Salinas Valley
Overview
 
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.
The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.
The Salinas Valley runs approximately 90 miles (145 km) south-east from Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...

 towards King City
King City, California
King City is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. King City is located on the Salinas River southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 335 feet . It lies along U.S. Route 101 in the Salinas Valley of the Central Coast of California. King City is a member of the Association of...

. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the Salinian Block
Salinian Block
The Salinian Block or Salinian terrane is a geologic terrane which lies west of the main trace of the San Andreas Fault system in California. It is bounded on the south by the Big Pine Fault in Ventura County, and on the west by the Nacimiento Fault...

. Cities and populated places in the Salinas Valley include Bradley
Bradley, California
Bradley is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Bradley is located on the Salinas River south-southeast of San Ardo, at an elevation of 548 feet...

, Castroville
Castroville, California
Castroville is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Castroville is located northwest of Salinas, at an elevation of 23 feet . The population was 6,481 at the 2010 census, down from 6,724 at the 2000 census. Castroville calls itself "Artichoke Center of the...

, Chualar
Chualar, California
Chualar is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Chualar is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 115 feet...

, Gonzales
Gonzales, California
Gonzales is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Gonzales is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 135 feet . The population was 8,187 at the 2010 census, up from 7,525 at the 2000 census. Gonzales is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area...

, Greenfield
Greenfield, California
Greenfield is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Greenfield is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 feet . The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000, increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most...

, Jolon
Jolon, California
Jolon is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It is located south of King City, at an elevation of 971 feet . Jolon is located in the Salinas Valley in a rural area located about 6 miles from Mission San Antonio de Padua, and is part of Fort Hunter Liggett.The town was...

, King City
King City, California
King City is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. King City is located on the Salinas River southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 335 feet . It lies along U.S. Route 101 in the Salinas Valley of the Central Coast of California. King City is a member of the Association of...

, Lockwood
Lockwood, California
Lockwood is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California. It is located east-southeast of Jolon, 1.8 miles north of the mouth of Tule Canyon, 3 miles north of San Antonio River, and 9.3 miles north of Bryson, at an elevation of 971 feet .Lockwood is in southern Monterey County and...

, Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...

, San Ardo
San Ardo, California
San Ardo is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. San Ardo is located southeast of King City, at an elevation of 449 feet...

, San Lucas
San Lucas, California
San Lucas is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. San Lucas is located on the Salinas River southeast of King City, at an elevation of 410 feet...

, Soledad
Soledad, California
Soledad, meaning "solitude" and "loneliness" in Spanish, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Soledad is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 190 feet...

 and Spreckels
Spreckels, California
Spreckels is a census-designated place located in the Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California, United States. Spreckels is located south of Salinas, at an elevation of 62 feet . The population was 673 at the 2010 census, up from 485 at the 2000 census.Spreckels is one of the best-preserved...

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