38 The Best of Monterey Bay ® 2024-2025 Bicycling Monterey County offers amazing bike riding for all styles. The splendor is found along the scenic coastal Recreation Trail (which runs from Pacific Grove to Castroville), rolling through the winding roads of the Salinas Valley and on the trails of Fort Ord and Toro Park. Whichever your heart desires, the views can’t be beat. No wonder the spectacle that is the Sea Otter Classic, the world’s largest cycling expo, takes place in Monterey County. 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach For the road cyclist, this is perhaps the Peninsula’s ultimate two-wheel trek. Enter at the Pacific Grove gate and hang a right to take the coastal route past some of the loveliest coastline in North America. The road will lead through the Pebble Beach golf courses and down to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Note that while vehicles must pay to enter, it’s free for pedestrians and bicyclists. Also be aware that the road is very narrow in many places. Various entrances, bikemonterey.org Fort Ord National Monument This biking, hiking and horseback-riding paradise encompasses thousands of acres of gorgeous wetlands and woodlands. Pick up a map or just get lost in endless mountain-biking bliss with a network of single-track trails. Or if you’ve got narrow wheels, stay on miles of paved roads that are off-limits to car traffic. Popular trails are accessible at Gigling Road 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 no 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 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. Stay on mountain bike trails to let hikers and bikers coexist peacefully. For a mellower day, visit the picnic area, dog park, and sports fields below the steep trails. Highway 68, Salinas. (831) 484-1108, co.monterey.ca.us/ parks Palo Corona Regional Park
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==