Fort Ord Dunes State Park, State park along Pacific coastline in Monterey County, United States.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park covers 980 acres (400 ha) along 4 miles (6.4 km) of Monterey Bay coastline on the former Fort Ord army base. A boardwalk and a path lead down through a sandy ravine between brush-covered bluffs to a flat beach; a 4-mile road serves walkers and cyclists. Low green and reddish succulents grow on the sandy soil above the ravine.
The land once held 15 rifle ranges of Fort Ord, a US Army installation where more than 1,500,000 soldiers trained between 1940 and 1973. Restoration removed lead-contaminated soil from the ranges and cleared munitions; coastal erosion forced the demolition of Stilwell Hall, the former soldiers' club. In 2009 the National Park Service conveyed the land free to California under the Federal Lands to Parks Program, on condition it be used only for public park and recreation purposes.
The park's name comes from Fort Ord, the Army base named in 1933 for Major General Edward O. C. Ord, a Civil War officer. Interpretive exhibits along the 4-mile road describe the site's former use as a training area, and the dunes are a nesting ground for Smith's blue butterfly and the globose dune beetle.
Public access is confined to the boardwalk, the path down to the beach and the 4-mile road used for walking and biking; the dunes themselves are closed to foot traffic. The sand in the ravine and on the beach is soft and uneven, so sturdy shoes help. A campground with RV, family and walk-in/cyclist units was planned for 2022.
The dunes shelter two rare insects, Smith's blue butterfly and the globose dune beetle, alongside nesting birds. Visitors stay on the paths and trails because public access is limited to protect these species.
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