I liken it to the days when I got a charge out of lacing up my basketball sneakers before a game…anticipating that first swish…only now that my playing days are past, I get a thrill from first coming upon a path leading to more natural beauty and the wonder of wildlife.  Here are my three top trails in Monterey County.

The top shot is the Granite Point trail at Point Lobos–it is flecked with bits of shiny abalone shells dropped by pelicans and seagulls with wildflowers to the side.

(Above: Garrapata Canyon Trail runs trough the heart of an old growth redwood forest. Below: Carmel Mission Trail runs along the side of a hill while providing vistas of the Carmel Valley.)