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   I've been asked about places particularly special to visit in Big Sur wilderness areas.  The below illustrates the variety available. 


Orderings below are roughly north-to-south. 

Ventana Wilderness

• Redwood Forest:   Many camps and trails lie within a redwood forest, iconic to the coast. 
  Easiest access: 
  · (Old) Coast Road (dirt, seaonally gated)
  · Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park: Pfeiffer Falls Trail   Photo  
  · Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Ewoldsen Loop Trail
  · Limekiln State Park: Limekiln Trail
  Notable backcountry examples: 
  · Western and eastern ends of Little Sur Trail
  · Western end of Pine Ridge Trail
  · Redwood Camp
  · Vicente Flat Camp  

• Ridge views of Big Sur coastline:   Any trail which climbs steeply upward from CA Route 1. 
  Notable examples: 
  · Boronda Trail
  · North Coast Ridge Road (dirt, gated)
  · Cone Peak Sea-to-Sky Route

• Waterfalls:   Click on waterfall icons on Big Sur Trailmap. 
Flow varies greatly between wet and dry seasons
  State Parks:
  National Forest with nearby trails:

• Endemic Santa Lucia Fir:   Rarest fir in North America, possibly the world, found only in the Santa Lucia Mountains - with scattered growth on steep northeast-facing slopes.  Recognized by its distinctive spire-like shape with dropped branches.  Photo
  Notable examples: 
  · Pine Ridge Trail:  Map   Photo
  · Big Sur Trail:  Map   Photo
  · Cone Peak area (Gamboa & North Coast Ridge Trails):  Map   Photo

• Pat Spring Camp:   Map+Photos  Wonderful view of iconic Ventana "The Window" ridge (Ventana Double Cone to Kandlbinder) from ridgeline, where can camp if not windy.

• Ventana Double Cone:   Map+Photos  View into the heart of the Ventana Wilderness.  The traditional route is overnighting at Pat Spring with a out-and-back dayhike to the peak. 

• Carmel River Trail:   Map+Photos  Hiking along (and in, for its many crossings), an quintessential Big Sur stream.  Hot in summer. 

• Pine Valley:   Map+Photos   Meadowed valley with pines and rocks.  A favorite with many due to its relatively easy access from Tassajara Road (dirt).

• Lost Valley:   Map+Photos   Isolated large meadowed valley.  For those seeking more solitude than Pine Valley.

• Sykes Hot Spring:   Map   The iconic redwood hot spring, but often overcrowded so not a "wilderness experience".  See Sykes Camp info. 

• "Wind Caves":   Map+Photos   Sculpted sandstone along southern end of Church Creek Trail. 

• Arroyo Seco Gorge:   Map+Photos   Deep canyon narrows in gorge, isolated swimming holes  

• "The Rocks":   Map   Sandstone formation around Santa Lucia Memorial Campground.  Best viewed from above on the surrounding Santa Lucia Trail or Carrizo Trail.  (Not to be confused with similar "The Rocks" formation in inaccessible eastern end of Ventana Wilderness.)

• Cone Peak:   Map   Pano photo   Steepest rise from ocean to mountaintop on Pacific Coast. 
  Accessible via: 
  · Vicente Flat Camp (for redwood experience)
  · Stone Ridge direct, via "Sea-to-Sky" Route (off-trail, steep!)
  · Cone Peak Road (gated during rainy season)

• Cone Peak Loop: (aka Stone Ridge Loop)   Map+Photos  Contouring above ocean amid redwoods with Big Sur ocean views. 


Silver Peak Wilderness

• Redwood Forest:   Many camps and trails lie within a redwood forest, iconic to the coast. 
  Notable examples: 
  · Mansfield Ravine Trail
  · Villa Creek Camp  

• Ridge views of Big Sur coastline:   Any trail which climbs steeply upward from CA Route 1. 
  Notable examples: 
  · Prewitt Ridge Usetrail
  · County Line Road and Ridge Usetrail (dirt, gated)
  · Baldwin Ranch Road (dirt, gated)

• Endemic Santa Lucia Fir:   Rarest fir in North America, possibly the world, found only in the Santa Lucia Mountains - with scattered growth on steep northeast-facing slopes.  Recognized by its distinctive spire-like shape with dropped branches.  Photo
  Notable example: 
  · Lion Den Botanical Area (Cruikshank Trail):  Map   Photo
    Also in Lion Den Botanical Area, rare serpentine endemic Sargent Cypress  Map   Photo

• Prewitt Ridge Campground:   Map   Photo   Fabulous views of coast plus iconic Stone Ridge with Cone Peak and Twin Peak (considered the steepest mountain slope to an ocean in the US) 

• Salmon Creek Falls:   Map   Photo   Split falls with a large flow (and many visitors since it is close to a highway). 

• Salmon Creek Trail:   Map+Photos  Hiking along a river with several falls/rapids in addition to Salmon Creek Falls 

• Dutra Flat:   Map   Photo   Large grassy meadow - tenacious pear and peach trees at Dutra homestead site (but unpleasant when cattle present) 

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.

© The information and data on this webpage copyrighted by John W. (Jack) Glendening.  Data license