LENGTH AND TYPE: 0.8-mile loop
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: Stroll past gnarled Monterey cypress trees in one of only two remaining native groves of this species.
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD: From the entrance station of the park, drive 0.8 mile to the Sea Lion Point parking area. The trailhead is on the north side of the lot, just past the restrooms and information kiosk. Water is available at the trailhead.
TREES THAT INSPIRED A RESERVE
Monterey cypress trees bear distinct twisted branches, shallow exposed roots, and dense flattened canopies. Their contorted appearance attests to the harsh environment of salt spray, rocky granite soil, and gale-force winds the trees must endure. Protection of the celebrated cypress prompted the acquisition of Point Lobos as a state reserve in 1933.
The Monterey cypress trees along North and South Point stand as a memorial to Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Allan, former owners of Point Lobos. In 1888 several land claimants banded together to develop a portion of the headland as residential lots. Fortunately, A.M. Allan, in conjunction with the Save-the-Redwoods League, had the foresight to buy back the residential lots, limit access, and seek public support to make Point Lobos part of the new state park system.
TRIP SUMMARY: This short, easy trail leads to overlooks of nearshore islands and rocky coves, where sea otters, harbor seals, and sea lions frolic amid multicolored kelp beds.
The Monterey cypress clings its bare roots to the sheer granite cliffs of Point Lobos.
Trip Description
From the information kiosk, the trail leads north and soon forks. The North Shore Trail heads off to the right, while the Cypress Grove Trail veers left 0.1 mile, then splits again into a loop trail through the Allan Memorial Grove. Taking the loop in either direction will lead you back to this junction.
Along the northwest fork, the trail offers views into Headland Cove, where with any luck you’ll see all three species of resident marine mammals: California sea lions, sea otters, and harbor seals. If thick summer fog obscures your view, listen for the boisterous barking of sea lions from nearshore rocks.
Strolling past Headland Cove, you soon enter the grove, one of only two naturally growing stands of Monterey cypress in the world (the other grove is at Cypress Point on the north end of Carmel Bay). In the colder, wetter climate of the Pleistocene epoch some 15,000 years ago, these wind-sculpted trees extended over a much wider range. As the climate slowly turned hotter and drier, the cypress trees withdrew to the cool, fog-shrouded coast. Closely inspect the branches and buttressed trunks to spot a deep orange velvety encrustation. This plush substance is lichen that coexists with the tree, using its branches merely as a roost rather than obtaining nourishment at the tree’s expense.
The trail soon veers right, offering dramatic views of secluded coves and granite pinnacles stretching north to Cypress Point. At North Point a spur climbs 50 feet to a rocky ledge. Clinging to crevices along the granite walls are such coastal plants as Dudleya, or bluff lettuce, featuring succulent silver leaves arranged in a spiral. In summer and fall especially, be sure to bring binoculars, as humpback and gray whales pass within sight of shore along their migratory route from Alaska to the Sea of Cortez, in Baja, Mexico.
Farther along the main trail, a long staircase leads down toward the blue-green waters of Cypress Cove, where you may distinguish the heads of several sea otters, resting on their backs atop an underwater forest of 70-foot giant bull kelp. Ascend the steps and continue along the main trail 0.1 mile to complete your loop around the peninsula. From here retrace your steps to the parking area.
Trip 4
SOUTH SHORE, BIRD ISLAND, SOUTH PLATEAU, & PINE RIDGE TRAILS
LENGTH AND TYPE: 2.6-mile loop
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: Explore cliffside gardens, pebbly beaches, blue-green waters, wave-sculpted archways and coves, and forests of majestic Monterey pines.
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD: From the entrance station of the park, drive 0.8 mile to the Sea Lion Point parking area, bear left, and follow the road another 0.3 mile toward Little Mound Meadow. A parking area on the right leads to the South Shore Trail. If this lot is full, turn left and drive 100 yards farther to the Piney Woods parking and picnic area. You’ll find picnic tables, water, and restrooms at the trailhead.
TRIP SUMMARY: This scenic loop takes in an array of habitats, from cliffside gardens, coarse pebbly beaches, and wave-sculpted archways and coves to Monterey pine forests and golden grasslands. Watch egrets walk atop dense rafts of floating kelp, listen for barking sea lions, and smell the salt spray. You may spot the fluke of a passing gray whale or surprise grazing black-tailed deer in a wildflower-strewn meadow.
Trip Description
From the parking area, the South Shore Trail leads west toward the typically gentle surf along this rocky shoreline, protected by its southern orientation and wave-thwarting offshore rocks. Low tide exposes pools teeming with unfamiliar life. Pause a moment to peer into a pool. At first you may only notice a few rocks and plants, but the longer you wait, the more alive the pool becomes. Blue-handed hermit crabs scurry nervously along the bottom, while camouflaged sculpin fish dart across the pool to new hiding places. Do be careful where you step—the exposed rocks are covered with slippery seaweed, not to mention tiny tide pool creatures. Check at the information kiosk for daily tide charts.
EBB & FLOOD
Ocean tides have perplexed humans throughout history. One ancient theory stated that a water god swallowed seawater and a few hours later released it, thus creating the tides. Science has since explained the phenomenon. High (or flood) tide is when the water level is at its maximum and the beach is covered. During low (or ebb) tide, the water recedes and the beach is exposed.
The tides are generated when the combined gravitational forces of the moon and sun tug on the planet’s surface against the force of gravity pulling inward toward Earth’s core. Both the sun and moon draw ocean water to positions directly beneath them. High tides are actually bulges that form as water flows toward two regions on the surface—one facing the moon, where gravitational pull is strongest, and the other facing directly away, where gravitational pull is weakest. Low tides represent the corresponding withdrawal of water from regions midway between these bulges. The tides shift as Earth’s daily rotation moves the surface closer or farther from these gravitational pulls.
Onward, the trail turns southeast toward a junction with the Mound Meadow Trail (0.3 mile, 15'), on the left heading northwest. You could take this to the Pine Ridge Trail for a short half-mile loop back to Piney Woods. For a richer visit, continue on the South Shore Trail along the reserve’s exquisite southern boundary, encompassing some of the state’s most beautiful coves and inlets.
The trail meanders within sight of the shore and colorful kelp beds off Weston Beach. These rocky promontories are typical of the Carmelo formation, a mix of water-sculpted rocks, fine sediment, and debris deposited by ancient avalanches that occurred in a narrow underwater canyon. Wave action, erosion, and uplift over the past 39 million years have exposed the formation, leaving a complex pattern of graded beds and pebbly beaches.
Leaving Weston Beach, you may want to duck off the trail and descend a few feet to Hidden Beach (0.4 mile). Look amid the intertidal rocks for feeding shorebirds such as the black oystercatcher, which boasts a red bill and loud whistled yelps.
Past Hidden Beach the South Shore Trail emerges at the southern parking area, where the Bird Island Trail begins (0.6 mile, 25'). If you’re short on time, you could park here and explore China Cove and Bird Island, favorite destinations in the reserve.
The short detour to China Cove