Point Lobos State Reserve

Point Lobos and the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is a state park in Central California, on the Pacific Coast between the Carmel highlands and Big Sur. Adjoining Point Lobos is "one of the richest marine habitats in California". The ocean habitat is protected by two marine protected areas, the Point Lobos State Marine Reserve and Point Lobos State Marine Conservation Area. The sea near Point Lobos is considered one of the best locations for scuba diving on the Monterey Peninsula and along the California coast. Point Lobos is just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, and at the north end of the Big Sur coast of the Pacific Ocean. Point Lobos features a number of hiking trails, many alongside the ocean, and a smaller number of beaches. The historic Whalers Cabin, built by Chinese fishermen and later used by Japanese and Portuguese fishermen, is now a museum. In 1896, the Carmelo Land and Coal Company subdivided the land into 1,000 lots and named the prospective development "Carmelito". Then-engineer Alexander Allan began purchasing the land and over many years bought back the lots that had been sold and eliminated the subdivision. Although Allen resisted the idea of turning the point into a public park, his family sold the vast majority of the land to the state of California in 1933, three years after his death. Two additional parcels have been added since.