Ventana Wilderness Alliance

The Carrizo Trail is one of the most historically  important trails in the Ventana Wilderness. Prior to  the completion of Highway 1 in 1937, many of the south coast Big Sur homestead families, including the Harlans, Danis, Gamboas, and Lopezes, used the  Carrizo Trail as their main connection with civilization at Jolon and King City in the Salinas Valley. Several times a year they herded cattle, pigs, goats, and even turkeys to market over the Coast Range via the Carrizo Trail, returning with the necessary supplies to sustain their remote existence.

The Carrizo Trail’s eastern terminus is at the scenic Wagon Cave Plains in the upper San Antonio Valley. Heading westward, it climbs steeply up to the coast ridge, passing through intriguing sandstone formations and oak forests before topping out at its juncture with the Coast Ridge Trail beneath majestic old-growth sugar pines. When combined with the Gamboa Trail, Stone Ridge Trail, and Vicente Trail, the Carrizo Trail allows backcountry travelers to make a complete traverse of the coast range from inland valley to the Pacific shore.

 Trail Conditions for Carrizo Trail

The Stone Ridge Trail in the Ventana Wilderness  offers hikers the quintessential “Big Sur experience.” This incredibly scenic trail takes backcountry  travelers through deep old-growth redwood forests, over sunny, oak-studded ridges, through grassy meadowlands, and across babbling mountain streams, while offering some of the best coastal views to be found anywhere in the northern  Santa Lucia Mountains. It also makes possible, in conjunction with the historic Gamboa (Carrizo) Trail, a popular weekend loop trip that circumnavigates 5,155-foot-high Cone Peak.

From where it starts on Cone Peak Road, the Stone Ridge Trail descends to spacious, redwood-shaded Vicente Flat Camp before contouring north across the coastal slope. It eventually crosses each and every fork of Limekiln Creek as well as its namesake—Stone Ridge—with its stunning views of the Big Sur Coast. Along the way to Goat Camp on the west fork of the creek, the trail passes through the Cone Peak Gradient Research Natural Area, offering not only exceptional recreational opportunities but important scientific research access as well.

Update 1-11-2010 - the Stone Ridge trail is not currently passable except for the most die hard Ventanaphiles who have also previously successfully traversed this trail.  Work is planned for the Spring of 2010 and should be passable by May 2010 if not sooner.

Trail Conditions for Stone Ridge Trail

Completely traversing the Ventana Wilderness from 5,000-foot-high Chews Ridge to Big Sur Station, the Pine Ridge is the most popular trail in the Ventana Region. Built in 1916 by the Post family of Big Sur, the Pine Ridge Trail offers hikers and equestrians a
complete array of backcountry camps to enjoy. The western half has streamside and redwood-shaded Terrace Creek, Barlow, Sykes and Redwood Camps, while the eastern portion of the trail offers montane conifer and mixed hardwood forested ridges and meadows at Pine Ridge, Divide and Pine Valley camps.

With the dedicated and secure parking area at Big Sur Station, the western Pine Ridge trailhead there is the wilderness entry point of choice for many backcountry travelers. While many use it for access to the beautiful riverside camps along the wild and scenic Big Sur River, it also makes possible a number of outstanding loop trips in the Ventana Wilderness.

Trail Conditions for Pine Ridge Trail

Winter travelers in the Ventana Wilderness are particularly fond of the Ventana Double Cone Trail, due to the fact that its entire length runs along high, warm, sunny ridgelines rather than the deeper, cooler canyon alternatives. From the trailhead at Bottchers Gap, the Trail climbs up and over Skinner Ridge and Devils Peak, passing through some of  the most impressive madrone forest to be found  anywhere. It follows the forested ridge between the Little Sur River and Carmel River watershed to the north, passing by a number of excellent camps— Comings, Pat Spring, Little Pine, and Lone Pine— before arriving at its namesake, the summit of  Ventana Double Cone. If any specific location could  be considered the heart of the Ventana Wilderness, the Double Cone summit is it. With lofty views in  every direction, including the vast Pacific Ocean to the west, this remote mountaintop was once the site of a fire lookout—and for good reason.

When combined with the Pine Ridge Trail, Carmel River Trail, and Manuel Peak Trail, the Ventana Double Cone Trail offers what is known as the “grand loop” of the Ventana Wilderness, a more than 50-mile route beginning and ending in Big Sur and taking in some of the most beautiful country the wilderness has to offer.

Trail Conditions for Ventana Double Cone Trail