Читать книгу Hiking & Backpacking Big Sur. Your complete guide to the trails of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and Silver Peak Wilderness онлайн

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Monastery Beach offers views inland that give rise to its name.

The bluff trail leads up a half dozen stairs to a fork (0.2 mile, 25'). The left spur traverses the east edge of the bluff for views of the marsh and lagoon. This spur then turns south through thickets of coyote brush, sagebrush, and lupine, ascending a small knoll capped by a large wooden cross (0.3 mile, 35'). A plaque explains its significance. In 1769 the Portolá-Crespi expedition traveled overland from Mexico. After waiting in vain for the long-overdue supply ship San Jose, they erected a cross here to signal their early return to San Diego. From here the spur veers west and rejoins the main bluff trail.

The direct route to the south end of the beach leads from atop the stairs along the west edge of the bluff, blanketed in fragrant coastal chaparral. A half mile south, the trail passes very large, striking homes in the Carmel Meadows subdivision. Farther along you’ll encounter another short, narrow spur that leads down to prominent boulders pounded by surf. Beyond this spur, the main trail curls southeast to emerge at Monastery Beach (0.9 mile).