Trail news archive

TRAIL news archive

Nov.15 Jackson Camp Tr. Trailwork

13 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

Nov.16 (Old) Coast Road closed for rainy season

Nov.15 Naciminiento-Fergusson Rd open

had been closed since Dolan Fire of Aug.2020

Nov.14 Arroyo Seco Rec Area Gorge Parking now free

still fee for day use area parking

Nov.7 South Fork Tr. Trailwork

2 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Nov.4 Limekiln State Park open for day use

Limekiln and Alvin Trails open, all else remains closed More info

Oct.31 Arroyo Seco Tr. Trailwork

9 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Oct.25 Horse Pasture Tr. Trailwork

7 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

Oct.11 Santa Lucia Tr. Trailwork

1 VWA volunteer worked 3 days

Sep.27 Camp Pico Blanco Trailwork

29 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

Sep.19 ArroyoSeco-Indians Fireroad north end open

construction completed

Aug.31 Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork

2 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

Sep.19 ArroyoSeco-Indians Fireroad north end closed

due to construction, must use Santa Lucia Trail for gorge access

Aug.22 Vicente Flat Tr. Trailwork

7 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

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 worked 3 days

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

Jul.6 Camp Pico Blanco Trailwork

6 VWA volunteers worked 2 days

Jun.29 No fires in backcountry"

fire restrictions begin

Jun.28 Marble Peak Tr. Trailwork

4 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

Jun.26 Tassajara Road traffic delays

thru July 12: occasional road closures up to 20 mins, 7AM-4PM

Jun.18 Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP

Waters Trail open, after being closed for over 7 years !

Jun.13 Marble Peak Tr. Trailwork

3 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Jun.5 Later info: JPBurnsSP

Ewoldsen Trail opens only west section, the eastern half continues its 7 year closure

Jun.4 Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP

Ewoldsen Trail open, after being closed for over 7 years !

May 30 Pine Ridge Tr. Trailwork

4 VWA volunteers worked 5 days

May 24 State Parks campgrounds open,

except at still-closed Limekiln State Park

May 23 Pine Ridge Tr. Trailwork

4 VWA volunteers worked 5 days

May 17 Carrizo Tr. Trailwork

8 VWA volunteers worked 3 days

May 16 Route 1 northern closure

moved from Palo Colorado Rd to full closure at Lime Creek, alternating one-way traffic with delays at Rocky Creek

May 9 Church Creek Tr. Trailwork

4 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

May 9 State Parks open for day use:

Molera, Pfeiffer Big Sur, JP Burns. Campgrounds remain closed.

May 5 Coast Road opened

May 2 Pine Ridge Tr. Trailwork

3 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

May 2 Arroyo Seco Road opened

but USFS Arroyo Seco Day Use Area remains closed

Apr.30 North Coast Ridge Rd. Trailwork

3 VWA volunteers worked 1 day

Apr.30 Route 1 northern closure (Palo Colorado) AM+PM convoys now open to public

More info

Apr.12 Pine Valley Trailwork

2 VWA volunteers worked 2 days

Mar.31 State Park closures: Andrew Molera, Pfieffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns

(Limekiln SP already closed)

Mar.30 New FULL CLOSURE of Route 1 at Palo Colorado Road

both directions, Big Sur currently unreachable (NOT shown on trailmap) CalTrans Map

Mar.28 North Coast Ridge Rd. Trailwork

2 VWA volunteers worked 1 day

Mar.19 Overnight camping banned on USFS San Carpoforo Beach

USFS news release

Mar.15 Marble Peak Tr. Trailwork

6 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Mar.8 Pine Valley Trailwork

4 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Mar.5 Pine Ridge Trail SAR video

Mar.3 Pine Ridge Trail SLIDE above Barlow Flat UNCROSSABLE

- SAR rescues have been needed, will update when more info available. Location

Feb.29 North Coast Ridge Rd. Trailwork

2 VWA volunteers worked 1 day

Feb.23 Marble Peak Tr. Trailwork

6 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Feb.17 Pfeiffer Big Sur SP Buzzards Roost Trail opened

Feb.12 Andrew Molera SP trails west of Big Sur River open

but river crossing can be difficult/impassable

Feb.7 Andrew Molera SP trails west of Big Sur River closed

Feb.6 Pfeiffer Big Sur SP Buzzards Roost Trail closed

Jan.26 Tassajara Rd roadwork Jan.25-29

Jan.12 Pine Ridge Tr. Trailwork

7 VWA volunteers worked 4 days

Jan.1 Pine Ridge Tr. Trailwork

[11 VWA volunteers worked 1 day

2023

Dec.19 USFS fire restrictions lifted

campfires & stoves allowed in National Forest

Dec.15 Old Coast Road closed

Dec.12 Old Coast Road open

Dec.9 Rte.1 Pauls Slide closure est. opening Spring 2024

per latest CalTrans newsrelease

Nov.29 Old Coast Road closed

Nov.22 Old Coast Road open

Nov.14: JP Burns State Park to close Nov.15-22

for repairs to Overlook Trail

Nov.10 Barlow seep instability bridged on Pine Ridge Trail

original route restored with crib wall at seep thanks to VWA

Nov.4 Old Coast Road closed to all traffic

foot/cycle/vehicle by MoCo due to "upcoming weather"

Oct.31 USFS Closure expanded and extended til Jan.31, 2024

contining closure of USFS roads, now adding Tassajara Road

Oct.19 Pfeiffer Big Sur & Andrew Molera SP footbridges removal on Oct. 31

Oct.18 Andrew Molera SP campground closes for season on Oct. 31

Sep.1 Old Coast Road closed south of Little Sur Trail

for re-construction of failed section, intermittent delays expected elsewhere

Aug.31 USFS Nacimiento-Fergusson Road Closure extended to Aug. 31, 2024

but "may" be opened prior to that

Aug.31 USFS Forest Closure order extended to Oct. 30

largely same as previous order, except Tassajara Road now "closed to vehicles"

Aug.29 Plaskett Creek Campground opened

Aug.8 Cone Peak Road chasm circumnavigated.

Roadwork has restored a hikeable route, road opening in future

Jul.31 USFS Fire Restrictions raised to Level 2

No campfires outside designated campgrounds, i.e. not in backcountry

Jul.22 USFS Forest Closure order extended to Aug 31

largely same as previous order, Kirk Creek Campground opened

Jun.15 Andrew Molera State Park opened trails west of river:

Creamery Meadow, Bluff, Panorama, Ridge, and Spring Trails

May 27 Old Coast Road opened

May 26 Route 1 southern closure moved 21 miles northward

to Limekiln State Park

May 25 USFS Forest Closure order extended to July 24

largely same as previous order, two Day Use Areas opened

May 10 Milplitas Road culvert fixed, re-opened

Apr.16 JP Burns State Park Partington Cove Trail opened

Apr.14 Revised and extended USFS Closure order

opens Pine Ridge Trail and South Coast Ridge Road between Cruikshank and Salmon Creek Trails BUT road closures now extended to June 13 to allow road maintenance

Apr.14 Pine Ridge Trail fully open

after clearing slide beyond Ventana Camp Trail

Apr.6 West end of Pine Ridge Trail opened

from Big Sur Station to Ventana Camp

Apr.6 Milpitas Rd closed at Road 7

for culvert repair

Apr.4 JPBurns SP Tanbark Trail open

Apr.3 JP Burns State Park opens

but only for McWay Waterfall Overlook Trail & Tin House Fireroad

Mar.13 West end of Pine Ridge Trail remains closed

by State Parks for safety evaluation

Mar.12 Revised National Forest Closure

Most trails re-opened, many roads still closed

Mar.9 Additional slides & closures on Rte.1

due to storm, check before you go

Mar.8 Rte.1 update - Northern closure may move

to Pauls Slide soon, Mill Creek slide expected to open March 30, Pauls Slide closure indefinite CalTrans Update

Mar.8 Short-term State Park closures for storm

Molera Fri-Sat, PfeifferBS Thurs-Fri for day use, Thurs-Fri for campground

Feb.12 Rte.1 closure much reduced

Access from north down to Big Creek, ftom south up to Mill Creek

Feb.6 JP Burns State Park open

but only Waterfall Overlook Trail and Tin House FIreroad open for hiking

Jan.21 State Park updates:

AMolera SP Bobcat and East Molera Trails open, PfeifferBS SP open except Pfieffer Falls Trail and campground

Jan.20 State Park closures:

PfeifferBS SP closed til at least Jan.24, AMolera & JPBurns closed indefinitely

Jan.13 USFS orders full closure of Natl.Forest til March 14

Press Release Closure Order

Jan.11 State Park closures:

AMolera, PfeifferBS, & JPBurns SPs to be closed til at least Jan.17 due to flooding

Jan.10 Tassajara Rd & Los Burros Rd closed

Jan.10 Arroyo Seco Day Use Area closed

Jan.9 Arroyo Seco Horse Bridge washed away,

cutting off easy access of west end of Marble Peak Trail

Jan.4 Pfeiffer BS SP closed due to flooding

Jan.4 Pfeiffer BS SP open for day use except

Pfeiffer Falls Trail closed due to treefall

Jan.4 Storm closures: Pfeiffer BS SP, Molera SP trails

west of Rte.1

Jan.1 Limekiln State Park closed during January

2022

Dec.27 Pfeiffer Beach and Sycamore Cyn Rd closed

due to rain flooding

Dec.16 Fire restrictions raised

Campfires allowed in national forest

Dec.16 Molera SP, Pfeiffer Beach & Arroyo Sec re-open

Dec.13 Pfeiffer Beach & Arroyo Sec Day Areas temporarily closed

due to post-storm flooding

Dec.3 Most Molera SP trails closed, no beach access

Due to Big Sur River flow increase - East Molera, Headlands, & Campground Trails remain open

Dec.1 Limekiln SP will be closed during January

No public access allowed from Jan 1-31 while transitioning to SP management

May 27 Fire restrictions raised

Fires only in designated campgrounds, gas stoves allowed

May 1 Escondido Campground now open

and southern ArroyoSeco-Indians Roadungated

May 1 Andrew Molera Campground now open

May 1 Willow Post-fire closure ended

Tony and Marble Peak Trails now open

May 1 Dolan Post-fire closure change

Escondido Campground now open, closure for N-F and SCR Road extended to April 2023

Jan.22 Willow Post-fire closure extended until April 30

Jan.21 Colorado Fire road closures lifted

Jan.10 Old Coast Road closed to vehicles

Jan.2 Fire restrictions reduced to Level 1

2021

Dec.28 Cone Peak Road has impassable gap

between N-F Road & Vicente Flat Trail

Dec.19 Andrew Molera SP Campground closed

Nov.1 Post-Dolan-Wildfire Closure extended

Closure areas unchanged but extended until April 30

Sep.23 USFS Forest re-opened!

But Dolan & Willow post-fire closures remain active

Sep.23 Fire restrictions reduced

Stoves allowed in backcountry (but no fires!)

Sep.14 Forest Closure extended

Everything within USFS National Forest boundary is closed, closure extended through Sept. 22

Aug.31 Full USFS Forest Closure

Everything within National Forest boundary is closed through Sept. 11 !

Aug.11 Salmon Creek Water contamination

USFS reports algae bloom in pond below Salmon Creek Falls, Downstream water considered undrinkable, even if filtered - pets included.

Aug.3 Andrew Molera SP Campground has re-opened

Jul.31 Kirk Creek Vicente Flat Trails re-opened

Jul.24 Revised Willow Closure Order

Closes burnt section of Marble Peak Trail

Jun.12 Pfeiffer Big Sur SP: Pfeiffer Falls Trail OPEN

13 years after Basin Complex fire

Jun.6 Bear campsite activity

in Spruce Camp, looking for food

May 28 Kirk Creek Trail CLOSED

through July, to allow trail re-construction

May 25 Level 2 Fire Restrictions in effect

no open fires outside developed areas, stoves ok

May 24 DOLAN CLOSURES REMOVED

per expiration of USFS closure order - but western Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and northern South Coast Ridge Road remain closed to vehicles

May 15 Tassajara Road graded

for opening of Zen Center season

May 2 JP Burns State Park

Tan Bark Trail and Tin House Fireroad OPEN

Apr.23 CA Route 1 FULLY OPEN

Apr.13 Pine Ridge Trail FULLY OPEN

with two re-routes on western section

Apr.2 Limekiln State Park OPEN

for camping only

Feb.19 USFS Campgrounds OPEN

Kirk Creek and Plaskett Creek Campgrounds

Feb.5 Road opening

Old Coast Road

Feb.4 USFS opening

Arroyo Seco Campground

Feb.3 USFS "temporary" closures

Pfeiffer Beach, Mill Creek, Sand Dollar Beach and Willow Creek Day Use Areas. All USFS Campgrounds.

Feb.2 Tassajara Road

USFS reports difficult vehicle access beyond White Oaks Campground

Feb.2 Route 1 closure shrinks

now from Burns Creek (North) to Los Burros Road (South)

Feb.1 Fire Restrictions Lifted

Campfires & stoves allowed

Jan.31 Route 1 closure

Current North closure at Anderson Creek (personal obs.)

Jan.30 Storm-related Closures

Arroyo Sec Day Use Area closed (USFS webpage info incorrect) and likely unknown others

Jan.28 Storm-related Road Closures

Multiple closures, notably Route 1 washed out at Rat Creek [map]

Jan.27 Road Closure

Currently many storm-related closures Route 1 washed away at Rat Creek and possibly closed for indefinite period (Montery County Road info)

Jan.22 National Forest now partially OPEN

excludes Dolan Post-fire Closure [map]

2020

Dec.10 State Park Closing

Pfeiffer Big Sur SP campground is closed until at least Jan 11

Oct.30 State Park Openings

Limekiln SP beach (day use only) and Partington Cove Trail in Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park

Oct.9 Day Use Area Openings

Pfeiffer Beach, Mill Creek, and Willow Creek Day Use Areas

Oct.4 State Park Opening

Pfeiffer Big Sur SP campground

Sep.28 State Park Openings

Andrew Molera SP and Pfeiffer Big Sur SP

Sep.25 Route 1 now open

with some one-lane sections

Sep.15 Andrew Molera SP

is open west of Route 1

Sep.7 National Forest Closed

Lost Padres National forest now closed

Sep.4 USFS Closure Expansion

national forest now closed from Pine Ridge Trail south to Los Burros (Willow Creek) Road.

Sep.3 Road Closures

Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, Milpitas Road, Los Burros Road, South Coast Ridge Road

Aug.29 Campground Closures

China Camp, White Oaks, Santa Lucia Memorial Park, Nacimiento, Ponderosa Campgrounds

Aug.28 >Road Closure

Nacimiento-Fergusson Road closed from Route 1 east to Fort Hunter-Liggett boundary

Aug.27 Road Openings

Cachagua Road has re-opened and Tassajara Road opened from Carmel Valley Road to the National Forest boundary.

Aug.25 Dolan Fire update

Plaskett Creek Campground now closed

Aug.23 Forest Closure order

Forest closure from Boronda-MarblePeak Trails south to Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and from Route 1 east to Indians-Milpitas Roads.

Aug.21 Dolan Fire

all Big Sur State Parks are closed, Kirk Creek Campground and Arroyo Seco Day Use Area are closed, Route 1 closed between Pfeiffer Big Sur SP and Gorda. Smoke and unhealty conditions througout area.

Aug.19 Carmel Fire

Tassajara and Cachagua Roads closed at Carmel Valley Road.

Aug.17 USFS CLARIFICATION

the southern road closures are vehicle prohibitions only, not for hikers

Aug.11 Los Padres Dam Road Closure

USFS officially declares Los Padres Dam Road closed due to slide

Aug.7 USFS ROAD CLOSURES

Due to overuse and illegal campfires by road campers, all southern dirt roads have been closed until Oct. 19

Jul.8 State Park OPENING

re‑routed Andrew Molera SP Headlands Trail

Jul.3 USFS CLOSURES

All day use areas will be closed on July 4 and 5

Jul.2 USFS Reminder

All fireworks are always prohibited in the National Forest fireworks + dry grass =

Jul.1 Plaskett Ridge Wildfire

Plaskett Ridge Road now open

Jun.29 State Park OPENINGS

Pfeiffer Big Sur and Limekiln State Park Campgrounds, Andrew Molera SP Headlands and Coyote Flats Trails.

Jun.21 State Park OPENINGS

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground will re-open on June 29

Jun.19 Plaskett Ridge Wildfire

100% contained but Plaskett Ridge Road remains closed.

Jun.15 USFS OPENINGS:

All non-group campgrounds and all roads except Piney Creek Rd. are now open

Jun.14 State Park OPENINGS

All state parks are now open for day-use visitors

Big Sur Station is now open

Jun.1 USFS OPENINGS

All covid-order-closed trails

and roads except Plaskett Ridge Rd, South Coast Ridge Rd, and Willow Creek Rd.

May 30 State Park OPENINGS

Partington Cove Trail, Tanbark Trail, Tin House Fireroad in Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP

May 23 State Park OPENINGS

Andrew Molera SP and Limekiln SP for day use only.

May 15 USFS OPENINGS

day use areas and non-coastal roads and trails.

May 12 Fire restrictions raised

to Level 2

Apr.28 USFS closure update

road+trail closure extended to May 15

Apr.15 Monterey District USFS roads and trails now CLOSED

includes Naciminento-Fergusson Rd ! the ONLY district closed !!

Apr.10 State Parks now CLOSED

to both vehicles and hikers until at least May 3

Mar.29 State Park closed to vehicles

must park along Route 1

Mar.24 USFS day use area closure update

will be closed until at least April 30

Mar.18 Coronavirus closures

State campgrounds, USFS "day use areas", Big Sur Station, USFS King City Office - parks and forest open to hikers

Mar.1 Cone Peak Road temporarily CLOSED

Feb.12 Accurate Wilderness Press Big Sur Map

updated version to be released pre-May

Jan.11 Access road to Escondido Camp now CLOSED

apparently for the winter

Jan.8 Tassajara Road

offically closed, but high-clearance vehicles driving it when dry

2019

Dec.21 Waters Trail now OPEN

in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Dec.5 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park now OPEN

but Tassajara and Old Coast Roads are CLOSED

Dec.2 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park CLOSED

due to heavy rains and flooding

Oct.31 Buckeye Tr. trailwork

VWA trailcrews repaired north end to Alder Creek.

Sep.10 Mill Wildfire closures end

Cone Peak Road and fire closure area are now open.

May 31 Little Sur Trail

Old Coast Road now open to vehicle traffic, for west end access

May 16 Carmel River & Big Pines Trails

northern access blocked by landslide and fence closing Los Padres Dam Road

May 14 Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP trails re-opened

Tan Bark Trail & Tin House Fireroad

Mar.4 Carmel River & Big Pines Trails

northern access affected by new fencing across Los Padres Dam Road

2018

Nov.27 Smartphone users

"Route metrics" webpage now more mobile-friendly (note map size depends upon window size)

Nov.1 Avenza GeoPDF users

Searchable layer now available

Oct.2 Backpack Suggestions webpage added

Sep.19 Closed Trails/Roads

now magenta (were black) on maps

Sep.2 Smartphone users

Long-press on interactive maps now gives extra ("right-click") features

Jul.28 Smartphone GeoPDF app users

Large GeoPDF maps now available