Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

"We arrived early on a Tuesday morning in January, right after the park opening, and found open parking spots at Cypress Grove hike. This hike is beautiful. Saw a pod of dolphins, sea lions, pelicans, and seals. Decided to follow the interior trail to the end of the park and walk the ocean side back to the car. Parts of the seaside trail are closed due to erosion, and you have to walk on the road a bit, but still lovely views. We also saw deer when away from water. Total was just under 6 miles. There are a few steep staircases, tree roots, and rocks, but otherwise, it is a manageable hike for those in relatively good shape. We packed a light daypack with water. There are no services inside the park. Cell reception is poor. Download offline maps before you go. The pamphlet handed out by rangers has no map. The $10 entry fee was good for the entire day, and we used it again at Pfeiffer State Park, a bit further south on the same day."

"Absolutely gorgeous! Highly recommend the Cypress Grove and the Bird Island Trails. A good variety of parking available, public bathrooms, and well built and maintained trails makes gorgeous sites available to all. The Bird Island Trail has ADA accessibility."

"We're seniors and hiked most of the available trails on both north and south sides and out to the end, and were very impressed with not only the magnificent views and colors, but also how the trails are well-maintained and fairly easy to navigate. Definitely visit this gem if you're in the area, you won't be sorry! Heads up: No pets or drones allowed."

"This is a beautiful state reserve. I went here and was satisfied with my experience. This state reserve protects a beautiful peninsula jutting out of the ocean, so you can hike by numerous seaside cliffs here. There’s a trail that goes alongside the ocean on top of a cliff, providing beautiful views. It then goes through a tree grove by the ocean, and you can see some trees hanging on the sides of cliffs, which I thought was pretty cool. While I was hiking here a couple of deer crossed the trail and started grazing on the grass next to it while standing in the trail. I gave this state natural reserve five stars because it has beautiful views of the ocean and cliffs. It’s known as one of the world’s best seaside photography areas, and it’s known for having nice snorkeling too. This state reserve gets crowded. I got here at 8:49 and some of the parking lots were already full. When I left around 10:30, the park was already full and closed off to cars, so anyone coming had to park on the side of the road outside of the park and walk in."

"This park is a gem. Not very large but packed with beautiful coastal scenery. We enjoyed some simple hikes, none are far. Everything is beautiful and peaceful. I also want to compliment the volunteer docents. I met two who were so friendly and eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the park. Don’t miss this place!"