The wild beauty and apparent resolution to stay alive attracts many sightseers to the Lone Cypress in Del Monte Forest. The tree has become an icon perched on its rocky promontory overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Pebble Beach, California. View this singular evergreen that is perhaps the most photographed tree in the United States.
The conifer is roughly 250 years old. It became a trademark symbol when it was purchased by a private investor as part of a land deal in the early 1900s. Today, photographs of the tree for commercial purposes are forbidden unless its owners give permission. It is not possible to walk close to the tree. However, see it from a viewing stand that’s a popular vantage point.
Travel by car or bike along scenic 17-Mile Drive and look for the tree at Stop No. 16 in the resort area of Pebble Beach. Concrete and steel cables assist the tree in its defense against ocean storms. The owners hope that the reinforcement will double its life on its precarious footing. Imagine the horror when the tree’s existence was threatened in 1984 when someone tried to burn it. The flames were quickly observed by a nearby resident and extinguished.
Continue along this toll road and you will notice other Monterey cypress trees clinging on to cliff faces. They may be equally as old or older than the Lone Cypress, but the peculiarity of this singular tree silhouetted against the ocean has attracted extensive attention over time. A sapling tried to grow from the base of the tree a few years ago, but succumbed to the harsh environment.
Find this natural phenomenon by taking 17-Mile Drive from Pebble Beach to Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula, located about 325 miles (520 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. Look for seals on the beach below the Lone Cypress.
