Lone Cypress

Lone Cypress is a Monterey cypress on a granite outcrop along the Pacific, held by steel cables and a low stone wall. The tree leans toward the shore while its wind-shaped branches extend over the open ocean.

The cypress began growing on this rock around 1750, when Spanish missionaries were first mapping the California coast. The Pebble Beach Company registered the tree's image as a protected trademark in 1919 to control its commercial use.

Artists and photographers from around the world travel here because this solitary tree ranks among the most photographed subjects along the California coast. The symbol appears on souvenirs, postcards, and in the logos of several regional businesses.

The tree can be viewed from a lookout along 17-Mile Drive between Cypress Point Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links. A short footpath leads from the parking area to the platform, which offers a direct view across the water.

Monterey cypresses now grow wild in only two locations in California, with this site and Point Lobos forming the last natural populations. The species dies out elsewhere, yet here salty winds and bare rock have allowed it to survive.