Fort Ord Dunes State Beach
Marina, CA
Fort Ord Dunes State Beach occupies the former Fort Ord Army base's coastal training grounds, reached via the Lightfighter Drive exit off Highway 1. Remnants of the old military infrastructure still show up along the trail, a genuinely unusual backdrop for an otherwise straightforward dune beach.
The military history along the trail genuinely sets it apart from a typical dune beach, though the former base setting isn't for everyone.
How we score beachesLook for the old military ruins along the beach trail, they're a real reminder of the area's past that most Monterey Bay beaches don't have.
Free parking is available at the Lightfighter Drive exit.
A path leads from parking through dune habitat to the beach.
Dogs on leash are allowed on the paved recreation trail and roads, but not on the beach itself or the sandy spur trails leading to it.
Fog is common most mornings year round, typical of the Monterey Bay coast.
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