Almanac note · Outdoors
Fort Ord gives Seaside a rare open-space edge
Seaside sits next to one of Monterey Bay’s big public-land stories. Fort Ord National Monument protects former Army land. Today it has trails, oak woodland, grassland, and long views above the coast.
From Seaside, open space is close to town. Still, it is not all managed by one office. BLM handles the national monument. Nearby pieces of the former Fort Ord area may have other managers or rules.
For a walk or ride, pick the exact trailhead and read the access details for that route. Stay on signed paths. Respect habitat areas. A former military landscape can have places where rules matter more than on a normal neighborhood path.
Where to see it
Fort Ord National Monument near Seaside. Use BLM and city pages for access, trail, and land-manager details.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 1, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
Related notes
Keep following this thread.
These are picked from nearby places, shared tags, and the same California topic shelf.
The Coastal Rec Trail makes Monterey Bay easy to follow
The paved Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail runs 18 miles from Castroville to Pacific Grove and links waterfront stops along the bay.
Read next →Pacific Grove's monarch sanctuary makes winter feel delicate
Pacific Grove's Monarch Grove Sanctuary protects an overwintering habitat where monarch numbers can change, but the town's care for the grove is part of the story.
Read next →Salinas keeps a rail-history cluster near the station
The old Salinas Freight Depot, the train station area, and nearby rail museum pieces help show how the railroad helped shape Salinas.
Read next →