpredictable “sleeper waves” have risen up to surprise waders, sometimes dragging them in. Year-round strong currents and water temperatures that linger in the mid-50s Fahrenheit make submersion a real danger, though experienced, properly trained surfers and scuba divers do brave these waters.
DIRECTIONS: From Carmel, drive south on Highway 1 and turn right at the Rio Road signal light. In a half mile you’ll pass Carmel Mission (Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo) on the left. One block past the mission, turn left on Santa Lucia Avenue. Drive 0.4 mile west on Santa Lucia to Carmelo Street and turn left. Within a half mile Carmelo dead-ends at the beach’s north parking lot.
VISITOR CENTER: Point Lobos State Reserve, off Highway 1, 2.2 miles south of the Rio Road intersection. Open daily 9 a.m.–7 p.m. in summer, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in winter.
NEAREST CAMPGROUND: See Chapter 10: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park for coastal campgrounds or Chapter 14: Bottchers Gap for inland options.
INFORMATION: Open 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Dogs must be on a leash.
WEBSITE: parks.ca.gov
PHONE: (831) 649-2836
Short spur trails lead to stunning views from rocky granite outcrops along Carmel River State Beach.
Trip 1
CARMEL RIVER STATE BEACH
LENGTH AND TYPE: 2-mile out-and-back
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, poison oak, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: A wildlife haven amid the Carmel River lagoon and estuary, featuring a mile-long crescent of coarse white sand and views of the open ocean
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD: This hike begins at Carmel River State Beach, where you’ll find a phone, restrooms, and water at the free parking lot.
TRIP SUMMARY: Carmel River State Beach actually comprises two beaches: Carmel River State Beach, at the river mouth, and Monastery Beach (aka San Jose Creek Beach), just south of the river. The trail saunters along these wave-washed beaches and atop the adjacent bluffs. The first 0.2 mile of the route crosses soft sands deposited by the Carmel River and pounded into fine powder by the often-heavy surf. The bluffs overlook granite pinnacles, wind-sculpted Monterey cypress, and a marsh and estuary that teem with life.
Trip Description
From the north end of Carmel River State Beach, the hike strikes out across sand and heads southwest toward the river mouth. Sand bridges the river mouth in summer, but expect a wet crossing after winter rains. If you prefer to keep your feet dry, park at Monastery Beach and hike north, following this trail description in reverse. Parking stretches for 0.2 mile along Highway 1 at Monastery. Just south of the lagoon you can either continue along the shoreline or climb atop the bluffs for sweeping views of Carmel Bay, the lagoon, and the marsh.
Monastery Beach offers views inland that give rise to its name.
The bluff trail leads up a half dozen stairs to a fork (0.2 mile, 25'). The left spur traverses the east edge of the bluff for views of the marsh and lagoon. This spur then turns south through thickets of coyote brush, sagebrush, and lupine, ascending a small knoll capped by a large wooden cross (0.3 mile, 35'). A plaque explains its significance. In 1769 the Portolá-Crespi expedition traveled overland from Mexico. After waiting in vain for the long-overdue supply ship San Jose, they erected a cross here to signal their early return to San Diego. From here the spur veers west and rejoins the main bluff trail.
The direct route to the south end of the beach leads from atop the stairs along the west edge of the bluff, blanketed in fragrant coastal chaparral. A half mile south, the trail passes very large, striking homes in the Carmel Meadows subdivision. Farther along you’ll encounter another short, narrow spur that leads down to prominent boulders pounded by surf. Beyond this spur, the main trail curls southeast to emerge at Monastery Beach (0.9 mile).
WHERE RIVER & SEA COLLIDE
The opposing forces of the Carmel River and Pacific Ocean form a unique ecosystem at Carmel River State Beach. Longshore currents deposit sand on the beach at the river mouth, forming sandbars that periodically dam its flow. The water that accumulates in the lagoon and surrounding marsh is a mix of freshwater and saltwater, creating a rare habitat. In the 160 miles between San Francisco Bay and Morro Bay, coastal salt marshes occur only at Elkhorn Slough, Pescadero Marsh, and here. It takes heavy rainfall to flood the river and once again break through the sandbars, allowing the lagoon to drain into the ocean.
Among Monterey County’s prime birding locations, the lagoon and marsh shelter a wide variety of waterfowl and songbirds during their migration along the Pacific Flyway. Pelicans, seagulls, and several duck species bathe in the brackish water, while great blue herons, egrets, sandpipers, and plovers work the shallows for food. Red-winged blackbirds enact courtship displays atop tule reeds at the edge of the marsh. In the evenings, cliff swallows swoop down from nests south of the lagoon to nab flying insects. Also watch for the occasional northern harrier, black-shouldered kite, or red-tailed hawk, which soar over the wetlands in search of prey.
The river also hosts the southernmost major steelhead trout run in North America. Native steelhead return annually from the ocean to spawn. Strict rules protect this population, as the run dwindled to just a handful of fish in the early 1990s. As of 2002, the Carmel River averaged 123 juvenile steelhead per hundred feet of stream—numbers reflective of well-stocked streams, though this group and other California steelhead populations remain threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Contact the California Department of Fish & Game for current fishing regulations: (831) 649-2870.
Dramatically different rock formations anchor either end of the beach. On the north end, the trail passes large granitic outcrops laced with veins of blocky white crystals—excellent examples of Hobnail granite. Over the past 65 million years, the Pacific plate carried these ancient rocks hundreds of miles north from their origin in Mexico. In contrast, the south end features a narrow