Hiking the California Coastal Trail,
Volume Two: Monterey to Mexico

The Guide to Walking the Golden State's Beaches and Bluffs from Border to Border

by Bob Lorentzen and Richard Nichols

This southern volume of the series describes more than 600 miles of California's now official Coastal Trail (CCT), America’s most diverse long distance trail. Volume Two covers from Monterey to the Mexico in 83 accessible sections. Most sections offer easy day hikes, while 6 offer great backpacking, including the dramatically rugged Big Sur High Route.

Concise, thorough descriptions support 65 detailed maps. Each section details how to get there, hike distance, elevation change, cautions, and facilities available including campgrounds, hostels and lodgings. The guide also covers alternate routes, side trails, and river, bay and harbor crossing info. 33 feature articles discuss history, geology, land use and attractions.

Volume 2 describes such CCT highlights as the Monterey Peninsula shore, Point Lobos, vast Big Sur, the Hearst coast, Montana de Oro State, Point Sal, Vandenberg coast, Point Conception, Santa Barbara beaches, Santa Monica Mountains NRA, Zuma Beach, Venice Beach, and Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the Orange and San Diego coasts.

“User-friendly maps, precise directions from
writers who’ve walked their talk.”
~San Francisco Chronicle, May 2000

368 pages, 5" x 9", full-color cover, 2-color text and maps, 65 original maps drawn to scale by artist Marsha Mello, 36 photographs, bibliography, index, 2000. Co-published by Bored Feet and Coastwalk.
ISBN 0-939431-19-X.   trade paper

Price: $19.00

Hiking the California Coastal Trail is also available as a two volume set.

The Table of Contents

9 Foreword by Mary Nichols, Secretary for Resources

11 Foreword by Peter Douglas, Executive Director, California Coastal Commission

Introduction

13 Imagine a Califomia Coastal Trail
14 The Wondrous Califomia Coast/State of the Trail
15 Day Hikes or Long Distance Trek? You Choose.
15 The Rules of Road Walking
16 How This Guide Works for You
17 Have a Safe Hike: Ten Commandments for CCT Hikers
17 Map Legend
19 How's the Weather on the Coast?
20 Preparing for your Hikes

The California Coastal Trail: Monterey to Mexico

21 Monterey County: 146-½ miles (129-7/8 miles for Alternate Route)

23 1) Pajaro River to Moss Landing
27 2) Moss Landing to Marina State Beach
31 3)Marina State Beach to Monterey Bay Aquarium
35 4) Monterey Bay Aquarium to Asilomar State Beach
39 5) Asilomar State Beach to Point Joe to Carmel City Beach
43 6) Carmel City Beach to Point Lobos State Reserve Entrance
46 7) Point Lobos State Reserve
51 8) Point Lobos State Reserve Entrance to Bixby Bridge
57 9) Old Coast Road, Bixby Bridge to Andrew Molera State Park
63 10) Andrew Molera State Park to Ventana Inn at Highway 1

Big Sur High Route (preferred)
67 11) Ventana Inn at Highway 1 to Upper Bee CampJunction, Ventana Wilderness
73 12) Upper Bee Camp Junction to Cone Peak, Ventana Wildemess, to Upper Vicente Flat Trailhead, Cone Peak Road
79 13) Upper Vicente Flat Trailhead, Cone Peak Road, to Pacific Valley, Highway 1

Big Sur Highway 1 Route (alternate)
82 11A) Ventana Inn to Lucia
85 12A) Lucia to Kirk Creek Campground
87 14) Pacific Valley to Cruickshank Trailhead
93 15) Cruickshank & Buckeye Trails, Silver Peak Wilderness, to Salmon Creek to Ragged Point

97 San Luis Obispo County: 98-3/8 miles

99 1) Ragged Point to Piedras Blancas
105 2) Piedras Blancas to Adobe Creek
109 3) Adobe Creek to Pico Avenue Access, San Simeon Acres
114 4) Pico Avenue Access, San Simeon Acres, to Cambria
117 5) Cambria to East Fork Villa Creek
121 6) East Fork Villa Creek to Cayncos Pier
123 7) Cayucos Pier to Morro Rock to Harbor Street, Morro Bay
127 8) Morro Bay to Sand Spit to Montana de Oro State Park South Boundary
133 9) Montana de Oro State Park to Avila Beach
136 10) Pecho Coast Trail: Port San Luis to Rattlesnake Canyon
139 11) Cave Landing, Avila Beach, to Pismo Beach Pier
143 12) Pismo Beach Pier to Oso Flaco Trail
148 13) Oso Flaco Trail to Guadalupe Dunes Parking Lot

151 Santa Barbara County: 112-5/8 miles (127 miles with alternates)

153 1) Guadalude Dunes, Nipomo Dunes Preserve, to Point Sal to Highway 1 at Brown Road
161 2) Highway 1 at Brown Road to Lompoc
163 2A) Heart of Vandenberg Coast from Ocean Beach County Park
167 3) Lompoc to Gaviota State Park Pier via Highway 1
169 3A) Southern Vandenberg Coast and Point Conception from Jalama
175 4) Gaviota State Park Pier to Refugio Creek, Refugio State Park
179 5) Refugio Creek, Refugio State Park to El Capitan State Park
183 6) El Capitan State Park to Isla Vista
189 7) Isla Vista to Goleta Beach County Park
191 8) Goleta Beach County Park to Arroyo Burro Beach County Park
193 9) Arroyo Burro Beach County Park to Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara
196 10) Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, to Lookout County Park
199 11) Lookout County Park to Carpinteria State Beach
202 12) Carpinteria State Beach to Rincon Beach County Park

205 Ventura County: 52-¼ to 53-¼ miles

207 1) Rincon Beach County Park to Faria Beach County Park
213 2) Faria Beach County Park to Ventura City Pier
215 3) Ventura City Pier to McGrath State Beach
219 4) McGrath State Beach to Port Hueneme Beach Park
223 5) Port Hueneme Beach Park to Point Mugu Naval Air Station Entrance at Las Posas Road
225 6) Point Mugu Naval Air Station Entrance at Los Posas Road to Sycamore Cove Beach, Point Mugu State Park
229 6A) Backbone Trail, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
234 7) Sycamore Cove Beach, Point Mugu State Park, to Leo Carrillo State Beach

237 Los Angeles County: 78-¼ to 89-½ miles

239 1) Leo Carrillo State Beach to Zuma Beach County Park
243 2) Zuma Beach County Park to Dan Blocker State Beach
247 3) Dan Blocker State Beach to Malibu Pier
249 4) Malibu Pier to Topanga County Beach
253 5) Topanga County Beach to Santa Monica Pier
257 6) Santa Monica Pier to Manhattan Beach Pier
263 7) Manhattan Beach Pier to Torrance County Beach
265 8) Torrance County Beach to Point Vicente
268 9) Point Vicente to Royal Palms State Beach
273 10) Royal Palms State Beach to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
277 11) Cabrillo Marine Aquarium to Shoreline Village, Long Beach
281 12) Shoreline Village, Long Beach, to Seal Beach Pier

283 Orange County: 46-¼ to 46-7/8 miles

285 1) Seal Beach Pier to Huntington Beach Pier
289 2) Huntington Beach Pier to Balboa Pier
293 3) Balboa Pier to Crystal Cove State Park Historic District
295 4) Crystal Cove State Park Historic District to Laguna Beach Main Beach
298 5) Laguna Beach Main Beach to Aliso Beach
301 6) Aliso Beach to Doheny State Beach
307 7) Doheny State Beach to San Clemente State Beach

311 San Diego County: 85-1/8 miles

313 1) San Clemente State Beach to San Onofre State Beach
317 2) San Onofre State Beach to Oceanside Pier
319 3) Oceanside Pier to South Carlsbad State Beach Campground
323 4) South Carlsbad State Beach Campground to San Elijo State Beach
327 5) San Elijo State Beach to Torrey Pines State Beach
331 6) Torrey Pines State Beach to La Jolla Shores Beach
335 7) LaJolla Shores Beach to Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach
339 8) Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach, to Ocean Beach Pier
341 9) Ocean Beach Pier to Downtovvn San Diego Waterfront
345 10) Downtovvn San Diego Waterfront to Hotel del Coronado
347 11) Hotel del Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier
349 12) Imperial Beach Pier to Mexican Border, Border Field State Park

354 More about the California Coastal Trail/Chronology

356 Help Complete the CCT

357 Through-Hiking the California Coastal Trail

359 Further Reading

361 Acknowledgments

362 Photograph Credits

363 Index

368 About Coastwalk

Featured Articles

19 Please Don't Trash Our Coast

25 The California Coastal Trail Whole Hike of 1996

29 Watch Out for That Wave!

32 Monterey: Center of Mexican California

37 California Lighthouses

48 Watch for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises

53 Sea Otters

60 How Big Sur Almost Became a National Park and Why It Didn't

76 Our National Forests & the New User Fees

107 The Elephant Seals of Piedras Blancas

113 Will the Hearst Corporation Get Their Way with the San Luis Obispo Coast?

129 The Volcanic Peaks of San Luis Obispo County

138 The Battle for Diablo Canyon

146 Oil Sure Can Make a Mess of the Coast

158 The Amazing Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

165 Vandenberg Air Force Base a Nature Preserve

170 What Will Be the Fate of Santa Barbara's Large Coastal Ranches?

185 The Native Californians: Here Before History Began

210 The Case Against Shoreline Armoring

217 Channel Islands National Park

228 Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

245 California's Coastal Conservancy

250 Hostels Along the California Coast

254 Saving the South Coast

260 Los Angeles River Basin

278 The Profits and Pleasures of the Harbor

287 Coastal Wetlands of Southern California

302 Dana Point, Then and Now

308 Can the Last Wild Places Be Saved?

322 San Diego's Coastal Rail Trail & Coastal Rail Service

332 Unique Torrey Pines State Reserve

353 The Fence & the Mexico-U.S. Border

Books and Maps on Related Topics:

Hiking the California Coastal Trail—The Complete Set by Bob Lorentzen and Richard Nichols

Hiking the California Coastal Trail Volume One: Oregon to Monterey, Second Edition—The Guide to Walking the Golden State's Beaches and Bluffs from Border to Border by Bob Lorentzen and Richard Nichols

The Hiker's hip pocket Guide to the Mendocino Coast—Third Edition by Bob Lorentzen

Mendocino Coast Bike Rides—Road and Trail Rides from Easy to Advanced by Bob Lorentzen

The Hiker's hip pocket Guide to Sonoma County, 3rd edition by Bob Lorentzen

The Hiker's hip pocket Guide to the Humboldt Coast by Bob Lorentzen

Sierra Nevada Topographic Map by Imus Geographics

Zuma-Trancas Canyons Trail Map by Tom Harrison

Northern San Diego County Bikeways & Trails Map by Franko’s Maps

Los Angeles-Orange Coast Map, Coastal California Series by Bluewater Maps

Guide Map of the Santa Ynez Valley & Santa Barbara Wine Country by Franko’s Maps

Yosemite Epics; Tales of Adventure from America's Greatest Playground by Matt Johanson
Illustrations by Christopher Hampson
Foreword by Jim Moynier

Monterey Bay Map by Bluewater Maps