Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trip 4
SOUTH SHORE, BIRD ISLAND, SOUTH PLATEAU, & PINE RIDGE
TRAILS
LENGTH AND TYPE: 2.6-mile loop
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: Explore cliffside gardens, pebbly beaches, blue-green waters, wave-sculpted archways
and coves, and forests of majestic Monterey pines.
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD:
From the entrance station of the park, drive 0.8 mile to
the Sea Lion Point parking area, bear left, and follow the road another 0.3 mile toward
Little Mound Meadow. A parking area on the right leads to the South Shore Trail. If
this lot is full, turn left and drive 100 yards farther to the Piney Woods parking and
picnic area. You'll find picnic tables, water, and restrooms at the trailhead.
TRIP SUMMARY:
This scenic loop takes in an array of habitats, from cliffside gardens,
coarse pebbly beaches, and wave-sculpted archways and coves to Monterey pine
forests and golden grasslands. Watch egrets walk atop dense rafts of floating kelp,
listen for barking sea lions, and smell the salt spray. You may spot the fluke of a passing
gray whale or surprise grazing black-tailed deer in a wildflower-strewn meadow.
Trip Description
From the parking area, the
South Shore Trail
leads west toward the typically gentle
surf along this rocky shoreline, protected by its southern orientation and wave-thwart-
ing offshore rocks. Low tide exposes pools teeming with unfamiliar life. Pause a mo-
ment to peer into a pool. At first you may only notice a few rocks and plants, but the
longer you wait, the more alive the pool becomes. Blue-handed hermit crabs scurry
nervously along the bottom, while camouflaged sculpin fish dart across the pool to new
hiding places. Do be careful where you step—the exposed rocks are covered with slip-
pery seaweed, not to mention tiny tide pool creatures. Check at the information kiosk
for daily tide charts.
EBB & FLOOD
Ocean tides have perplexed humans throughout history. One ancient theory stated that
a water god swallowed seawater and a few hours later released it, thus creating the
tides. Science has since explained the phenomenon. High (or flood) tide is when the
