Cementerio El Encinal, in the heart of downtown Monterey, is situated in a beautiful park-like setting that overlooks El Estero Lake. The silence and serenity of the cemetery's gently sweeping lawns and historic monuments can be deceiving. Generations of Monterey families and many of those colorful characters who defined our beautiful bayside city now rest amid its sentinel oaks, forever woven like vibrant threads into the tapestry of Monterey's past.

For decades, this historic cemetery facility has been maintained and operated by the City of Monterey and continues today to provide local families with a broad range of burial services and assistance.

The City of Monterey has a cemetery business office and columbarium facilities with the Lakeside expansion several years ago. Both structures were designed to include a rich blend of adobe wall veneer, mission tile roof trim, and clay tile floors, that enhance and blend with the Cemetery's historic character.

The Lakeside columbarium expands the cemetery's previous burial capacity with the addition of 1,200 polished granite niches, which are all housed within this concrete structure. This beautiful memorial is partially recessed into a gently sloping lawn area overlooking the east side of Lake El Estero.

The installation of native plantings and 300 additional lawn-covered grave sites in the cemetery's Lakeside section further enhances the cemetery's burial capacity and scenic ambience. The cemetery office provides a comfortable and convenient setting for personal planning consultations with City cemetery staff.