The Pinnacle
Point Lobos State Reserve
Carmel, California
Point Lobos and the Battle of Sea and Land
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The Pinnacle |
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POINT LOBOS STATE RESERVE, CA -- One hundred feet below me is a cauldron of raging surf. One after another, the storm waves advance, rear upward and burst against the granite cliff, sending foam and spray into the air. Then they ricochet backward, striking the next wave, sending more spray upward.
And yet, here on the trail, above the cauldon’s tumult, and the roar from the surf all around, I can still hear the barking of the sea lions crowded on a small, bare, rocky island a half mile out to sea. The roar of the surf and the barking of the sea lions ... that’s the sound track of Point Lobos. |
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... and perhaps you can imagine that sound, and the fragrance of salt spray and seaweed, as you view these images. |
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The Cypress Grove trail is 8/10 mile long, starting and ending at the Sea Lion Point parking area. The park website estimates that the entire loop can be walked in 30 minutes. However ... The Granite Point trail offers a different experience ... turquoise coves and promontories with views of forested headlands, the sea and the Monterey Peninsula. You'll find the trailhead at Whaler's Cove, near the parking area. The trail begins by skirting the bluffs which encircle the cove. As you follow the trail, to the sound of wavelets lapping just below, you may see a group of scuba divers well offshore. Divers rave about Whaler's Cove, its kelp forests, and variety and numbers of fish and other marine life. In fact ... ... some divers tell of an occasional harbor seal or sea lion becoming their swimming "buddy" on a dive, following them and swimming around them. |
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At the far end of Whaler’s Cove, a short detour will take you to a panoramic view across Whaler’s Cove to the cliffs of Big Dome, and beyond to the horizon of sea and sky. To your right you’ll look down at another horseshoe-shaped cove with a secluded beach.
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Point Lobos is a place of starkly contrasting moods. And nothing illustrates this better than a day on the Granite Point trail, followed by the North Shore trail. On a clear day, the Granite Point trail provides a sun-splashed romp above the turquoise surf, through prairie and coastal scrub. In contrast, the North Shore trail will take you into the shade of the Monterey cypress forest, which slopes downward to the granite cliffs of Bluefish Cove. |
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On a winter Sunday afternoon, I saw hardly another soul on the trail. In the quiet of the forest, the surf's rush and drag had the slow, steady rhythm of breathing. The cypresses made ragged silhouettes against the water, the cliffs, and the forest beyond. |
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The North Shore Trail follows the headland 1.4 miles between Whaler's Cove and Sea Lion Point. To experience the abrupt contrast between the Granite Point trail and the North Shore, make a continuous hike by walking through the Whaler's Cove parking lot to the North Shore trailhead. Look for the steps leading up the bluff at the parking area's northern end. If you want to include the Cypress Grove trail or other shore-side trails in your day, park at Sea Lion Point, where you can start the North Shore trail at its western end. The North Shore trail branches off the Cypress Grove trail a short distance from the parking area. Point Lobos is a showcase of the battle of sea and land -- especially when the winter surf is up. On the Sea Lion Point trail, you can get as close as you safely dare to the waves exploding on the rocks around you. And you ’ll get within a city block’s distance of those barking sea lions, huddled on a rocky island across the strait. |
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By the way, Point Lobos is named for those sea lions. The Spanish referred to them as sea wolves, and named the area "Punta de los Lobos Marineros," which means "Sea Wolf Point." |
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Sea Lion Cove lies just below you as you descend the rock staircase. Don’t miss it. From its beach on a clear day, you have a view for miles down the coast to Point Sur. |
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The Sea Lion Point trail is a slow saunter of a little over half a mile. If you plan to explore the rocky areas, wear shoes with a good tread. And remember that, even where the rocks appear dry, the algae can make them a slip-and-fall hazard. The South Shore trail really isn't just a trail. It’s an adventure. At many points along its one-mile saunter, you can go off the path and explore the rocks jutting out into the surf. You can linger on a sandy beach. The headlands, inlets and tidepools are all there for you to discover. Earlier, I said that the Cypress Grove trail would be first on my list to show friends and relatives. Don’t think that was an easy choice. A day on the rocks along the south shore will show why. |
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When the ocean is aboil – and even when it isn’t – this is the place to savor it. From here, there are about 1,000 different views and perspectives of turquoise surf and crashing waves. |
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The lake-like calm and the tropical color of the water makes wading almost irresistible. But remember – although those still, placid turquoise waters may appear tropical, the water temperature certainly isn’t. So take a deep breath before that bracing first step into the wavelets. And then, after you'’ve gotten used to it, you can leisurely enjoy the clarity and peace of the cove, and the play of light on the sand clearly visible beneath the water. The Bird Island Trail makes a short walk along the very southern portion of the reserve. It’s an 8/10 of a mile (1.3 km) round trip, starting and ending at the south parking area. The trail connects China Cove and Gibson Beach, with its rolling waves and broad, curved sands. |
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In between the two beaches, the trail meanders onto Pelican Point, separated by a narrow strait from Bird Island. Bird Island hosts a sea bird colony in the spring and summer, when you'll see hundreds of cormorants and other sea birds gathered there. Pelican Point also has views of the northward shore and, just below you, grottoes echoing the pulse of the surf. As always, keep an eye out for sea otters, seals, sea lions and migrating whales. Stairways connect the trail to the two beaches. The treads are a bit uneven, so take care on your way to the sand. Point Lobos State Reserve lies three miles south of Carmel on Highway 1. It’s roughly two hours from San Francisco. Directions from San Francisco International Airport are here. From Los Angeles, the drive north to Point Lobos is six or seven hours, taking into account normal stops along the way. Directions are here. The reserve closes half an hour after sunset. You’ll see the time of sunset posted at the entry to the park, across the drive from the ranger kiosk. At the kiosk, ask for a trail map. The reserve charges an entry fee of $10.00 per vehicle. There are nine small parking areas in the reserve. However, the reserve limits the number of vehicles allowed into the park. Once that limit has been reached, additional vehicles may have to wait in line to enter on a one-vehicle-out, one-vehicle-in basis. To avoid a line, and the entry fee, you can park in designated areas outside the reserve on Highway 1. It’s an 0.8-mile (1.3 km) walk from the entry kiosk to the Sea Lion Point parking area. |
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