As you make the turn at the Alameda in San Juan Bautista and
start to head up San Juan Canyon road, you begin to see the summit
of Fremont Peak. Often covered in clouds, Fremont Peak State Park
offers the visitor an experience of both remoteness and
tranquility, well within reach of a day trip. The 12-mile mountain
road is sometimes too long and windy for many who venture towards
the 3,169-foot summit.
As you make the turn at the Alameda in San Juan Bautista and start to head up San Juan Canyon road, you begin to see the summit of Fremont Peak.
Often covered in clouds, Fremont Peak State Park offers the visitor an experience of both remoteness and tranquility, well within reach of a day trip.
The 12-mile mountain road is sometimes too long and windy for many who venture towards the 3,169-foot summit.
Many people stop after only a few miles and turn around without ever reaching the top. For those who are determined to complete the journey, however, Fremont Peak will offer many views and lasting impressions to every State Park visitor.
Fremont Peak gets its name from Captain John C. Fremont, who according to many historical accounts arrived in the area with his men in 1846. It was then called Gavilan Peak and at the time, California was still a part of Mexico. Mexican Commandante General Jose Castro ordered him to leave California, but Fremont instead resisted by building a small log stockade on the summit. Finally, after some convincing by U.S. Consul Thomas O. Larkin in Monterey, Fremont and his men abandoned Gavilan Peak. Some accounts of the affair say that Fremont left the top of Gavilan Peak in the middle of a dark and windy night, after the flag that they had erected on the summit was ominously blown down in a sudden gust of strong wind.
Today, park visitors can also enjoy the strong wind, as well as a 360 degree view of the Monterey bay and the areas surrounding cities. On a clear day one can often look towards the southwest to see the southern portion of the bay with Monterey and Pacific Grove in the background. A glance to the northwest reveals the city of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Mountains. In the forefront are the cities of Marina and Watsonville, with Gilroy, San Juan Bautista and Hollister toward the east.
Springtime brings clear skies with bright sun that highlight the park’s landscape. Many come in the springtime to appreciate the parks numerous wild flowers and native plants. Several large groups of assorted oak trees begin to bud and grow their leaves in the early spring making the park lush with vegetation.
Summer heat turns the native grasses from bright green to a dark yellow and orange, with the oak trees providing the only shade. Often while the surrounding areas are covered in fog, Fremont Peak stands above the clouds providing an abundance of sun.
In the fall the oak trees begin to loose their leaves, while the sun casts long shadows over the park. Many photographers and artists came to the park at this time of the year to capture the various images unique to this environment.
Winter brings high winds sometimes reaching in access of 80 mph. The rains come in sideways and usually a couple times per year Fremont Peak receives a light covering of snow.
Families with young children sometimes come, experiencing snow for the first time. On days after a fresh snow Fremont Peak often looks like an ice burg sticking out of a sea of clouds.
The park has two day-use picnic areas where small groups and families can take time to relax and appreciate the parks natural beauty and quiet remote feeling.
Fremont Peak State Park offers day-use visitors several trails that will take a hiker down into the peaks canyons as well as to the summit.
These trails tend to be relatively short, but due to the parks topography, can at times be steep.
Many of the parks visitors return from their hikes excited by numerous sightings of deer and the occasional glimpses of a bobcat or fox.
Birders can enjoy views of turkey vultures and hawks that can be seen well above the peak’s canyons.
At night, registered campers and astronomers alike can appreciate unobscured views of the stars and dark night sky often unaffected by the surrounding city lights.
The Fremont Peak Observatory Association maintains a small observatory and offers scheduled public programs on Saturday nights throughout the summer season.
In recent years California State Park staff has been engaged in a variety of efforts to improve and enhance the park visitor’s experience while at Fremont Peak.
Maintenance staff works constantly to preserve the parks natural and cultural resources while State Park Rangers patrol the park day and night in order to provide the park visitor with an experience that is full of natural and historic appreciation and free of the burdens associated with modern living.
Brett A. Reid is a park ranger at Fremont Peak
