Home › California › Marina › Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,398 Google reviews · Running trail in Marina, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Fort Ord Dunes State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
A trail leads to the beach in this park with a bluff-top platform offering views of Monterey Bay.
What runners say about Fort Ord Dunes State Park
“We started our hike at the Marina State Beach and walked up the beautiful sand dunes of Fort Ord beach.”
“It’s incredibly easy to access and, unlike many other beaches, it’s not as crowded, which makes for a much more peaceful experience.”
This is a really beautiful park. Conveniently located near the highway, the park is part of a former military installation that happened to be in the sand dunes that line the coast.
The parking lot is small here and we noticed a lot of people part further out on the streets and walked in. There is no sidewalk so people have to be careful driving because people walking in do not pay attention to cars around them and they're a little kids that run around.
The beach line to the ocean is steep and the waves are intense. We did not let our kids close to the water at all. With that said, it’s a beautiful quarter mile to the beach, gorgeous views. Our kids like climbing the dunes. The succulents were colorful and rich with texture painting the landscapes rolls and paths.
T he beach here is very nice but it was not exactly the easiest to get to. Another thing is the surf is not gentle or warm. You have about 100 yards of 3 different walking surfaces to get through to get to the beach.
Trail conditions & character
“We started our hike at the Marina State Beach and walked up the beautiful sand dunes of Fort Ord beach.”
“The park is not staffed and all it really offers outside of the natural landscapes is a road, a parking lot, and some nice trails that you could walk or bike on.”
“It’s incredibly easy to access and, unlike many other beaches, it’s not as crowded, which makes for a much more peaceful experience.”
“I would recommend this beautiful beach, the hilly dunes and valley is really nice!”
“Great asphalt path running north-south for miles & connected to the parking lot (which has porta-potties but no water).”
“An easily accessible yet remote-feeling spot with gorgeous dunes.”
“Great asphalt path running north-south for miles & connected to the parking lot (which has porta-potties but no water).”
Plan your run at Fort Ord Dunes State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websiteparks.ca.gov
- Phone(831) 649-2836
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Marina
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Locke-Paddon Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 228 reviews
Park featuring a pond (a.k.a. “The Duck Pond”), plus wetlands, trails and picnic tables.
Glorya Jean Tate Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 165 reviews
Recreation area featuring a pump track, a playground, a skateboarding area, and a restroom.
Eolian Dunes Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 142 reviews
Park with ocean views, a dog-friendly beach, picnic tables, and kid-friendly hikes.
Trail 67/68 Scenic View
3.8 ★★★★☆ 4 reviews
