17-Mile Drive

Trail Overview: Heading north from Bird Rock, along the ocean's edge, with close-up views of surf on rocks and sand, the trail is accessible for .2 miles. Some wheelchair riders may be able to navigate an additional .2 miles with assistance, but eventually sand prevents further travel. To continue north, motorized wheelchair users can switch to a bike trail that runs between 17-Mile Drive and the ocean, from the southern Carmel entrance north to Pacific Grove. The grade is steep on the first mile from the gate to Spanish Bay and not recommended for manual wheelchair users. During our mid-week visit traffic was light and slow, and the road along the low bluffs is wide and straight, so it was quite pleasant. Traffic is likely to be much heavier on weekends. Handcrafted benches made of lumber set between and embedded in chunks of rock are provided at frequent intervals. 

More Info: Deep sand on the pedestrian trail is problematic after the first .2 miles. The bicycle trail is quite steep from Spanish Bay to the Pacific Grove gate; from Bird Rock south to the Carmel gate it is narrow and winding, and not advisable for wheelchairs.

The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.