Fremont Peak State Park - San Juan Bautista, CA - California State Parks

The view. That’s the reason—really, just about the only reason— travelers go so far out of their way to visit Fremont Peak State Park. From atop 3,169-foot Fremont Peak, hikers are treated to a tremendous panorama of San Benito Valley, Monterey Bay and the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains back of Big Sur. The park also offers two more views: One is a glimpse into history and the part Captain John Charles Frémont played in the drama of California’s struggle for statehood. Another view from the park is into the heavens. Fremont Peak Observatory houses a 30-inch reflecting telescope, one of the largest telescopes available for public use. Call the park for information about astronomy programs held during the spring, summer, and early fall viewing seasons. In March of 1846, Captain Frémont and his men were camped near Monterey, then the capital of the Mexican province of Alta California. Mexican military leaders demanded that the Americans leave the territory. Frémont not only refused, but planted the American flag atop the tallest peak in the area and built a small fort nearby. A war of nerves ensued before Frémont and his men finally broke camp. The incident reflects the kind of tension and jockeying for position between the rebellious Americans and the Mexican government in the years prior to the Bear Flag Revolt and California’s entry into the Union. Frémont ultimately returned to California as military governor for a short time. His colorful career included a short stint as a U.S. Senator from California, a run for the presidency in 1856 as the first presidential nominee of the infant Republican party, and service as a general in the Civil War.