0.3 mile from the entrance road (opposite the side road to Whalers Cove) to the South Shore road near Weston Beach. Provides a pleasant shortcut between the entrance kiosk and the south shore.

Mound Meadow Trail starts at the junction of the entrance road with the turn-off to Whalers Cove, and meanders towards the shoreline just south of Weston Beach. At the halfway point there’s a junction with the Pine Ridge Trail.

This trail has particular appeal to visitors seeking solitude and quiet. The forest of Monterey pines and scattered coast live oaks is often still and hushed, although it can whisper and sigh in the spring onshore breeze. Listen for chickadees, nuthatches, and warblers overhead in the fall. Look for the bright red of amanita mushrooms after the winter rains begin, and the glossy yellow of buttercups in the spring.

At the ocean end of the trail is Mound Meadow. This is an example of a rare plant community: coastal prairie. Since natural fires are suppressed at Point Lobos, occasional prescribed burns are needed to keep the surrounding forest from taking over. Native grasses and shrubs and wildflowers grace this meadow, and it is not uncommon to see a hawk or a white-tailed kite hunting here.

Accessibility: Does not meet ADA standards. From the entrance road to the Pine Ridge Trail junction, the trail is somewhat uneven and has a couple of nonconfirming grades. From the opposite end, the road on the South Shore to that same junction, the trail is flat and even, save for a couple of tree roots. This half of the trail is friendly for families with small children and anyone with limited mobility, as is the Pine Ridge Trail toward the shore.