Breathtaking Views from the Gabilan Mountains
As Spanish explorers traveled through the Salinas Valley in the 1700s, they gave name to the Gabilan Mountains — gavilan means red-tailed hawk. Keep your eyes open here and you might spy one, as well as California condors, prairie and peregrine falcons and turkey buzzards. Clamber through talus caves created long ago by volcanic activity that formed these rock-covered gorges. The chaparral covered canyons are home to more wildlife than you can see in a day, but give it a try.
John Steinbeck also wrote about these mountains in many of his literary works — You’ll find details on the Steinbeck Literary Trail.