38 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® 2025-2026 AT PLAY and Eighth (Seaside), Badger Hills (off Highway 68 near Salinas) and Creekside Terrace (off Portola and Reservation Road near Marina). Stay on marked trails only, as ordnance cleanup of this former Army base is still in progress. (831) 582-2200, blm.gov, morcamtb.org/ local-trails Laguna Seca Recreation Area Part campground, part motorsports bucket list destination, this unique county-owned park also features miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. The landscape is jutted with rugged hills, twisting valleys and patches of brush and trees that put you in the wilderness, even though civilization is close by. 1021 Highway 68, Salinas. (831) 242-8200, weathertechraceway.com Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail Described by some as a “linear park,” the paved Rec Trail is an ideal way to take in beautiful coastal views at your own pace. The former Southern Pacific Railroad rightof-way meanders along the waterfront for 18 miles between Lovers Point in Pacific Grove at the south Castroville in the north, with few motor vehicles along the way. Pacific Grove to Castroville. monterey.org Old Coast Road Gravel riders will find some of the area’s most rugged mountain scenery along the 11-mile stretch that was once the main road before the paved version of Highway 1 existed. Entrances off Highway 1, east of Bixby Bridge and Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur. ventanawild.org Salinas Valley On a sunny weekend afternoon, there are few things more relaxing than cycling the farm roads around the Salinas Valley lettuce fields. The sky is enormous, the roads are flat and the only thing you’ll hear is the sound of romaine growing. Off Highway 68 at Reservation and River roads, bikemonterey.org Toro County Park This park suffered extensive damage from a 2020 wildfire, but miles of well-maintained trails have reopened, winding through the county’s second-largest mountain biking area. Off-road fanatics rave about the fast downhills and the plenitude of single-track trails. The summit area provides sweeping vistas of the Monterey Peninsula and the Salinas Valley. Highway 68, Salinas. (831) 484-1108, co.monterey.ca.us/parks Bike Rentals Adventures By the Sea 210 Alvarado St., at Custom House Plaza, Monterey 685 Cannery Row, Monterey 299 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 241-1125, adventuresbythesea.com Big Sur Adventures 125 Ocean View Blvd., Suite 122 (in the American Tin Cannery), Pacific Grove (831) 747-1677 2106 Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove (831) 717-4912, bikebigsur.com Epicenter Cycling 230 LIghthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 920-1804, epicentercycling.com Mad Dogs & Englishmen Corner of Ocean and Mission, Carmel (831) 250-7687 400 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 230-0567 Pacific Grove Adventures 624 Ocean View Blvd. (at Lovers Point), Pacific Grove (831) 241-1125 Work Horse Bicycles 486 Washington St., Monterey (831) 375-2144, workhorsebicycles.com BIRD WATCHING From tiny, fluttering snowy plovers to massive California condors with a wingspan of up to 10 feet, there’s no shortage of diversity in the bird life in Monterey County. All of the hiking and beach destinations listed above are also good for spotting the 482 different species of birds in the county. Asilomar State Beach Just above the beach, boardwalk trails wend through dunes. Turn your gaze away from the ocean and upward on a ranger-led tour to see how much bird life there is here, or take a selfguided tour. Adjacent to Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove. (831) 646-6440, asilomar.interp@ parks.ca.gov, parks.ca.gov/asilomar Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve The 1,700-acre reserve just inland from coastal Moss Landing is teeming with wildlife. It’s a popular spot for kayaking and other paddle sports to see sea otters and other marine life, but it’s also a place to walk slowly, binoculars ready, looking up at the trees. 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. (831) 728-2822, elkhornslough.org/birding Laguna Grande Park This 13-acre park includes an urban wetland that is a birder’s paradise, and attracts some unique species, like Heermann’s gulls. Del Monte Boulevard to Fremont Boulevard at Canyon Del Rey, Seaside and Monterey. ci.seaside.ca.us Resources Monterey Audubon Society montereyaudubon.org Monterey Bay Eco Tours 10932 Clam Way, Moss Landing (831) 200-3454, montereybayecotours.com Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History The bird collection is viewable at 185 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 648-5716, pgmuseum.org Ventana Wildlife Society Information on condors (plus animal cams). ventanaws.org Lovers Point CHARLES BRISCOE-KNIGHT
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