Field Trip to the Arroyo Seco Ranch

Date

Weekend of July 27-29. Come for one day or all three.

Directions

Take 101 South to Soledad. Just after passing Soledad and crossing the Salinas River take the Arroyo Seco Road Exit. Cross the dry Arroyo Seco River and bear left at the stop sign. Follow the Arroyo Seco Road 19 miles to the ranch, the buildings will be on your left. (Before you get to the ranch you'll pass a turnoff onto Carmel Valley Road, on the right.) A green cloth will be hung on the telephone pole at the driveway. If you wind up at the Arroyo Seco campground you've gone a little too far.

Things to Know

No campfires will be allowed - the fire danger is too high this year. It will be very hot. Be aware that there are rattlesnakes, ticks, and red ants present. There is no cellphone reception in this remote area. Normally there would be enough water in the river to swim but it is too dry this year.

Bring: lots to drink; especially lots of water; shoes you can wear in the stream; ice chest to keep food/drinks cold.

Accommodations: plenty of level dirt ground for tents or campers, but no hookups. If a sleeping place is needed the cabin offers a sofa bed, futon on the screen porch, a deck, and a trailer. The cabin has non-potable running water, a flush toilet and bathtub, electricity (and microwave, refrigerator). Cooking will be done in the driveway near the cabin due to the fire danger; there is one weber grill onsite.

About the Area

This area is a huge exposure of the Monterey formation. Shells, crabs, fish - Cathy even found a shark tooth. Walking down into the river canyon and along the river, there are exposures of plant-bearing shales and a variety of other rocks.

The river bed contains a huge selection of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks washed down from outcrops upriver. The river gorge is a recommended hike. Some of the boulders have silicified whale bones!

The dirt road from the cabin down to the river is steep and can only be driven with a good (offroad type) 4WD. It ends in soft river sand, and you can drive across the river. It is nice to be able to haul ones finds up in a car rather than carry them.

Additional Geological Info

Cal State Hayward has developed a vary handy Geological Field Trip Guide to the Arroyo Seco Area which you can access on the internet. You may want to print this out and bring it with you on the drive to the ranch. [In fact, Cal State has several other interesting Guides to Geologic Field Trips in the Bay Area, which you may want to check out.]