Santa Lucia Range, Mountain range in Central California, United States
The Santa Lucia Range is a mountain chain along the Pacific coast between Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, with peaks rising above 5,800 feet (1,770 meters). It forms a dramatic border between ocean and mountain, made up of countless valleys, canyons, and rocky ridges.
A Spanish explorer named the range during a coastal voyage in the early 1600s. The region later experienced changes through settlement and land use, but remained largely wild at its core.
The range was home to several Native American groups who adapted to life in steep coastal valleys. Visitors today can find traces of these communities at various sites throughout the area.
The main access is through the scenic coastal highway, with numerous pullouts and viewpoints along the way. Hiking and camping are widely available, but conditions can be rough and unpredictable, especially at higher elevations.
The range contains one of the steepest coastal slopes in the nation, where a peak rises over 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) just a few miles from the ocean. This extreme terrain creates dramatic views and makes some areas difficult to reach.
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