Hotel Near Fort Ord Dunes State Park
5.8 Miles | 9 Minutes Drive
Fort Ord Dunes State Park is about nine minutes north of Sand Dollar Inn on Highway 1. The park protects about four miles of Monterey Bay beach on what was once the Fort Ord Army base, and today it is one of the wildest-feeling stretches of shore on the bay: tall dunes, wide sand, and very few buildings in sight.
A blufftop trail and paths lead down to the beach, and the Coastal Recreation Trail runs along the park's inland side, so you can ride here from the hotel. The park is open for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset. Some of the old blufftop boardwalk has been buried by sand or lost to erosion, and some trail sections are detoured during campground work.
Tips
- Check the State Parks page for directions, fees, and current detours before you go.
- This is a walking beach. The surf is strong and the water is cold.
- Bring layers. The wind off the bay can pick up in the afternoon.
Photo: NorCal2018 Fort Ord Dunes State Park Monterey Bay S0321060 by Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons. Original photograph and this image adaptation licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized; website renditions may be cropped and converted in format. This license applies only to the photograph.
