Garland Ranch Regional Park
700 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley 372-3196, mprpd.org/garland-ranch – regional-park
Garland Park, as locals simply call it, isn’t a hiking trail, per se – it’s a network of miles and miles of trails, which climb up the south side of Carmel Valley all the way to Snively’s Ridge, where hikers who’ve put their quads and calves to the test are afforded sweeping views of Big Sur’s Santa Lucia Mountains to the south. And while the park is mostly oaks and chaparral, it also features a stately redwood grove in a shady canyon, a sandy plain along the Carmel River and, when the conditions are right, a range of wildflowers and a lovely waterfall. And there’s another reason locals love it so much – it’s doggo-friendly.