by Jim Ringland » Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:23 pm
Date Hiked: March 23, 2025
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)
I went in on the 23rd, stayed at Vicente Flat the nights of the 23rd and 24th, and exited back to Hwy 1 on the 25th.
"Heavily used and well-maintained" certainly fits, although this is wild Big Sur, not a manicured park. Mainly in the 1/2 mile or so northeast of Espinosa Camp, there are a few small issues: some minor trail slumping; a few places were some strands of PO, gooseberry, ceanothus, etc. need to be nudged away; one spot where a small washout requires a few larger than normal steps over some rocks; two trivial step-overs. None of this is going to slow anybody down for long.
Vicente Flat Camp was its usual busy self, but let me offer a gentle complaint. There's an awful lot of campsite construction, some of which would be too much in a front country campground, much less 5 miles back into the wilds. Probably worst is the area right at the base of that glorious 15-20 foot diameter redwood shortly after one descends into the area and before the Hare Creek crossing. Oversized fire ring rather too close to the base of the tree. Big sitting longs, one of which butts up against the tree. Other debris scattered about. I like and use established campsites, but if I had been out with a group rather than hiking solo, I'd have done some deconstruction here.
[b]Date Hiked:[/b] March 23, 2025
[b]General Condition:[/b] Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)
I went in on the 23rd, stayed at Vicente Flat the nights of the 23rd and 24th, and exited back to Hwy 1 on the 25th.
"Heavily used and well-maintained" certainly fits, although this is wild Big Sur, not a manicured park. Mainly in the 1/2 mile or so northeast of Espinosa Camp, there are a few small issues: some minor trail slumping; a few places were some strands of PO, gooseberry, ceanothus, etc. need to be nudged away; one spot where a small washout requires a few larger than normal steps over some rocks; two trivial step-overs. None of this is going to slow anybody down for long.
Vicente Flat Camp was its usual busy self, but let me offer a gentle complaint. There's an awful lot of campsite construction, some of which would be too much in a front country campground, much less 5 miles back into the wilds. Probably worst is the area right at the base of that glorious 15-20 foot diameter redwood shortly after one descends into the area and before the Hare Creek crossing. Oversized fire ring rather too close to the base of the tree. Big sitting longs, one of which butts up against the tree. Other debris scattered about. I like and use established campsites, but if I had been out with a group rather than hiking solo, I'd have done some deconstruction here.
