Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Trail Overview: As you follow this short trail along a blufftop through chaparral, you can see waves crashing on the rocks 50 feet below. A wood railing that runs along Sand Hill Trail may obscure views for some wheelchair riders. During our visit in springtime, two sea lions were cavorting in the waves that washed up on a little beach, and an otter floating below devoured a sea star. Many wildflowers were blooming. Benches are at frequent intervals. In about .25 mile, the trail ends at a junction with the Sea Lion Point Trail; turn right to loop back to the parking lot.

More Info: During our visit in April, poison oak lining the trail slowed me down.

Trail Overview: Carmel Bay and the Monterey peninsula are visible from this .75-mile loop trail, which skirts the perimeter of Point Lobos’ windswept northernmost peninsula. The entire trail winds through Monterey cypress forest—one of only two naturally growing stands remaining in the world. The trail starts out wide and mostly level, then splits after about .25 mile to encircle Allan Memorial Grove, named for A.M. Allan, who saved Point Lobos from development by buying it in 1898 and selling it to the State 35 years later. Most wheelchair riders will only be able to continue a few hundred yards on either side of the loop; on both sides, the trail narrows to less than three feet and has slopes. In my power wheelchair and with some assistance, I completed each side of the loop, and was rewarded with spectacular views of surf on rocks, nearby crags overgrown with chaparral, wildflowers, and weathered cypress. Since a stairway bisects the loop, each time I had to backtrack. Benches are provided.

More Info: About halfway from the start of the loop, stairs prevent wheelchair riders from completing the circuit. Both sides of the loop are less than three feet wide and have short slopes exacerbated by drainage bars as much as three inches high. Some stretches have cross-slopes.

Trail Overview: Bird Island Trail climbs gently through coastal scrub on a cliff between woods and sea, with continuous stunning vistas. From the parking lot a set of stairs ascends to the trail, but to the right of the stairs is an accessible, gently switchbacked incline. Shortly after the crest, just after you round the bend, the sparkling jade-green waters and small white-sand beach of China Cove come into view. Here you’ll likely see sea otters resting in kelp and harbor seals hauled out on rocks. We could even see seals swimming in the shallow, clear waters; caves in the rock were also visible. An abundance of wildflowers blanketed the cliffs on our early June visit, including monkeyflower, lupines, yellow bracts, and many others I didn’t know. Poison oak was also prolific.

The trail briefly turns inland before you reach Gibson Beach (both it and China Cove are accessed via long staircases). You cross a bridge that's about three feet above an eroded area ––be sure to admire the views of the beach and the impressive homes built into the hillsides. After the bridge are several places with steep drop-offs and no protective edge along the trail, but these stretches are fairly level and it wasn’t too unnerving. After less than a quarter of a mile the trail ends at a short loop trail that affords close-up views of hundreds of Brandt's cormorants nesting on the aptly named Bird Island. Be advised that the guano can be very pungent.

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