01
Best overall pick
Toro County Park
Foothills Southeast Of Salinas • Oak‑Dotted County Park With Ridge Trails • Balanced Mix Of Effort And Views
Toro’s network of loops lets you build anything from an easy hillside stroll to a lung‑busting climb with big Salinas Valley views.
Locals treat Toro as their go‑to training ground, thanks to its mix of graded roads and steeper singletrack weaving through oaks and open grassland. On clear days, higher ridges like Ollason Peak deliver sweeping views over Salinas and out toward the coast. Go early if you want shade, and expect it to feel more like backcountry than city park once you commit to the upper trails.
02
Best for big-mile days
Fort Ord National Monument
Between Salinas And Marina • Expansive Former Military Base With Singletrack • Best For Long Mileage Days
Fort Ord offers miles of rolling trails across open ridges and canyons, ideal for hikers who like to keep moving without repeating loops.
Once a military training ground, Fort Ord is now a huge trail playground with everything from wide sand-and-dirt roads to winding singletrack. The terrain is mostly gentle but constantly rolling, with coastal scrub, pockets of oak woodland, and frequent long sightlines. Start from one of the main trailheads near the monument’s northern edge for well-signed routes and options to extend or cut short your hike as energy and weather dictate.
03
Classic coastal reserve
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
South Of Carmel-By-The-Sea • Protected Coastal Reserve With Cliffside Paths • Iconic Ocean Views
Short, well-marked trails wrap around a rocky peninsula, delivering constant ocean vistas, sea life viewing, and photogenic coves.
Point Lobos is less about racking up elevation and more about savoring world-class scenery on carefully managed paths. Loops like the Cypress Grove and South Shore trails piece together easily into a half-day of hiking with tidepools, sea lion haul-outs, and wind-sculpted trees. Arrive early or on a weekday if you can, since the small parking lots fill quickly when the weather is good.
04
Wild coastal canyon
Garrapata State Park
Northern Big Sur Coast • Steep Canyon And Ridge Trails Above Highway 1 • Best For Wild, Rugged Feel
Garrapata pairs flowered coastal bluffs with a punchy canyon climb that feels like classic Big Sur without committing to an all‑day trek.
Most visitors pull over for quick photos, but the best of Garrapata reveals itself once you step into Soberanes Canyon or take the steeper ridge routes. Trails here can be narrow and rooty, with creek crossings, shaded redwood sections, and exposed switchbacks that open up to big ocean panoramas. Expect a more rugged experience than at a manicured state park, and bring layers because fog and wind can roll in fast off the water.
05
Steep view-chaser’s trail
Boronda Trail to Timber Top
Big Sur, South Of Garrapata • Strenuous Coastal Climb To Panoramic Ridge • Challenging Route For Strong Hikers
This straight-up Big Sur climb delivers serious elevation gain in a short distance and some of the widest ocean and canyon views anywhere near Boronda.
The Boronda Trail wastes no time, shooting up from Highway 1 through brush and grassland toward the high ridge known as Timber Top. It is a tough ascent, but the payoff is a sweeping overlook where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop sharply into the Pacific. Parking is minimal and the path can be hot and exposed, so start early, pack more water than you think you need, and treat it as a focused workout with an unforgettable summit perch.