Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
84 acres1.5 mi of trail
Scenic TrailPresidio View Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Catalinaschool · CC BY 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Monterey
13% of Monterey’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 16 miles of mapped trail cross Monterey, 1.8 per square mile of land. 13% of Monterey’s land is conserved, about 696 acres.
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #86 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
13%
696 acres · of 8.6 sq mi of land
Trails
16 mi
1.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
772 ac
26 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.1 mi
2.5 mi lanes · 6.1 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
7 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Monterey?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Monterey have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Monterey is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #86 of 847 in California. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Monterey’s overall grade.
Conserved land13% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (16 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land26 acres of park per 1,000 residents (772 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 90%
Water is 29% of Monterey’s area (4 of 12 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 9%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, with 1.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Veteran's Memorial Park
Park
58 acres1.1 mi of trail
Veteran's Park Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Monterey State Historic Park
Managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation
17 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Monterey Old Town Historic District
Park
31 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lower Presidio Historic Park
Park
24 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 36 parks & preserves
Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve84 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsEl Estero Park43 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsVeteran's Memorial Park58 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMonterey State Historic Park17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsDon Dahvee Park38 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMonterey Old Town Historic District31 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLower Presidio Historic Park24 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsQuarry Park13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsVia Paraiso Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSoldier Field9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsIris Greenbelt57 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLaguna Grande Regional Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSan Carlos Beach Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEdward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area143 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJacks Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFriendly Plaza3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLagunta Niranda Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCasanova Oak Knoll Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHill Top Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLarkin Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDeer Flats Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Root Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMonterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary2,223 acres · National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
DirectionsRyan Ranch Park71 acres
DirectionsLovers Point - Julia Platt State Marine Reserve51 acres
DirectionsFishermans Shoreline Park5 acres
DirectionsOak-Newton Park3 acres
DirectionsWhispering Pines Park2 acres
DirectionsPeter J Ferrante Park2 acres
DirectionsArcher Park1 acres
DirectionsFishermans Flats Park1 acres
Cypress Park1 acres
DirectionsSan Carlos School Field1 acres
DirectionsMontecito Park1 acres
DirectionsScholze Park1 acres
DirectionsHartnell Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
696 conserved acres
13% of Monterey’s land. Water is left out: Monterey has 8.6 square miles of land and 3.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Monterey’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city608 ac
State parks72 ac
State fish & wildlife10 ac
Regional agency8 ac
Local Park · 246 acLocal Other or Unknown · 165 acLocal Recreation Area · 102 acLocal Conservation Area · 99 acState Park · 63 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 99 | Open |
| Ryan Ranch Park Local Park | Town or city | 75 | Open |
| Unnamed Site - Monterey, City of Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 73 | Open |
| Monterey State Beach State Park | State parks | 63 | Open |
| Veterans Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 55 | Open |
| Iris Canyon Greenbelt Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 45 | Open |
| Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 43 | Open |
| El Estero Park Local Park | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Don Dahvee Greenbelt Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 36 | Open |
| Presidio Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 28 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
47 places to go in Monterey
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Monterey
Plus 4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Monterey
MPC Pool
DirectionsThe Roman Plunge
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Monterey
Dennis the Menace PlaygroundIn El Estero Park
DirectionsVeteran's Park PlaygroundIn Veteran's Memorial Park
DirectionsPlus 17 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Monterey
2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Monterey
1 Shepherd's Knoll
DirectionsSea otters
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Picnic areas in Monterey
El Estero Picnic AreaIn El Estero Park
DirectionsOutdoor Navy Dining Area
DirectionsVeteran's Park Picnic AreaIn Veteran's Memorial Park
DirectionsPlus 4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Monterey
Hiker-Biker Campsite - Monterey Veteran's ParkFee · In Veteran's Memorial Park
DirectionsVeteran's Memorial Park CampgroundIn Veteran's Memorial Park · City of Monterey
DirectionsDisc golf in Monterey
Ryan Ranch Disc Golf CourseIn Ryan Ranch Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Monterey
Our Green Thumb Community GardenMiddlebury Monterey Institute Of International Studies
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 6.7 mi
Scenic Trail0.4 mi
Presidio View Trail0.2 mi
Veteran's Park Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
9.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
6.1 mi
off-road bike paths
0.5 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
41Tennis
33Basketball
19Golf
9Baseball
4Beach volleyball
3Football
2Soccer
2Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →12 places on the National Register, 4 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 45 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Stevenson HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itMerritt, Josiah, AdobeBuilding · listed 1977
About itJames W. Finch HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itMary C. W. Black Studio HouseBuilding · listed 1994
About itPacific Biological LaboratoriesBuilding · listed 1994
About itLou Ellen Parmelee HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itMarsh, G.T., and SonsBuilding · listed 2007
About itSt. John’s Chapel, Del MonteBuilding · listed 2020
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Monterey: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.7 |
| High (°F) | 60 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 68 | 64 | 59 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.2 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and September the warmest (highs of 68 °F). 3.6 inches fall in January, the wettest month. The climate in Monterey →
Next door
Monterey and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey | 13% | 1.8 | 26 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Del Monte Forest | 3% | 4.9 | 46 | 70% | A− |
| Seaside | 10% | 2.1 | 8 | 99%+ | A |
| Del Rey Oaks | 10% | 1.5 | 66 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Pacific Grove | 14% | 3.2 | 12 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Monterey
Where can I hike in Monterey?
The longest trail networks: Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, 1.5 miles; El Estero Park, 1.2 miles; Veteran's Memorial Park, 1.1 miles; Monterey State Historic Park, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Monterey is conserved land?
13% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Monterey’s trails?
Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve and El Estero Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Monterey?
9.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.5 of painted or protected lanes, 6.1 of off-road paths and 0.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Monterey?
20,695 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Monterey or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 772 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Monterey have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #86 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Monterey neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →