GARRAPATA STATE PARK
GARRAPATA STATE PARK2211 Garden Road Monterey, California 93940
Phone: 831-624-4909
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The park has two miles of beach front, with coastal hiking and a 50-foot climb to a beautiful view of the Pacific. With 2,879 acres, the park offers diverse coastal vegetation with trails running from ocean beaches into dense redwood groves. The park also features outstanding coastal headlands at Soberanes Point. Sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters frequent the coastal waters and California gray whales pass close by during their yearly migration.
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Rocky Ridge, Soberanes Canyon Trails 7 miles round trip with 1,200-foot elevation gainUndeveloped and usually overlooked, Garrapata State Park offers a lot of Big Sur in a compact area. The park features two miles (probably closer to four miles counting the twists and turns) of spectacular coastline and a steep sampling of the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Rocky Ridge Trail quickly leaves Highway 1 behind and offers far-reaching views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the sea. A grand loop of the state park can be made by returning to the trailhead via redwood-lined Soberanes Canyon.
The name Soberanes is linked with the early Spanish exploration of California. Soldier José María Soberanes marched up the coast to Monterey with the Gaspar de Portolá expedition of 1769. Seven years later, Soberanes served as a guide for Juan Bautista De Anza, whose party pushed north to San Francisco Bay. Grandson José Antonio Ezequiel Soberanes acquired the coastal bluff and magnificent backcountry that became known as the Soberanes Ranch.
Rocky Ridge Trail will be more enjoyable for the gung-ho hiker than the novice. The trail ascends very steeply as it climbs Rocky Ridge. Then, after gaining the ridge, hikers must descend an extremely steep mile (we’re talking about a 20 to 30 percent grade here) to connect to Soberanes Canyon Trail.
The leg-weary, or those simply looking for an easier walk, will simply stroll through the redwoods of Soberanes Canyon and not attempt Rocky Ridge Trail.
Park Visitor Online Reviews
December 8 by Robin D Mills
This park is wonderful for the views of the Pacific from the heights and for the walk up the river valley among the red wood trees.
However, park maintenance is awful. It looks like the trails were maintained 40 years ago but nothing has been done since. Soil erosion is widespread, steps are not maintained and the trails get wider and wider as hikers try to avoid the center part of trail. It desperately needs work.
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The park is located on Highway 1, 6.7 miles south of Rio Road in Carmel (18 miles north of Big Sur).
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