Created in 2012 on lands of a former military base, the Fort Ord National Monument has a fascinating history and offers unique recreational opportunities. The monument currently provides 86 miles of paved and unpaved trails that can be explored by hiking, bicycling, or horseback riding. These trails include a section of the route taken by Juan Bautista de Anza in 1774-1776 when he led a group of settlers from Sonora, Mexico to what is now San Francisco. Along this historic trail, you can learn about the basket weaving techniques of the Rumsen Ohlone people who were living in in the area long before European explorers and settlers first passed through. In another area, near Trail 49, you can see a portion of a pipeline that carried oil to Monterey from the Coalinga Oil Fields in Fresno County from 1904 until the Great Fire of Monterey in 1924.
In 1917, the U.S. Army purchased what had been agricultural lands to create the Gigling (miliary) Reservation (aka Camp Gigling), which was used primarily for the training and exercise of horse calvary and field artillery units. This area was were left largely as dune and backcountry wildlands until the late 1930s.
In 1938-40, the Army acquired additional lands and consolidated the former Gigling Reservation (briefly designated as Camp Ord) with other nearby Army training camps, creating Fort Ord to accommodate the reactivated 7th Infantry Division and additional planned troops. At this time, horses were still considered important for military operations, and the first buildings constructed at Fort Ord by the civilian employees of the Works Progress Administration included 21 stables and workshops for blacksmiths and saddle makers. These were used first by the 76th Field Artillery Regiment and then by the 107th Cavalry and the 68th Quartermasters Corps Pack Troops. During WWII, 1400 horses and mules were stationed at Fort Ord, making it one of the last locations for U. S. Army horse-drawn artillery, mounted horse calvary and horse mechanized units.
On 5th Avenue near 9th Street you may still be able to see a part of what was once the Fort Ord Station Veterinary Hospital, formerly used for the care of military horses and mules. (Although this site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, that is no guarantee of its preservation.) There’s also a short trail leading the grave of Comanche, the last ceremonial horse of Fort Ord. The trail is named after Sgt. Allan MacDonald who enlisted in the horse cavalry when he was 17 years old and continued to work with horses and mules in various capacities during his service in the U. S. Army until his retirement in 1965. Sgt. Allan MacDonald acquired Comanche from a Bureau of Land Management wild mustang roundup and rode her in ceremonies at Fort Ord for 23 years.
In addition to having historical and cultural significance, the Fort Ord National Monument preserves some of the last undeveloped natural wildlands on the Monterey Peninsula. These include 12 different habitat types, which include riparian forest, perennial grasslands and vernal pools. In these native coastal habitats, now being restored and protected by the BLM with help from volunteers, there are 35 species of rare plants and animals along with many more common varieties.
You can get a feel for the scenery along the Fort Ord trails from the photos of Bob Wick (BLM). The National Monument is open from dawn to dusk. Stay on the trails, for your own safety as well as to protect a sensitive ecosystem, and do not collect natural materials. For further information, visit the BLM’s website for the Fort Ord National Monument.
Sources:
Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior (n.d.). Fort Ord National Monument Brochure. https://www.blm.gov/nlcs_web/sites/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/hollister/fortord.Par.31831.File.dat/FortOrd_NM_brochure_150_508.pdf
Davis, M. (2010, November). The Forgotten Warhorse History of Fort Ord. News from the Monterey County Historical Society. Online copy no longer available.
Howe, K. (2011, March 6). Fort Ord trail named after former Army horse soldier. San Jose Mercury News – Central Coast. Online copy no longer available.
Molnar, P (2013, November 9). Fort Ord Veterans Day event celebrates war horses. The Herald (website of the Monterey County Herald). http://www.montereyherald.com/news/ci_24491695/fort-ord-veterans-day-event-celebrates-war-horses.