San Benancio was the inspiration for "Las Pasturas del Cielo," the fictional setting in John Steinbeck’s Pastures of Heaven.

A Salinas native, Steinbeck spent time in his youth within San Benancio, specifically Castle Rock near the base of the Canyon, and accurately described the region in Pastures of Heaven: ... he saw a long valley floored with green pasturage on which a herd of deer browsed.

The walls of San Benancio Canyon have an elevation of 400 ft and run adjacent to Toro Creek, a small tributary to the Salinas River which is located 4 miles south.

The canyon is home to a number of California Live Oak Trees and various types of wild sage brush and grass.

The region is also served by Titus Park, a private Swim and Tennis club located along San Benancio Road.