JUNE 2023
Monterey Peninsula
Where: central California coast
Directions: US 1
Good to Know:
* Dogs are not allowed in the iconic state parks of Big Sur, south of Monterey Peninsula.
* Dogs are not allowed in the Point Lobos State Natural Preserve.
* Dogs are not allowed on the beach at Ford Old Dunes State Park, north of Monterey Peninsula.
Why so good: :
If you have ever read up on Monterey Peninsula you have likely bumped into the quote that here lies “the greatest meeting of land and sea” on the planet. Many attribute the words to Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson who convalesced for a spell in downtown Monterey in the 1870s. But nowhere in his works can the quote be found. Others tag poet Robinson Jeffers as the creator. Jeffers hand-built an early stone house on Carmel Point in the first decades of the 20th century and often invoked the shoreline in his writings but he did not say those words exactly. Apparently the credit belongs to Francis, McComas, an Australian-born landscape artist who painted from his studio in Pebble Beach in the 1930s. There is always a swirling of fact and myth around Monterey Peninsula so we’ll try to sort out the truths for you dog in one of the tail-friendliest destinations you can find in California.
THE TOWN.
Carmel-by-the-Sea likes to call itself “Dog Heaven on Earth” where our best trail companions are welcome in shops, inns, and restaurants. Out on Carmel Beach dogs and people mingle freely on the soft white sand. Sadly, the biggest beach among the craggy headlands of Monterey Peninsula was ravaged during the winter storms of 2022-2023. Until it is restored dogs can enjoy Carmel River State Beach at the east end of town. The slender Mission Trails Park offers a chance for your dog to sniff around a maritime forest off-leash.
THE FOREST.
Somehow amidst some of the priciest real estate in America Del Monte Forest serves up a maze of 27 miles of walking paths that lead past backyards, along world-renowned golf courses, through towering sand dunes and along the Pacific Ocean. The footpaths sometimes trace the famous 17-Mile Drive that is a toll road through the neighborhoods of Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove. The road barriers help keep small cove beaches like Fanshell Beach and Sand Beach blissfully uncrowded for your dog. The SFB Morse Botanical Reserve in the core of the Forest delivers traditional woods-walking on wide, undulating paths that intersect regularly for hiking loops. Huckleberry Hill is a favorite destination.
THE WATERFRONT WALKS.
The recreational paths on the north side of Monterey Peninsula are laid right along the shore with hours of hiking along Ocean View Boulevard from Asilomar State Beach to Del Monte Beach. The latter is a dog-friendly sandy beach fronting the gentle waves of Monterey Bay. The shoreline stroll from Asilomar to Point Pinos is undeveloped with opportunities for a doggie dip in the Pacific Ocean. The stretch through Pacific Grove leads through flower-stuffed pocket parks like Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Park and Perkins Park before reaching Lovers Point Park with its boulder promontories. Continuing on through historic Old town Monterey the trail passes through Cannery Row, the one-time fish-processing capital immortalized in the novels of John Steinbeck.
THE SECRET BEACH.
But Big Sur is mostly, but not a complete washout for dog lovers. A short, sandy trail leads to Pfeiffer Beach, one of the most beautiful public beaches in California. The sand is wrapped in spectacular rock formations making this a very secluded beach indeed. The rocks are sprinkled in the surf as well, forming coves and making for exciting play in the waves for dogs. The turn-off from Highway 1 is obscured and easy to miss on the crest of a hill so be diligent when seeking out Pfeiffer Beach. Dogs aren’t the only ones studying their GPS for this beach, it is also a magnet for those seeking its “purple” sands.
THE HIGHWAY PULL-OFFS.
If you are used to traveling with dogs you know sometimes you have to get creative to find trails where they can hike in otherwise hostile territory. Such is the case with the Pacific Coast Highway. Heading south of Monterey Peninsula towards Big Sur you will notice numerous roomy pull-offs, unsigned but often with a car or two to tip you off as to the canine hiking opportunities. They have names like Soberanes Point or Shoal cavern or China vista Point if you are searching for them. What you will find are ribbons of dirt heading out onto to the highlands so that yes, you can experience the legendary views of the central California coast with your dog.
THE MOUNTAIN.
Jacks Peak is the highest point on the Monterey Peninsula, more than 1,000 feet above the surrounding seaside. A network of eight miles of tail-friendly trail circle Jacks Peak under stately Monterey pines. An easy day hike will purchase views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Don’t try to plan sunset watches here, however. This is a county park with gated entrances that don’t open until 8 am and close in the early evening.
THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.
Just inland from Monterey Peninsula is Fort Ord, a one-time Army training center that opened during World War I and operated until the 1990s. More than 14,000 acres of undeveloped land opened for public recreation use in 2012. Here you will find cooling hikes with your dog in oak woodlands and big canine hikes across miles of open chaparral and rolling hillsides. The Godzilla of Monterey Peninsula hiking, there are 86 miles of trail here for your dog to explore.