Forest trails, birdsong in Huckleberry Hill park

A mere mile from the middle of Monterey and within earshot of barking sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf lies Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, a tranquil and rarely visited retreat.

The 81-acre preserve was established in 1988 when the Army leased the western part of the Presidio of Monterey to the city. Pathways connect lovely, forested slopes with Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Though the landmark named Huckleberry Hill is about a mile away in the Del Monte Forest of Pebble Beach, the preserve isn’t entirely misnamed. Masses of the evergreen huckleberry thrive here.

The most prominent geographical feature is Presidio Knoll, cloaked in Monterey pine. The tree has been transported to so many coastal and mountain regions around the world that we tend to forget it’s native only to a few locales on California’s Central Coast. Nowhere do Monterey pines look more at home than here.

If you look up at the trees and listen, you may see and hear the golden-crowned kinglet, the acorn woodpecker, a scrub jay and the cedar waxwing. Other views include the long curve of Monterey Bay and the rugged Gabilan Range, which borders the east side of the Salinas Valley.

The preserve is a good place for family hiking and lends itself to whimsy and improvisation rather than Point A-to-Point B trekking.

One way to explore the park is to head north on the Presidio View Trail, which begins gently, then climbs more steeply with the help of wood steps. From here you can see the city.

Continue uphill to Summit Road, onto the crest of Presidio Knoll and past a dense blanket of huckleberry. A left on Wild Boar Trail leads to an overlook with terrific views of Pacific Grove, the Asilomar Conference Grounds and Spanish Bay to the north and northwest.

For a change of pace, return by way of Summit Road and Water Tank Road.

After hiking the nature preserve, consider exploring the presidio. The recently renovated Presidio of Monterey Museum highlights military history from the late 18th century to the present.

The park overlooks Lighthouse Avenue and Monterey Bay. With the view comes some history: The site was El Castillo, the military outpost constructed by the Spanish in the 1790s to guard the bay and harbor. Monuments and statuary abound, honoring people such as Father Junipero Serra and John Drake Sloat, commodore of American forces that captured Monterey in 1846.

To start your adventure at the Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, follow Highway 1 until, just south of Monterey, you hit Highway 68. Drive northwest one mile. Turn right onto Skyline Forest Drive and go a quarter mile. Turn left onto Skyline Drive and proceed to a stop sign at Chatswood Place. Veer right, then left into a small parking area inside Veteran’s Memorial Park.

You’ll see the trail head as well as a large interpretive display with laminated trail maps visitors may borrow and bring back. Water, restrooms and a picnic area also are nearby.

John McKinney offers other tips at www.thetrailmaster.com.