Scenic County Road G20
Scenic County Road G20 is a State Scenic Byway in California. Within California it covers roughly 6 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Scenic County Road G20 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Scenic County Road G20, also called Laureles Grade, is a steep, winding road connecting Carmel Valley Village to Monterey, California, designated a scenic county route in 1969. Rather than following the coastline, the grade cuts inland and up over a ridge separating the Carmel Valley from the Monterey Peninsula, running from Carmel Valley Road to State Route 68 near Monterey. The climb is narrow and twisty by design, with tight switchbacks that reward slow driving over speed, opening onto views back across the oak-studded hills of Carmel Valley on one side and toward Monterey Bay on the other as the road crests the ridge. Because it's a shortcut rather than a destination drive, locals use it as a faster alternative to the longer route around via Highway 1 or Carmel Valley Road's lower stretches, while visitors tend to drive it once for the views and the novelty of a steep grade this close to the coast. It's a quieter, less-photographed counterpart to the famous Big Sur coastline just a few miles to the south.
- Laureles Grade
- Carmel Valley Village to Monterey
- designated scenic 1969
- Monterey County
- connects Carmel Valley Road to SR-68
- inland alternative to Highway 1
Plan a drive on Scenic County Road G20 →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Scenic County Road G20
No campgrounds are listed close to Scenic County Road G20 yet, but there are rooms near the route.
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