Fremont Peak offers views from the bay to the valley and to the
heavens
Its view is panoramic; its story is historic; and its
hardscrabble natural setting is both basic and classic. It is
Fremont Peak State Park, voted by Pinnacle readers as the top
outdoor attraction in San Benito County, just ahead of Pinnacles
National Monument.
Poised 3,169 feet above San Benito and Monterey counties, the
park is a tribute to Captain John C. Fremont, who, in March 1846,
raised a flag there in defiance of Mexican military leaders who had
demanded that Americans leave what was then the Mexican province of
Alta California.
Its view is panoramic; its story is historic; and its hardscrabble natural setting is both basic and classic. It is Fremont Peak State Park, voted by Pinnacle readers as the top outdoor attraction in San Benito County, just ahead of Pinnacles National Monument.
Poised 3,169 feet above San Benito and Monterey counties, the park is a tribute to Captain John C. Fremont, who, in March 1846, raised a flag there in defiance of Mexican military leaders who had demanded that Americans leave what was then the Mexican province of Alta California.
According to “California State Parks: A Day Hiker’s Guide,” Fremont not only refused to leave his troops’ encampment near Monterey, “he planted the American flag atop the highest peak in the area.”
That peak today is a popular hiking and picnicking site 11 miles outside of San Juan Bautista. It is also home to the Fremont Peak Observatory, which includes a 30-inch telescope popular with astronomers.
A winding, two-lane road leads to the park, which on a clear day offers views of much of northern San Benito County and the Monterey Bay.
The park offers day-use and overnight camping options and each spring hosts Fremont Peak Day, to honor its namesake, who after his bold stand went on to serve as California’s military governor and was the first Republican presidential candidate.
Trails from a parking lot lead visitors to the peak, which often is above the fog line to the west.
Recent state budget troubles forced the closure of the park on Mondays through Wednesdays, but officials recently reinstituted its seven-days-a-week openings.
The Fremont Peak observatory was built in 1986 and now welcomes more than 2,000 guests annually. Its 30-inch Challenger telescope offers views of the night sky away from the “light pollution” present in many urban areas.
The Fremont Peak Observatory Association is a group of volunteers who educate the public about star-gazing and astronomy through field trips, classroom presentations and “star parties” at the park.
Hours of operation vary based on weather and other factors, so it is recommended that prospective observatory visitors call 623-2465 to hear a recorded message or e-mail
in**@fp**.net
.
Programs generally run April through October on moonless Saturday evenings.
For general information about the park, which is open daily from 8 a.m. to a half-hour after sunset, call 623-4255 or check out a link to its website at www.parks.ca.gov.
