McNee Ranch State Park

McNee Ranch State Park is a coastal reserve in California spanning about 2,700 acres with elevations reaching roughly 600 meters (1,898 feet) along mountain ridges. The land offers multiple hiking trails through dry grasslands and low scrub vegetation with views toward the Pacific Ocean.

The area was originally home to Native American peoples before turning to cattle ranching in the 1800s. During World War II, the land briefly served as a training site for military commando units.

The park protects a refuge where native plants and animals thrive in their undisturbed habitat, and visitors encounter typical coastal vegetation with sage and grasses on the trails. The landscape feels wild and untamed because it has been shielded from development for many decades.

Parking areas are located at several trailheads including Martini Creek, Montara Beach, and Gray Whale Cove, making access straightforward for hikers. Spring through early summer offers the best visiting conditions when the weather is more stable and paths are dry.

The granitic soil of Montara Mountain creates rare growing conditions for specialized wildflowers, including endangered species found nowhere else nearby. These botanical rarities thrive in only a handful of comparable coastal regions globally.