Santa Lucia Preserve Brochure

SANTA LUCIA

a PLACE with a CADENCE all its own

The sun’s first rays fall upon a century-old Hacienda, a wisp of smoke curling from the chimney. Horses graze. Mist dances dreamily on the lake. Here is time and space for deep breathing. Here is separation, and connection. Clarity and cadence are the order of the day. Every hour we are more aware, appreciative of this place. On 20,000 acres virtually untouched by man, hidden away just ten minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea, you may find your place in the world.

past. present. PERFECT.

One hundred years ago, luminaries from across America were hosted at Rancho San Carlos, and its grand Hacienda lodged guests for festive equestrian, culinary, and cultural events. And so it is today, with members enjoying the Hacienda for overnight stays and dinners shared with friends. Outside, the grand meadows are still grazed and long vistas that have captivated generations remain just as they were. Home to a storied past, it remains the treasured, understated heart of The Preserve.

During the Roaring Twenties, George Gordon Moore, rumored to be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s inspiration for the iconic Jay Gatsby, fashioned the ranch into a paradise for the era’s elite. Beginning in 1939, business tycoon Arthur Oppenheimer returned it to a working ranch, prior to the Santa Lucia Conservancy and Preserve Community being established in the 1990s.

For centuries, these lands have nurtured us, first the Native Americans, then the Mexican and Spanish settlers — all respectful and mindful of their role in preserving this sacred place. The past remains a vivid and inspiring part of the present.

a PASSION for PRESERVATION

As the modern world closes in around us, our beloved natural places become less wild — the beaten paths widen, the solitude of a scenic vista fades away. In choosing to settle this land gently, Preserve families are rewarded with majestic scenery, transformative wildflower and wildlife experiences, and the opportunity to be one with this wild yet intimate landscape. This is a place of tranquility, serenity, and faith in the future, and will be so forever.

Caring for The Preserve is a commitment that landowners share with the Santa Lucia Conservancy, a land trust established to be guardian and partner to guide how together we protect the land and foster deeper appreciation of this landscape. This unique nonprofit and community partnership ensures the protection and management of native grasslands, oak savannas, chaparral, and redwood forests to improve wildlife habitat and protect scenic vistas. It is the soul of our being.

An endowed and empowered team of conservationists, naturalists, and scientists oversee 90% of The Preserve.

Of the 20,000 acres in The Preserve, 90% are protected in perpetuity.

Habitat research and educational programs are central to The Conservancy’s mission.

Practically everyone who comes here — who roams and wanders — forms an individual sense of place. It’s different for everyone. It may happen almost instantly, or gradually, almost subliminally. But the awe and appreciation of this place is inevitable.

Overlooking Moore’s Lake, two elegantly appointed, fully provisioned glamping tents offer an idyllic connection to a bygone century.

According to the anglers, this is the best spot for fish.

AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE.

Like children, we awaken here more keenly observant, receptive. Nature takes us by the hand, nourishing. We are alive, engaged, at once more observant and grateful for the call of the geese, the rustle of the reeds, and the lifting of mist. At Moore’s Lake, days are delightfully languid. Fires always gathered around.

“We had a lovely home on a lake back East. A friend couldn’t understand why we’d ever leave for California. Years later on our deck looking across the mountains to the sea, he said, ‘Now I understand’.”

GOLF. naturally.

IS THE BEST GOLF ON THE FABLED MONTEREY PENINSULA A WELL-PRESERVED SECRET?

Golf Digest – America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses

Golf Digest – Best in California

Golfweek – Top 100 Residential Courses in U.S.

Golf Magazine – The 25 Best Golf Communities in North America

Links Magazine – Top 10 California Golf Courses

Travel + Leisure – America’s Top 25 Golf Communities

Is it best? FAZIO’S

“It’s so peaceful and quiet you can actually hear the ball land. It’s all you want: challenge, beauty, and flawless conditions. A spectacular track in a natural wonderland.”

Tom Fazio possesses a holistic, almost painterly vision of how golf frames into landscapes — a flashed bunker, a turn in the fairway — eye candy with a soft, flowing landscape that rises, falls, and subtly changes from hole to hole, varying the challenge but never the charm.

Yes, there are the seaside icons, but those who know the game and love the sun have warmed to view The Preserve’s 18 as one of the best and most scenic in the region.

No. 11

HOW TO PLAY IT.

Our last tee shot toward the mountains plays into a right-to-left slope, a theme which continues for the approach. The green sits diagonally on a shelf between the front-left bunker complex and the hillside rising along the right, sweeping low-running approaches on this long par four toward the heart of the putting surface. Nearby, not far from the green, is a redwood grove, a favorite site for a mid-round lunch served up by the club.

Your pup as a partner, margaritas and pulled pork sandwiches after nine secreted away in a redwood grove — the course is all yours, the pleasure all ours.

NOW SHALL I WALK OR SHALL I RIDE?

– W. H. Davies but with a purpose

WE TREAD LIGHTLY,

SPIRITUALLY, THE SANTA LUCIA PRESERVE IS A SANCTUARY. Physically, it is 20,000 virtually untouched acres where each graceful curve of the road or rise on the trail brings a new view into focus: panoramic ocean vistas framed by redwoods; headwater streams cradling native trout; intimate glimpses of sun-dappled glens, and softly waving grasslands patterned by passing clouds. From just 90 feet at the Carmel gate to nearly 3,000 feet atop Peñon Peak, there are 42 miles of private paved roadways and nearly 100 miles of meandering horse and hiking trails, each a reward every moment, in every season.

“RIDE,” PLEASURE SAID. “WALK,” JOY REPLIED.

The “Just Can’t Miss” Events

January Conservancy’s Frog Song Night February Valentine’s Day Dinner Wild Mushroom Hunt & Lunch March Jekyll & Hyde Scramble Tournament April Member-Pro Golf Tournament Spring Festival & Easter Brunch May Jazz at the Hacienda Member-Member Golf Tournament Summer Kickoff BBQ June Ladies’ Roundup Invitational Golf Tournament Fandango & Barn Dance July Golf Club Championship Independence Day Celebrations & Dog Show August Concours & Cocktails September Summer’s End Dinner Community Challenge Golf Tournament October Men’s Boar Hunt Invitational Golf Tournament Pumpkin Carving & Costume Contest November Thanksgiving Feast & Turkey Trot December Home for the Holidays New Year’s Eve Dinner

a LUXURIOUS simplicity

The Preserve is a relaxed and effortless opportunity to explore, find adventure, and appreciate the landscape of unspeakable beauty; it is at once peaceful and exhilarating.

THANKFULLY, some things NEVER change.

Even for the casual rider there is a measured, unhurried pace to all things equestrian. Here is ritual, composure, elegance — to relish the details, to respect the bond between horse and rider, and the range of freedom and independence The Preserve allows.

The rancheros of the 1920s would be proud to see their legacy so honored. Here are a world-class facility and team, with three center-aisle barns and a breezeway barn, all with box stalls and attached runs. There are 12 large paddocks for daily turnouts and two expansive riding arenas. No horse? No problem. The club also has a string of trail horses available for members to ride. All this and the unbridled joy of trails that run deep into the enchanted Santa Lucia Mountains.

The Preserve is the only place, other than school, where my parents leave me alone to explore. I love going places and doing things all by myself.

CONNECTED…

What makes the The Preserve special is personal to each of us who have fallen under its spell. It’s about people, pursuits, pleasures, and philosophies that emerge from the concept of living in harmony with nature. The common thread is a love of the environment, convivial community, and life’s ongoing spirit of curiosity.

My family joked we were going to heaven…

When we arrived, it was 100% better.

to NATURE and to ONE ANOTHER

I didn’t know a place like this existed, let alone in Carmel. The photos simply do not do it justice.

“A good walk spoiled?” Mark Twain has it all wrong. Here we share the course with bountiful wildlife, and in spring we walk fairways through hills carpeted with wildflowers.

Around here, DINNER begins at DAWN

It is only natural that the Hacienda overlooks a garden that cultivates community at the same time that it enriches an inspired farm-to-fork culinary program. Everyone benefits, children especially, learning cooperation, creativity, and patience — sharing both the work and the rewards. And who is afraid of a little dirt under their fingernails?

PLACES and SPACES

AUTHENTIC and UNHURRIED

The vastness of the property sometimes belies the playful nature of days on the lake or trail. In so many ways The Preserve is akin to a year-round “camp” for children of every age. Giggles and shouts as kids take turns cascading down a two-story waterslide, jumping in the splash garden, and generally not caring if you’re good or bad at ... anything. Unless it’s a friendly wager on the course or set of tennis, competitions, like attitudes, are checked at the gate. A childlike sense of wonder and simplicity are the order of the day.

LIFE and STYLE

From the beginning, it was believed that the extraordinary value of this rare property was in the beauty, vastness, and richness of its landscape. Placing the land in the care of a group of like-minded owners and structuring the means to protect its vitality and beauty were fundamental in the planning.

This was accomplished in several ways. First, by placing 18,000 acres in a Conservancy of open spaces and wildlands, anchoring its underlying value.

Second, by establishing an adequately funded Conservancy, which guarantees the protection and experience of this natural coastal setting for future generations.

Third, by committing that anything built or managed on the land would be subordinate to the natural wildness of this superb big-scale landscape. These principles apply to everything within The Preserve — fences and signs; new landscapes; roads and pathways; even how cattle are moved through grazing lands.

Each homesite is a distinct piece of geography, with its own setting, sense of place, and strong identity. That is why the nature of the homesites varies so widely — from open meadows and grasslands, to wooded hillsides, to oak savannas, to knolls and ridgetops.

Sites were selected to provide special settings with exceptional views, yet, for the most part, would not be seen from any other homesite; places to build homes that would balance a sense of privacy, seclusion, and “refuge” with the prospect afforded by vistas of the big surrounding landscape.

Each site takes full advantage of the particular qualities of its natural features — topography, vegetation, views, and microclimates.

Resident Services are available to assist Preserve owners with the management and maintenance of their home or lot; from house cleaning and handyman services to grocery shopping, and even vehicle maintenance. Ask, and consider it done.

Carmel residents have a long-standing tradition of unique signage to identify their homes, such as “This Is It!” and “Nothing Happened Here in 1936.” Our owners have embraced this tradition with signs that reflect the individuality of their own homes and the special nature of The Preserve.

Orientation to the sun and local breezes. Architect Joe Esherick’s mantra was followed, “Don’t build on your best spot; build next to it, so you can still appreciate that special place.” Naturally, the leading names in residential architecture have found this to be a remarkable opportunity.

THE PRESERVE AT A GLANCE

The Preserve offers a unique opportunity for kindred spirits who value and care for the ongoing protection of this one-of-a-kind place to celebrate community immersed in the beauty and vitality of this extraordinary landscape. Still, The Preserve is a work in progress and always should be.

SANTA LUCIA CONSERVANCY

An endowed team of researchers, naturalists, and scientists Conserves 18,000 out of The Preserve’s 20,000 acres of land Citizen science research programs Ecologist-led hikes and educational presentations

Free educational programs serving ~ 3,000 students annually 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust incorporated in 1995

THE HACIENDA

Century-old historic landmark 16 guest rooms, some pet-friendly Weekly socials, holiday events, live music, wine tastings, and fine dining Tranquil heated pool seamlessly woven into a 19th-century landscape Extensive vegetable, herb, and flower garden supplies farm-to-table seasonal cuisine

THE PRESERVE GOLF CLUB

A Tom Fazio masterpiece set into a serene landscape Private, Top 100 Course open year-round Award-winning clubhouse with lounge and dining Extensive locker and spa-like facilities, massage services available Multiple golf pros on staff delivering superlative lessons and service Tournaments and social events

EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES

Private boarding facilities and services

Three center-aisle barns with four tack rooms and grooming stalls

One breezeway barn with tack room and exterior wash area

Seven irrigated acres divided into 12 individual pastures for daily turnout of horses

Two arenas, round pen, and exercise track Ranch Club horses for members and guests to ride Trail rides, lessons, clinics, and events

SPORTS CENTER

Daily exercise classes and personal training Cardio, weight, and group exercise rooms

Locker rooms with luxury amenities

Tennis, pickleball, bocce, croquet, horseshoe, and baseball Lap pool, hot tub, children’s splash garden, waterslide

Nearly 100 miles of trails for nature hikes and excursions Playground and summer camps for kids

MOORE’S LAKE

18-acre recreational lake

Campfires, BBQs, and luxurious glamping tents

Fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding

THE PRESERVE BY THE NUMBERS

20,000 total acres of land (31 square miles) 18,000 acres of permanently protected nature

Nearly 100 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails 297 total homesites 42 miles of private roadways

Three-mile drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea to The Preserve’s main gate 15 minutes to Monterey Airport

Top-rated schools and health care

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SANTA LUCIA PRESERVE (“SLP”) IS NOT A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER, MORTGAGE BROKER OR MORTGAGE LENDER, AND SLP DOES NOT AID OR ASSIST BUYERS OR SELLERS OR BORROWERS IN OBTAINING REAL PROPERTY, SOLICIT BORROWERS OR LENDERS FOR, NEGOTIATE OR MAKE LOANS SECURED BY LIENS ON REAL PROPERTY. THE CONTENT PROVIDED IN THIS BROCHURE IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION BY SLP.

THANKS TO THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR TALENTS, INCLUDING JOANN DOST, SHERMAN CHU, CHANNING BENJAMIN, PAUL DYER, AND ALLEN KENNEDY VIA HART HOWERTON, PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.

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“THE COAST RANGE IS UNIQUE, AND TO FIND AN AREA SO UNTOUCHED IS NEARLY MIRACULOUS. THE WINDS ORGANIZE THE OAK TREES IN THESE RAVINES, REVEALING A RHYTHM OF THE LAND THAT IS COMPELLING. THE BEAUTY HERE IS UNLIMITED. IT SIMPLY DOESN’T END.”