I forget how spectacularly beautiful this part of our country is, with obscure places to pop in and see amazing beauty, like this:
Garrapata State Park – 19 Sign Posts Of Beauty!
Nestled on Highway 1, just 6.7 miles south of the art community of Carmel – Garrapata State Park hugs the coast and offers amazing views in all directions…with more than two miles of beach, and a number of hiking trails in all directions…
The state park is “scattered” along 19 separate areas – so obscurely “numbered” that you’ll never find them as you drive past…however, each one has a nice turnoff to park your car, and once you get a sense of why people are pulled over, you are on your way…
Alex found our turnoff, and the small trail that took us to an incredibly hidden find: a Calla Lily Valley!
Welcome To California’s Hidden Calla Lily Valley!
Yes, after a short walk, you drop down to the ocean – and inland there is a small valley full of wild Calla Lilies!
Here is video that shows them off:
As you can see, some of them were GIANT – and there were hundreds surrounding the small creek that came down from the hills and emptied into the pacific ocean…
As you can see, I was out standing in my field…it really is a beautiful, serene getaway, and after you see the flowers, you walk back to the beach, where you see this view – check out the video:
Once you are on the beach, you can see the ocean, sand, rocks, and of course, some enterprising visitors left an igloo made of driftwood as well:
This hidden valley of Calla Lilies is just a half hour south of Monterey, and the entire drive is spectacular…one reason the flowers are in such full bloom is that California has record rainfall this year – much needed with a decade of drought conditions, and the flowers really took off –
Here is a look at how much rain fell in the state, and how important it is to the future:
Gorgeous! I’d love to see those beautiful flowers and wild coastline!. It’s been years since I’ve been to that stretch of the California. I’m surprised you were able to get there!
Amazing to see those flowers growing wild like that, John. What a great place indeed.
(Surprised to see you both wrapped up though. I thought it was hot in California.)
Best wishes, Pete.
Wow, John, these photographs are incredible. A really beautiful place.
And literally along the side of the road!
Gorgeous! I’d love to see those beautiful flowers and wild coastline!. It’s been years since I’ve been to that stretch of the California. I’m surprised you were able to get there!
Oops. Hit send too soon. I meant to ask about a big mudslide near there that I thought blocked the highway. But obviously you got there! ☺
Yes the road is closed about 15 miles south – a large part of highway one is inaccessible and no reopen date yet
It is closed fifteen miles south of Monterey
Amazing to see those flowers growing wild like that, John. What a great place indeed.
(Surprised to see you both wrapped up though. I thought it was hot in California.)
Best wishes, Pete.