Carmel Valley Road and River Road

Carmel is a very popular northern California destination year-round. Whether for golfing, shopping, sightseeing or simply hanging out, the area is a magnet for weekend travelers. Few folks explore the back roads in the vicinity, however, as most prefer to congregate on Highway 1. In this installment of Porsche Roads, I want to tell you about a very picturesque and less traveled alternative.  

From the town of Carmel , take Highway 1 going south and make a left on Carmel Valley Road . The first few miles consist of shopping malls, housing developments and golf courses, but don't worry, what comes next is worth the wait.  

About 3 miles outside of town, the first interesting stop for all serious car fans is Baja Cantina in the Valley Hills shopping area on the right side, past the Quail Lodge. The Mexican menu has a nice Oaxaca flavor, but the real attraction is all the automotive memorabilia covering the inside and outside walls. This place is a favorite of all the racing drivers who come to nearby Laguna Seca. If you happen to be there on a Thursday evening, you may find several dozen classic cars and hot rods in the parking lot.  

Past the cantina, on the left-hand side, is Laureles Grade Road , which goes back to Laguna Seca. It is an interesting road, but not our destination today. Stay on Carmel Valley Road and the real fun starts past Carmel Valley Village when you enter Klondike Canyon in the Santa Lucia Mountains . Traffic disappears as if by magic, the road narrows, oaks hang gracefully over the pavement; this is what California must have looked like a couple of centuries ago. As you wind your way through the mountains, you will soon arrive at the Hastings Natural History Reservation, where you may well see a bobcat, a mountain lion or a deer. The road gently climbs to 2000 feet, and soon the oaks give way to vast grazing pastures and open landscapes. Past the summit, you begin the descent towards the valley of the Salinas River . There are many Kodak opportunities along the way as you drive past ranches, donkeys, wineries, hay fields and more.  

Carmel Valley Road turns into Arroyo Seco Road , and at the intersection of Elm Avenue , you may choose to turn right towards Greenfield and Highway 101, if time is running short. If you stay on Arroyo Seco instead, prepare for an entirely different California, as you are now on the fertile west bench of the Salinas River .  

Follow Arroyo Seco for about 5 miles and turn left on Fort Romie Road . At the end of the 19^th century, the Fort Romie Colony was a Salvation Army agricultural commune. I do not know if it ever had a proper heyday, but it is not now. The more interesting sightseeing stop is a mile after the turnoff at Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, founded in 1791 and one of the rarely visited California Missions. Pull over for a quick visit; it is unlikely that you will see more than 10 other people on the grounds, and you will get a good sense of how lonesome the place is. The name Soledad was well chosen.  

North of the Mission , Fort Romie Road becomes River Road and follows the contours of the Santa Lucia Mountains about 2 miles west of Highway 101. You may want to stop at the San Saba Vineyards or the Manzoni Estate Vineyard for a sampling of the local production, or pull over to admire the vast fields of cacti that seem to extend all the way to the foothills.  

As Salinas nears, housing developments reappear in the windshield, and soon you reach Highway 68. There you can turn left and go back to Carmel , or turn right towards downtown Salinas and Highway 101 if it is time to drive home.