Touring * Fitness *

From U.S. 101 just north of Salinas, take the State Highway 156 exit, heading west toward Monterey. Continue past the Castroville/Salinas exit about four miles, and drive across the Salinas River. About half a mile after the river, exit onto Del Monte Road and follow it another mile and a half as it parallels the freeway to take you to the outskirts of the town of Marina. Turn left on Cosky to park at the curb near the intersection with Del Monte. You will see the trail starting a block to the south, on the west side of Del Monte.

Although this is known as a seaside trail, the sea is mostly hidden by sand dunes. For the skater with a portable radio, though, this is the perfect spot for a long workout on a not-too-windy day. The Marina Trail is mercifully uninterrupted by intersections for its entire five-mile stretch; most of its length is tucked between the railroad tracks and a stretch of Highway 1 that connects Sand City with the small town of Marina via the Fort Ord Military Reservation. There's no getting around the fact that the freeway and its noise pretty much dominate the experience once the trail leaves Del Monte to cross to the west side of the road. Yet despite those man-made intrusions, you get some beautiful views of the dunes.