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Travel Suggestions- Airline Connections
     I suggest that one investigate travel to the Monterey, CA airport. Often long-distance travel with a connection to Monterey does not cost much more. There are no shuttles or buses that serve Hastings from Monterey. Driving time from the Monterey airport is about 1 hour. Cars can be rented at the Monterey airport from several vendors.
     Flying to San Jose, San Francisco, or Oakland is also possible, however the connections to San Jose are probably best. Cars can be rented at these airports as well. Driving time from Oakland and San Francisco can be up to 3 hours. Driving time from San Jose can be up to 2.5 hours, all depending on traffic. Driving south on Highway 101 in the Bay Area is challenging, especially during morning (6am - 9am) and evening (3pm - 7pm) commute hours. An attractive alternate from SFO is Highway 92 to Highway 1 to Santa Cruz, then south to Carmel where it is shown on the map below. This adds about 1 hour to the estimated drive time, but the stress level can be significantly lower.

Topographic Map of Hastings Natural History Reservation

Sketch Map of Hastings Buildings

Travel Suggestions- Driving

From north of the reserve:

• In Salinas, exit Highway 101 onto Sanborn Road (right) and turn right. Sanborn Road (0.7 mi) becomes Blanco Road (1.6 mi.). Turn left on Main Street (Hwy 68) and drive 8.5 miles.
• Turn left on Laureles Grade. There is a fire station at the corner of Laureles Grade and Highway 68. Drive on Laureles Grade, up and over Sierra de Salinas (big hill), to dead end.
• Turn left on Carmel Valley Road. Drive to mile marker 26, southeast along Carmel Valley Rd. At mile marker 12-13, Carmel Valley village offers the last gas and grocery stores. Note that miles are marked by small, green, metal signs. At mile marker 26, veer left on Martin Road and enter at green electric gate. Call the reserve headquarters from brown control box with metal door on a pedestal. Or, if you have written or called ahead for gate entry code, type in that code now. Include the * and enter code slowly. When you get through the gate, cross the bridge, and turn left just past the bridge, before the mail boxes. You will enter on the left at awooden gate. Do not go past the mail boxes. Follow the signs at each junction of this entry lane.        See: Map of Hastings Roads/Buildings

From south of the reserve:

• Drive north on Highway 101 until you reach Greenfield. Exit to Arroyo Seco via Elm Ave. Drive to first light and turn left on Elm Avenue. Drive about 5.3 miles to Green Bridge and find Arroyo Seco Road after 5.5 miles.
• Turn left on Arroyo Seco Road. Drive 5.5 miles on Arroyo Seco Road.Look for turn to right to Carmel Valley Road.
  
• Turn right onto Carmel Valley Road, check your odometer, and drive exactly 15 miles. Martin Road will be on your right, but it is difficult to see.
• Turn right at the large sycamore tree onto Martin Rd. The street sign for Martin Rd. is brown and mounted on a steel post. Enter through the green electric gate, as described above.

* In wintertime, when the Salinas River is flowing, you may be forced to detour. If so, turn left at detour, drive to dead end, then turn right onto Highway 68 which has a large 4-lane bridge over the Salinas River. Continue on 68, passing over Reservation Road.