Around the Point
I hope everyone will cruise around The Point. It's a short trip starting in Carmel that will take you down to Scenic Road along Carmel Beach. Scenic Road then continues around the shore to Carmel Rivermouth and Lagoon. Here's a small map and directions to help you find your way with a few sketches thrown in for good measure. Scroll down to follow the route. The entire circuit is at most about three miles, a nice car ride or a long walk. There's no toll involved as it's a public road and there's parking along the route.
Let's start in the town center at Ocean Avenue and San Carlos Street. I’ve repeated this map at the bottom of the page.
At the intersection of Ocean Avenue and San Carlos Street you'll find yourself at the historic center of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The mission style Carmel stone arch is the town's memorial to the fifty six Carmel veterans who lost their lives in WWI. Start here heading west on Ocean Avenue towards the Pacific Ocean, if you're driving uphill you're going the wrong way.
A wooden two story building at Dolores Street is one of my favorites. It has a steeply pitched roof and large twin dormers. The downstairs was occupied by the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea's first city hall in 1916.
As you head downhill and approach Lincoln Street notice Carmel's Harrison Memorial Library on the corner to your right. It was designed by Bernard Maybeck and built by M.J. Murphy in 1927. If you feel like taking a quiet break the library has a great public reading room.
On the left corner is the Seven Arts Building conceived as artist's studios in the late 1920's. The very large dormer on the right provided soft, even northern light to the workspace. Edward Weston occupied this studio in Carmel's early days. Down Lincoln Street is a beautiful old spanish style structure named "La Rambla".
At the edge of Carmel's downtown Ocean Avenue reverts to two lanes. The Normandy Inn is on the left. Proceed straight down the hill.
At the bottom of the hill you'll come to a stop sign at San Antonio Street. On the right is Carmel's biggest Blue Gum Eucalyptus tree. This is where you could turn right to enter the Carmel Gate into Pebble Beach and the 17 Mile Drive (about $10.00 fee) but don't! Continue straight down Ocean Avenue one more block.
Turn left onto Scenic Drive at the turn right sign. If you hesitate at the seeming contradiction and miss the turn all is not lost. You can go one more block to the bottom of Ocean Avenue circle the cul de sac and return to this intersection. Now you can turn right! The first stretch of Scenic Avenue is not particularly scenic but once you cross Eighth Avenue you'll be cruising the beach.
There's lots of public access to the white sand beach.
There are stairways all along the beach bluffs connecting the walking path above with the beach below.
The walking path along Scenic Road near 11th Avenue.
While you're traveling along Scenic Road you'll notice street signs marking the avenues but no avenues! The numbered avenues nine to twelve don't go through to Scenic Road. However convenient walkways extend the avenues to create access. This is the 11th Avenue walkway.
The walking path on Scenic between Eleventh Avenue and Twelfth Avenue.
Near Twelfth Avenue.
The intersection of Thirteenth Avenue and Scenic Road.
Pull over on Carmel Point for a great view back towards the Frank Lloyd Wright designed beach house with Carmel Beach in the background.
Surfers enjoy the big surf off Carmel Point in the winter.
As you drive up a straightaway the Butterfly House with it's signature wings comes into view.
At the top of the straightaway look to your left and you'll see Tor House and Hawk Tower. This is the first house built on Carmel Point. Poet Robinson Jeffers apprenticed himself to builder M.J. Murphy to learn how to work in stone. They built Tor House and then Jeffers hauled local stone to the site and erected Hawk Tower over a four year period. Docent led tours are available on a limited basis on the weekend.
Just as you pass Tor House you'll see another beautiful stone house on the next corner. Although we often see Carmel stone used in patios, walkways, chimneys, and retaining walls houses built entirely of Carmel stone are more of a rarity.
A little farther along you'll inch around a very tight corner at the southern tip of the point. An exceptional vista will open up including Stewarts Cove, the Carmel River Lagoon Beach, and the hills surrounding. This is a favorite resting place for all types of birds, huge flocks lift off of the beach to make swirling patterns in the sky. My favorite is the Pelican, it's a real treat to see a squadron skimming overhead as they round the point.
Parking is a little more difficult to find out here on the Point but there is a State Park lot at the lagoon. It's worth getting out of the car to take a stroll and enjoy the sights and sensations.
There's beach access at either end of the beach. It's important all along the Carmel shore to use the many stairways provided and not scramble down the bluffs where plantings are fragile and erosion is a constant threat.
One of my favorite Cypress trees hugs the road just above the beach.
This Cypress tree might be even more beautiful close up.
Roll along and the lagoon framed by the surrounding hills comes into view.
When you reach the Carmel River State Park at the lagoon you've gone "around the Point". It's a pleasure to behold no matter the weather, time of day or time of year. As you leave the lagoon work your way to the right heading up river. Avoid the dead ends and you'll pass River School arriving at Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch. Just beyond the Ranch is the Carmel Mission, from there turn right to head out towards Highway 1 or turn left to go back to downtown Carmel. Enjoy!
Here's a repeat of the map in case you'd like to review. I hope you enjoyed the trip. Kelly
Around The Point Blog, Kelly Steele copyright 2014