A beloved outdoor recreation and picnic area for Salinas Valley and Monterey Peninsula residents, Toro Park has been badly damaged by the River Fire will not reopen any time soon, according to Monterey County public information officer Maia Carroll.
“For those who love and use Monterey County's Toro Park, some disappointing news,” Carroll said in a statement. “The park is closed indefinitely. Right now it is closed to the public due to its use as a Cal Fire base camp, but after firefighters leave the area, it will have to remain closed because of extensive wildfire damage which will take time to assess and repair.”
Established in 1971, Toro Park is 4,756 acres large and, before the fire, featured more than 20 miles of hiking trails, an equestrian staging area and riding trails, two softball fields, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, mountain biking and volleyball courts. The park has also provided refuge for deer, coyote, mountain lions, golden eagles and other wildlife.
In June, Piyali S., a Yelp user, wrote a review, calling Toro Park one of their favorite places to go during the pandemic: “The best county park here...We go almost every day for a walk during this pandemic. Park staff is friendly, helpful. This park is very good for hiking. You can encounter a mountain lion if you are lucky! The atmosphere is very calm and quiet. People are friendly. We love to go there for our evening walk. So much relaxing.......!!!”
The River Fire has burned through nearly 49,000 acres but is now 58 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. At least 13 homes were destroyed in the blaze.