Former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of the Pacific Ocean coast

General Information

Hours:

Open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset
Some areas may be temporarily closed for safety or maintenance

Fees:

Entrance: Free
No permit required for hiking, biking, or horseback riding
Special Recreation Permits may be required for organized events

Pet Policy:

Pets must be leashed (max 6 feet) at all times in developed areas
Off-Leash Opportunity Routes (OLORs) allow dogs off-leash under strict conditions:
Must remain within 50 feet of owner and leashed within 100 feet of others
Owners must carry a leash, clean up waste, and never leave pets unattended

Closest cities with hotels:

Monterey, CA (10 mi)

Seasons:

Best seasons to visit: Spring and Fall
Spring offers wildflowers and mild temperatures
Fall provides clear skies and fewer crowds

Location:

Toro Creek Rd, Marina, CA

Website:

blm.gov

How to Get There

From Monterey, CA (18 mi): Take CA-1 N to Lightfighter Dr, then turn right onto General Jim Moore Blvd and follow signs to Fort Ord National Monument trailheads.

Overview

Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, managed by the United States Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Conservation Lands, while a small portion remains an active military installation under Army control designated as the Ord Military Community.

Before construction and official designation as a fort in 1940, the land was used as a maneuver area and field-artillery target range during 1917. Fort Ord was considered one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California weather. The 7th Infantry Division was its main garrison for many years. When Fort Ord was converted to civilian use, space was set aside for the first nature reserve in the United States created for conservation of an insect, the endangered Smith's blue butterfly. Additional endangered species are found on Fort Ord, including Contra Costa goldfields and the threatened California tiger salamander.

At the end of Gigling Road, where the DOD Building is located, is one of many entrances to the Fort Ord National Monument. There are more than 91 miles (146 km) of recreational trails available.

Fort Ord National Monument refers to that land on the former Fort Ord that is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and is open to the general public.

As of May 2018, Fort Ord National Monument has extended its trail system to add bypass and spur trails to popular areas.

Remaining military presence

A small portion of the former Fort Ord still remains under U.S. Army control, originally called the Presidio of Monterey (POM) Annex. It is now called the Ord Military Community.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fort Ord", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.