Fort Ord Dunes
State Park
Monterey County
Fort Ord Dunes SP
Location
Fort Ord, Monterey County
From Highway 1, exit Light Fighter Drive (bear right).
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue.
Turn left onto Divarty Street.
Turn right onto 1st Avenue.
Signs posted will direct you to the park entrance at the 8th Street overcrossing of Hwy 1.
Admission
Free
Hours: 8:00 AM to ½ hour after sunset
(831) 649-2836
Main Attractions
- Hiking
- Beach
- Fort Ord history tour
- Dunes
Facilities
- 990 acres of coastal sand dunes
- 11 acres east of Highway 1, including remnants of Fort Ord
- Parking, chemical toilet
- Boardwalk, observation platform
Special Regulations
- Dogs on leash on roads only
- No dogs, horses or campfires on beach
- Stay on roads and trails
Accessibility
- Parking, chemical toilets
- Boardwalk to Overlook, Paved roads
- Beach wheelchair through Monterey Bay Kayaks: (800) 649-5357 or (831) 373-5357
Nearby Beaches
- Marina State Beach, 3 miles north
- Monterey State Beach, 5 miles south
- Asilomar State Beach, 12 miles southwest
Caution: Check with rangers or lifeguards that conditions are safe for your planned activities.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Fort Ord Dunes State Park is among the newest parks in California. The park has A one-third mile long foot trail that leads to 4 miles of beach. Visitors will have wonderful views of Monterey Bay. There is also a boardwalk taking you to the top of a bluff where there is a viewing platform.
Dangerous rip currents and a sudden drop-off make the beach hazardous for swimming, but beach-goers enjoy strolling the often empty beach. On clear days you can see from Lover's Point on the Monterey Peninsula all the way to Santa Cruz.
Roads and Trails
Roads in the park are open to hikers and cyclers. Some of the roads lead to remnants of old Fort Ord, such as a firing range and bunkers. In order to protect park resources, visitors are asked to stay on the roads and trails.
Cell Phone Tour
A cell phone tour telling about the history of Fort Ord has been set up. The tour is free, but normal call phone charges apply. Call (831) 998-9458 to begin the tour, When you arrive at a sign with a number, you type in that number to hear the information about that location. For more detailed information, see Fort Ord Cell Phone Tour
The tour begins at Stillwell Hall and passes such locations as the Firing Ranges, Bunkers, and Target buildings.
Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
Although not shown on our map, the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail runs along the edge of Fort Ord Dunes State Park between the Beach Range Road and Highway 1. This 18-mile path stretches from Castroville to Pacific Grove, connecting all the beaches in-between. The trail is open to walking, jogging, cycling, skating, and similar activities.
Ford Ord Dunes Wildlife
From the trail visitors can spot the nests of snowy plovers on the beach. Native plants provide habitat for the black, legless lizard and Smith's blue butterfly. Other birds sighted at the beach and dunes are red-tailed hawks, white-tailed kites, sparrows, and Anna's hummingbird. Out in the ocean visitors are likely to catch sight of sea otters, harbor seals, and migrating whales.
Plans for a Campground
Plans for the future at the park include the addition of a campground at the former storage bunker zone. Perhaps as many as 95 campsites will be added. Hopefully construction of the campground will begin in 2019.
Ft. Ord Dunes Campground Project
Books of Local Interest
Ocean Safety
California State Parks and Recreation cautions that "large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs,
pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as
playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly."
Learn more about ocean safety at
CA State Parks: Ocean Safety
California's Best Beaches
Every effort is made to provide accurate and up to date information, but we cannot be responsible for errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that may have been made. Also, check with lifeguards that conditions at the beach are safe for your planned activities.
The map displayed above is for illustrative purposes only. California's Best Beaches website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.