In 1542, the explorer Cabrillo called this point of land Cabo de Nieve, or Cape Snow, for the white landscapes before him, though no one is sure what he saw. In 1774, the missionary Tomás de la Peña gave this western-most point on the Monterey Peninsula the name La Punta de cipreses, or Cypress Point, and that name became official in 1967. The point is named for the majestic Monterey cypress trees around it. During Cabrillo's time, this species was near extinction and occurred naturally in only two places: from here to Pescadero Point and at Point Lobos south of Carmel. Today, Monterey cypress have been planted worldwide, usually near coastlines.
