Big Sur Trailmap Home

Get up-to-date local trail knowledge! Trail and camp info can be incorrect on online maps of the Big Sur Ventana & Silver Peak wilderness areas.

[User experiences+testimonials]

Big Sur Trailmap provides accurate trail and camp locations based on local knowledge (GPS'd), also locally-known "use trails", seasonal water sources, waterfalls, and other features in Big Sur state parks and wilderness areas. Plus current wilderness and state park trail conditions and closures. Created by a Big Sur explorer, updated from local reports. Helping coast+inland hikers since 2010.

Been here ?

(click for larger images)

"Experience nature in the wild" "The wild is still there, just off a trail" "Find your own adventure"

Wilderness hikers

"A line on a map is just a line on a map"

Big Sur wilderness trails are not park‑like trails !

Some trails are not signed or passable or even followable !
Know the current trail conditions !

Trail maintenance in National Forest is by VWA trail crew, not USFS !
Last VWA volunteer trailcrew outing: Aug 22 [7 attended]

ImpassableClear

100%

State-of-the-Trails = 69% "Clear" = 95 miles, 30% of network

The trails need YOU

Help maintain the trails

CURRENT
STATUS

Extended Extended Extended National Forest Closure Order

now ends July 18,2025

(began Jan. 2023)

Extended Nacimiento-Fergusson Road Closure
now ends Aug. 31, 2024

(began Aug. 2020)

Most USFS trails open.
Most USFS roads
closed to vehicles.

USFS statement on road closures

Rte.1 Big Sur closure in effect
(map news) (IS shown on trailmap)

Level 2 fire restrictions:
No backcountry fires in National Forest. Stoves OK (with permit). Fires allowed in designated campgrounds.

Regional Weather Forecast

Small‑area Weather Forecast

Big Sur River Current Flow

CLOSURE INFO
Trails & Roads
USFS & State Parks

TRAIL 60-day NEWS:
(click for details/older)

Aug.31+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

2 VWA volunteers and Boy Scout Troop 111 cleared 2 redwoods,constructed 1 French drain, spot brushed 2.3 mi

Aug.22+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

7 VWA volunteers cleared 12 trees, repaired 60 ft of tread

Aug.20+ USFS Trailwork begins…

Wildfire burn recovery for next 4 months on Kirk Crk, Vicente Flt, Marble Pk, and Tony Trails

Aug.16 Overnight closures of Rte.1…

full closure from 10pm-6am on Aug 18-22 More info

Aug.9+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

2 VWA volunteers brushed 900 ft

Aug.2 Carmel River Tr. Trailwork…

3 VWA volunteers cleared 13 trees

Jul.30 Arroyo Seco Day Use Area…

fully open including Gorge parking and Campground

Jul.22 Arroyo Seco Day Use Area…

parking open 8AM-6PM every day but not Campground or Gorge parking

Jul.19 USFS closure extended…

of south coast ridge road network to July 2025 - but Nacimiento-Fergusson Road expected to open in fall

Jul.18 Overnight closure of Rte.1…

begins July 22, 9PM-6AM, not Fri or Sat nite More info

SITE 60-day NEWS:
(click for details/older)

Aug.16 Add missing State Parks Trail Reports…

per forum post

Aug.6 Add endemic Santa Lucia Fir…

to wilderness places to visit

Wanted: Gpx track of Lost Valley Trail, Upper Higgins to Pelon Camp

Latest forum post:

Why no State Parks reports

Latest blog post:

Unquestioned ignorance spreads mis-information

Hiking info for Big Sur
Iconic places to visit
in Big Sur wilderness areas

Backpacking suggestions
and Route Photomaps
Off-trail hiking
in Big Sur wilderness areas
Notable Routes on/off-trail
Sykes Camp and Hot Spring
info and maps
Large printed maps for Big Sur
Choosing and Using a GPS

Search this website [Finds words in webpages]

Find a Big Sur place name Trails, camps, USGS names
Gives map & description

Download GPX files for trails,
camps, & water sources Personal-use-only (copyright)
Not for sharing on public site
such as AllTrails or OpenStreetMap or non-private CalTopo

GoogleEarth overlays & GoogleEarth usage tips Big Sur Trailmap, USGS
topo, wilderness areas, …

Display map at known locator Lat/Lon OR UTM OR
Section/Township/Range

Create an interactive map link
for your route or location

Trailmap legend [what icons & line colors show]

Trailmap contributors [have given time or information]

Trailmap user experiences
& testimonials [culled from other websites]

Ventana Wilderness Alliance
(VWA) Forums
VWA Trailcrew Outings
USFS Monterey Ranger District

USFS Campgrounds
USFS Day Use Areas

Closure webpage no longer provided
by Parks Management

Andrew Molera State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Limekiln State Park
Pfeiffer Beach Day Use Area
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
My Big Sur Map Collection
(with historic trail maps)
Double Cone Register
(historic articles)
My Monterey County
Map Collection

Hiking info for Big Sur
Iconic places to visit
in Big Sur wilderness areas

Search this website [Finds words in webpages]

Trailmap legend [what icons & line colors show]

Trailmap contributors [have given time or information]

Trailmap user experiences
& testimonials [culled from other websites]

Ventana Wilderness Alliance
(VWA) Forums
VWA Trailcrew Outings
USFS Monterey Ranger District

USFS Campgrounds
USFS Day Use Areas

Closure webpage no longer provided
by Parks Management

CURRENT
STATUS

Extended Extended Extended National Forest Closure Order

now ends July 18,2025

(began Jan. 2023)

Extended Nacimiento-Fergusson Road Closure
now ends Aug. 31, 2024

(began Aug. 2020)

Most USFS trails open.
Most USFS roads
closed to vehicles.

USFS statement on road closures

Rte.1 Big Sur closure in effect
(map news) (IS shown on trailmap)

Level 2 fire restrictions:
No backcountry fires in National Forest. Stoves OK (with permit). Fires allowed in designated campgrounds.

Regional Weather Forecast

Small‑area Weather Forecast

Big Sur River Current Flow

CLOSURE INFO
Trails & Roads
USFS & State Parks

TRAIL 60-day NEWS:
(click for details/older)

Aug.31+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

2 VWA volunteers and Boy Scout Troop 111 cleared 2 redwoods,constructed 1 French drain, spot brushed 2.3 mi

Aug.22+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

7 VWA volunteers cleared 12 trees, repaired 60 ft of tread

Aug.20+ USFS Trailwork begins…

Wildfire burn recovery for next 4 months on Kirk Crk, Vicente Flt, Marble Pk, and Tony Trails

Aug.16 Overnight closures of Rte.1…

full closure from 10pm-6am on Aug 18-22 More info

Aug.9+ Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork…

2 VWA volunteers brushed 900 ft

Aug.2 Carmel River Tr. Trailwork…

3 VWA volunteers cleared 13 trees

Jul.30 Arroyo Seco Day Use Area…

fully open including Gorge parking and Campground

Jul.22 Arroyo Seco Day Use Area…

parking open 8AM-6PM every day but not Campground or Gorge parking

Jul.19 USFS closure extended…

of south coast ridge road network to July 2025 - but Nacimiento-Fergusson Road expected to open in fall

Jul.18 Overnight closure of Rte.1…

begins July 22, 9PM-6AM, not Fri or Sat nite More info

SITE 60-day NEWS:
(click for details/older)

Aug.16 Add missing State Parks Trail Reports…

per forum post

Aug.6 Add endemic Santa Lucia Fir…

to wilderness places to visit

Wanted: Gpx track of Lost Valley Trail, Upper Higgins to Pelon Camp

Latest forum post:

Why no State Parks reports

Latest blog post:

Unquestioned ignorance spreads mis-information

Trail conditions/closures

are shown on:
Interactive Big Sur Trailmap
Interactive Trail Conditions map
Interactive Route Metrics map
Google Earth overlay
are optionally shown on:
Printed maps
PDF-format maps
are not shown on:
Garmin-format maps
Smartphone map tiles

View the interactive
Big Sur Trailmap

Interactive map

Trails and POIs,
shaded topo gives context
[map updated: Sep 14]

View the interactive
trail conditions map

Trail Conditions

Colors show trail
conditions and closures
[conditions updated: Sep 14 ]

Compute route metrics
between two locations

Route Metrics

For mileage &
cumulative gain+loss
[routing updated: Sep 14]

Download one-page
printable Trailmap sections

Printed page

PDF with options for
background & trail condition
[map updated: Sep 11]

Download a PDF-format
Trailmap for a smartphone

Avenza

For Avenza, can add
searchable "Features" layer
[pdf updated: Sep 12]

Use the Trailmap in a
smartphone GPS app

Smartphone

Multiple options available,
depending upon the app

Download a Garmin-format
Trailmap for a GPS

Garmin GPS

Routable, so along-trail
distance-to-go accessible
[map updated: Sep 11]

Download a "Google
Earth" Trailmap

Google Earth

Display trailmap line/icon
overlay on 3-D terrain
[kmz updated: Sep 14]

Trail conditions/closures

Jack Glendening

Home page BLOG Bona fides

Latest blog post:

Unquestioned ignorance spreads mis-information

In memoriam: Paul Danielson

If you have something to contribute or find an error,

( problems don't get fixed if not reported ! )

please post to my forum.
Big Sur Trailmap FORUM
OR
in webpage "Comments" section
OR
email: AddressImage

Trailmap improvements help other hikers and will be credited
(and builds good trail karma)

Contributors

Feedback

I welcome feedback about the info on this website at the Big Sur Trailmap Forum, which will benefit all Big Sur hikers. But I am not a personal trip advisor so do not provide individual trip guidance. If the info here is not sufficient for your planning or if you want personal trip guidance, please use the VWA Discussion Forum, which is read by many Big Sur hikers.

Disclaimer

Big Sur Trailmap and its webpages created as a public service by Jack Glendening, with all costs paid by him (no ads!). The information is provided 'as is', without warranty of any kind - It is believed the best available but can contain errors.

The information and data on this website are copyrighted by John W. (Jack) Glendening. You may search, view, download and print the documents contained on this site for personal non-commercial purposes. Public use of site data must be attributed to Jack Glendening, not be presented as being the work of someone who has copied it from this site instead of doing the actual field work themselves. In particular, copyright information is not to be removed from data and data is not to be placed on public websites such as Open Street Map or All Trails.

Data License

Photo credits

Photos from Jack Glendening, Paul Danielson, Maria Ferdin, Betsy MacGowan, Jim Ringland, Leor Pantilat, Hillary Trout, Paul David Tuff, Nathan Kistler, Amanda Sevall, Perry Way, Brett Pall, and anonymously from the web. Jim Ringland's photos are under the CC‑BY‑NC‑4 license.