38 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® 2026-2027 Bicycling Monterey County offers amazing bike riding for all styles. Whatever your heart desires, the views can’t be beat. No wonder 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. 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 right-of-way meanders along the waterfront for 18 miles between Lovers Point in Pacific Grove at the south to Castroville in the north and is open to runners, walkers and cyclists. Mind the rules. Pacific Grove to Castroville. monterey.gov 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 32 Cannery Row, Monterey 299 Cannery Row, Monterey 685 Cannery Row, Monterey 210 Alvarado St., Monterey 624 Ocean View Ave., Pacific Grove. (831) 241-1125 1576 Cypress Drive, Pebble Beach. (831) 372-1807 (except as noted), adventuresbythesea.com AMG Cyclery 805 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 215-1784, amgcyclery.com Big Sur Adventures 143 Crossroads Blvd., Carmel (831) 293-7063 550 Wave St., Monterey (831) 717-2017 125 Ocean View Blvd., 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 Birding 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 previously 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 spot 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 Garland Ranch Regional Park KAREN LOUTZENHEISER
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