Toro Park, Monterey County, California

 New Moon

Toro Park, next to Highway 68 between Monterey and Salinas, is a well-used county park with a Youth Overnight Area and an Environmental Center used by local schools and over 20 miles of hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking trails. Bikes are not permitted on some of the hiking and equestrian trails, so if you go, read the signs and keep the peace.

Yesterday I parked at the Quail Meadow parking area and hiked up the Ollason Trail for a while before returning to my car via the Gilson Gap Trail. The only map available was an online version that is pretty basic, but I ballparked the distance at around 6 or 7 miles. It was a chilly, overcast day with a persistent wind, but I was comfortable in a fleece jacket and windbreaker. 

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The trees in the lower part of the trail were laced with lots of beautiful hanging moss

As the trail gains elevation, evidence of an old cattle ranching operation appeared here and there - an old, rusty, noisy windmill and this nearly dry watering trough from 1913. Scattered around this area were a few wooden guzzlers constructed where birds and small animals can get a drink.

Continuing up toward Ollason Peak I saw lots of wildflowers, predominantly these purple and white  ones that I think people call silver lupine (?) or something like that. I don't spend much time worrying about what to call them - I just like seeing them. If you are one of my many friends who like to name flowers, you probably already know what to call these. Some of you can name them in more than one language and that's okay, too.

The hike became more interesting when I began the return run down Gilson Gap. From one point up there I had a long view toward overcast Monterey Bay. As I was admiring that scene, a pretty good-sized bobcat padded across the trail about 50 yards ahead of me. It was not in a big hurry it seemed, but it was gone in a few seconds - too fast for a photo - and it vanished into a brushy ravine lickety split. Just past that point were some conspicuous granite outcrops that were by themselves on a ridge - like random, shapeless monuments. 

Soon I was treated to a turkey sighting. Several turkeys, actually, but I was only able to get a couple of good shots. A rebellious bicyclist zoomed past me while I was taking a picture and blew up the whole scene as the turkeys slinked off into the cover of some bushes. Rude dude. Not a bike trail, rude dude. Not even a vocal warning "On Your Right" or a grunt or a hello, either. Rude dude. Anyway, the turkeys were cool.

As I neared the end of the hike, the air temperature warmed a bit and the wind died down enough to find a spot to stop and eat my sandwich. I was thankful for the animal sightings and the chance to visit this beautiful park I have passed by hundreds of times, always in a rush to get somewhere else - to the beach or to the mountains. Toro Park is a great in-between stop to hike and check out the scenery. I'm sure I will be back. The Cougar Ridge Trail is next.

Peace, Love, and Locals,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022 Update: 509 miles to date