Secret paths and parks of Carmel
Our wanderlust has been cramped these last few months, but as avid walkers, my husband David and I have discovered ways to give our local walkabouts renewed purpose. We recently threaded some of Carmel’s less known paths and parks reigniting the spark of discovery and magic that wed us to this paradisal bubble almost 40 years ago.
The Mission Trail Nature Preserve off Rio Road is the epitome of urban connectivity and the perfect place to launch a historical and architectural exploration of Carmel. This delightful dog-friendly 33acre park has been treated to extensive fire-safe grooming
along with signage upgrades. Gem was thrilled to saunter off-leash on the Serra Trail’s cushy woodchip base up to the north entrance. Spoiler alert! Poop fairies are myth so pick up Rover’s waste. Be aware that free dog waste bags were
nixed out of the city’s budget, but trashcans remain at strategic locations.
We turned right uphill on Forest Road to Seventh Avenue at the edge of Carmel’s residential neighborhood. A short meander took us behind the Forest Theater along the Josselyn Lane on the way to Ocean Avenue. Rumor has it that the 1910 amphitheater and one of the oldest outdoor theaters west of the Rockies was the novelist Mary Austin’s idea. We passed Devendorf Park, Carmel’s immaculate patch of green named after J. Frank Devendorf, considered the Father of Carmel-by-the-Sea. I was pleased to see that Café Carmel, formerly Wishart’s Bakery still bakes the flaky apricot sticks.
We crossed to the south side and strolled through the hidden Las Tiendas passage to Dolores Street across from Piccadilly Park. The dot of a park surprised us with a secret corridor between Galante Wine Tasting Room and Thomas Kinkade Studio. The tunnel