Monterey County Parks Department Monterey

Monterey Activities

The Monterey County Parks Department is dedicated to providing quality recreational facilities for everyone that visits our parks.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational activities from water sports at Lake San Antonio to quiet meditation at Jacks Peak Park.

Nine County Parks are sprinkled from the northern county line to the southern county line. All of the parks feature BBQ facilities/picnic area for groups and individuals. RV/tent camping is available at Laguna Seca, San Lorenzo, Lake San Antonio North Shore and South Shore, and Lake Nacimiento. Most of the parks offer sports areas, playgrounds, and hiking trails. Call (888) 588-CAMP or (831) 755-4899 for fees, information, and reservations.

Toro Park

501 Monterey-Salinas Highway 68, Salinas, CA 93908

Toro County Park is located six miles from downtown Salinas, and 13 miles from the Monterey Peninsula. First opened to the public in 1971, the park’s 4,756 acres have been a haven for thousands of visitors. The park is also home for many types of wildlife including deer, coyote, and a rare mountain lion or golden eagle. Toro’s pastoral setting makes it the ideal place for your next family outing. Toro County Park has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast. The park facilities include an equestrian staging area and riding trails, two softball fields, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, mountain biking, volleyball courts, and over 20 miles of hiking trials.

Royal Oaks Park

537 Maher Road, Watsonville, CA 95076

Located in north Monterey County, Royal Oaks Park was established in 1966 and is the oldest park in the Monterey County Parks system. This 122 acre day use facility is situated in a small valley studded with Coast Live Oaks. Royal Oak’s country setting makes it the ideal place for your next family outing. Royal Oaks Park has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast. The park facilities include a softball field, playground equipment, basketball, volley-ball and tennis courts, and miles of hiking trails.

Jacks Peak County Park

25020 Jacks Peak Park Road, Monterey, CA 93940

Jacks Peak Park has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Almost 8.5 miles of horseback riding and hiking trails wind through cathedral-like forests and to breathtaking ridge top vistas. The Skyline Self-Guided Nature Trail traverses the summit of Jacks Peak and features fossils from the Miocene epoch. Brochures describing features along the trail are available at the entrance station. Visitors can also enjoy other passive activities including nature study, photography or picnics.

Campground Parks

Laguna Seca Recreation Area

1025 Monterey-Salinas Highway 68, Salinas, CA 93908

At the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, visitors can camp on the surrounding hillsides for a serene view of the Salinas Valley. Both RV and tent camping are available in a clean, friendly environment. The park is just a short drive from the Monterey Peninsula, Salinas Valley, Carmel Valley and Big Sur. In addition to great camping facilities, Laguna Seca Recreation Area has a Rifle and Pistol Range. The new Trackview Pavilion (Red Bull Energy Center) is available for rent and is a beautiful venue for weddings, retirements, corporate dinners, conferences, etc. The Laguna Seca Recreation Area is also home to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Skip Barber Racing School, Sea Otter Classic Sports Festival, Spirit West Coast, Cherry’s Jubilee, Spam Jam, 24 Hours of Adrenalin and Redline Time Attack.

San Lorenzo Park

1160 Broadway, King City, CA 93930

Along the Salinas River, at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains, San Lorenzo Park is as picturesque as the Salinas Valley which surrounds it. Here you will find the perfect blend of old and new. For our daily visitors to the park, San Lorenzo offers immaculate day-use facilities that include picnic areas, a gazebo, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, softball areas, and a walking trail along the banks of the Salinas River. San Lorenzo Park is the perfect haven for weary travelers with over 90 campsites available. San Lorenzo Park has large group picnic areas and meeting facilities available for rent. It is also home to the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum (MCARLM). Visitors can step back into time by visiting MCARLM’s museums and exhibits.

Lake San Antonio

Lake San Antonio is Monterey County’s premier freshwater recreation area. Located just 20 miles inland from California’s beautiful Central Coast, Lake San Antonio offers year-round activities including picnicking, camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, boating and water-skiing. Visitors can enjoy active water sports all year.

Lake Nacimiento

Centrally located sixteen miles north west of Highway 101 in Paso Robles, on Nacimiento Drive G-14. Unsurpassed beauty awaits you in the Coastal Mountains of San Luis Obispo County.

Lake Nacimiento covers over 5,000 surface acres surrounded by 165 miles of scenic shoreline, unspoiled wilderness, mountains, river canyons, oak and pine forests, spring waterfalls and abundant wildlife. Skiers and wakeboarders love the morning and late afternoon glass. Clean, warm water, the long open ski areas and slalom course are fantastic. Home of the famous White Bass, there is no fishing experience quite like the one you'll have with Nacimiento's fiesty fighters.

A year round general store and seasonal restaurant are located right at the water's edge. The full service Marina features 120 rental boat slips, available yearly, monthly, weekly or daily. A rental fleet that is quite likely the best in California offers everything from family pleasure boats, pontoon/patio boats, to ski and deck boats.

Lodge accommodations are available or for the hardy who want to experience the great outdoors, Lake Nacimiento has over three hundred and fifty campsites available. For reservations, please call (800) 323-3839.

Weddings & Events Information

Weddings, family reunions, company outings, corporate retreats, retirement parties, etc. may be held at any of the group facilities in the Monterey County Parks. Please see “Group Facilities” under each individual park for fee and reservation information.

Political or religious assemblies require Board of Supervisors approval.

Specials Events

Special events (fundraisers, concerts, sports events, festivals, etc.) are events that charge a fee, sell tickets, or raise funds. Events with expected attendance over 5,000 are also considered special events. These events require an application, calendar coordination, deposit payment and approval by the Director of Parks. Special events require an application a minimum of six (6) months in advance of the planned event. Twelve (12) months is required for events over 5,000 attendance.

If you would like to plan a special event, please call Lavonne Chin, Special Events Manager, at 831-759-7214 for more information.

Monterey County Parks Department