Monterey Bay Coastal Trail
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Bernd das Brot Team
N 36° 36.931 W 121° 54.024
10S E 598330 N 4052784
The rails of the former "Sand Train" are now Monterey's most popular recreational spot.
Waymark Code: WMEF5
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 06/08/2006
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member showbizkid
Views: 31

This was once part of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The railroad was important for Monterey’s and Pebble Beach’s tourist industry but also for Pebble Beach’s only export good: Sand. The dunes in Pebble Beach were mined until the 1950s while Mother Nature constantly rebuilt them with sediments coming down the Carmel River. Ever wondered how a black volcanic island like Oahu could have white sand beaches like Waikiki? The sand was imported from Pebble Beach! In 1949, Los Padres Dam was built and the sediment supply stopped abruptly. It is estimated that today more than 1,000 acre-feet of sediment are on the bottom of the reservoir. That was the end of the “Sand Train” and starting in the 1970, the rails were replaced by asphalt and turned into one of the crown jewels of the Monterey Peninsula.
You can read more about the trail at Touchstone’s great waymark under “Mountain Bike Trailheads” (visit link)

Only a couple of feet of rail (with two wagons on it) are left. That is where the coordinates take you.
Country: USA

State/Province/etc.: California

Trail Start (town): Pacific Grove

Trail Finish (town): Marina

Trail Length: 23

Trail Surface: Paved

Pack Animals Allowed: no

Fees: no

Internet Link(s):
http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs-parks/bike-path.html


Rail-to-Trail Sign: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
A Trail Review
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Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
Metro2 visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 11/08/2014 Metro2 visited it
adenium visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 06/26/2010 adenium visited it
saopaulo1 visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 02/24/2009 saopaulo1 visited it
ucdvicky visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 02/08/2009 ucdvicky visited it
hotshoe visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 01/24/2009 hotshoe visited it
Touchstone visited Monterey Bay Coastal Trail 10/17/2008 Touchstone visited it

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