Date Hiked: April 9, 2025
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
We hiked from the North Coast Trail, down the Lost Valley Connector Trail.
We were following somewhat outdated digital trail maps that showed a beginning to the trail somewhat east of where it actually begins today, and we somewhat stupidly followed the map... there was only the faintest sign of an old trail, and lots of bushwacking for a quarter or half a mile until we suddenly came upon the maintained trail and it was obvious what happened.
We should have gone further east on the North Coast Trail to find the real trail.
Anyway, from there, the trail is largely very very steep, and somewhat overgrown, but with lots of flagging and no problem finding our way.
Thanks to volunteers who have obviously done work recently to clear the worst of the overgrowth.
[Ed-jg: for future hikers, this trail is accurate on maps at https://bigsurtrailmap.net, including the downloadable gpx tracks, correctly showing the southern access.]
Lost Valley Connector Trail
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: December 20, 2024
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
VWA trail crew volunteers worked on the one brushy section of this connector. We probably didn't leave enough flagging last January. But the additional trees that came down didn't help. We focused on the unburned section about a third of the way down from the North Coast Ridge Trail, and made it wide through there. Below where we worked, it is still brushy, with some trees down, but we left enough flagging that hikers should be able to find their way. We also cleared the top quarter mile, where the trail contours north to meet the North Coast Ridge Trail. There is a metal post on the fire break marking the start of this trail. However we cleared out a direct route to the NCRT. Either way works. We didn't check out the alternate route that leads to the NCRT heading south.
After photos show the trail through the brushy section. Volunteers grubbed out an enormous manzanita. And the junction with the NCRT, showing the fire break heading steeply up the ridge to the right.
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
VWA trail crew volunteers worked on the one brushy section of this connector. We probably didn't leave enough flagging last January. But the additional trees that came down didn't help. We focused on the unburned section about a third of the way down from the North Coast Ridge Trail, and made it wide through there. Below where we worked, it is still brushy, with some trees down, but we left enough flagging that hikers should be able to find their way. We also cleared the top quarter mile, where the trail contours north to meet the North Coast Ridge Trail. There is a metal post on the fire break marking the start of this trail. However we cleared out a direct route to the NCRT. Either way works. We didn't check out the alternate route that leads to the NCRT heading south.
After photos show the trail through the brushy section. Volunteers grubbed out an enormous manzanita. And the junction with the NCRT, showing the fire break heading steeply up the ridge to the right.
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AandA
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: May 26, 2024
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
We were hoping to hike down into Lost Valley from NCRT to complete a 3-day Carrizo/NCRT/Lost Valley clockwise backpacking loop out of Memorial Park. The upper contour section of the trail was flagged from the junction stake and mostly follow-able, albeit with more poison oak than we would've liked. But when we got to the start of the descent at the nose of the ridge, the pines and brush suddenly became very thick, and we couldn't find the next ribbon. We decided we didn't have it in us to push 1500+ feet down to the valley and still make it back to our car the next day, so we camped the last night up on the ridge and exited via Rodeo Flat/Arroyo Seco instead (Arroyo Seco was no prize either, but at least it was shorter and all downhill). Maybe conditions on Lost Valley Connector are better further down, given the recent maintenance? But compared to most of NCRT which truly was a Passable/Yellow rating, this one deserves a Difficult/Orange.
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
We were hoping to hike down into Lost Valley from NCRT to complete a 3-day Carrizo/NCRT/Lost Valley clockwise backpacking loop out of Memorial Park. The upper contour section of the trail was flagged from the junction stake and mostly follow-able, albeit with more poison oak than we would've liked. But when we got to the start of the descent at the nose of the ridge, the pines and brush suddenly became very thick, and we couldn't find the next ribbon. We decided we didn't have it in us to push 1500+ feet down to the valley and still make it back to our car the next day, so we camped the last night up on the ridge and exited via Rodeo Flat/Arroyo Seco instead (Arroyo Seco was no prize either, but at least it was shorter and all downhill). Maybe conditions on Lost Valley Connector are better further down, given the recent maintenance? But compared to most of NCRT which truly was a Passable/Yellow rating, this one deserves a Difficult/Orange.
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Guest
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: April 15, 2024
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
Brush is mostly avoidable. Keep an eye out for flagging is it is easy to go astray here.
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
Brush is mostly avoidable. Keep an eye out for flagging is it is easy to go astray here.
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: February 11, 2024
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
This 1.6 mile trail (aka Summit Trail) is a steep climb if ascending from Lost Valley. A few more large knobcone pine snags were toppled over onto the trail in recent strong wind events, but otherwise conditions are much the same as described by Betsy from January 5, 2024. Thanks Betsy and Crew for adding flagging and cutting some brush in confusing spots. I recommend having GPX of the trail from Big Sur Trailmap.
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
This 1.6 mile trail (aka Summit Trail) is a steep climb if ascending from Lost Valley. A few more large knobcone pine snags were toppled over onto the trail in recent strong wind events, but otherwise conditions are much the same as described by Betsy from January 5, 2024. Thanks Betsy and Crew for adding flagging and cutting some brush in confusing spots. I recommend having GPX of the trail from Big Sur Trailmap.
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: January 5, 2024
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
We hiked from the North Coast Ridge Trail to the Lost Valley Trail, and back. We cleared most of the large and small deadfall so the trail condition is now somewhere between Passable and Clear. About 80% of the trail burned in the Dolan Fire in 2020, and those sections are easy walking. In the unburned sections we cut back brush and added flagging to help hikers find the route. We used the GPX track from bigsurtrailmap.net and it was invaluable in locating the trail.
From the NCRT, a metal post marks the start of the trail. There is no sign. The trail contours for a quarter mile across the hillside, to where it reaches a main ridgeline. From there the trail follows the ridgeline all the way down to the Lost Valley Trail. As noted in a previous report, if you are hiking uphill, you need to watch for the turn at this point (36.13037,-121.55596). The contour section doesn't have much tread, but it also doesn't have much brush, making it a pretty easy section. We found water at a drainage just before the contour comes out on the ridgeline. I wouldn't count on this water being there through the summer, however.
The route can be confusing in the unburned sections. Watch for cut brush and flagging. On the hike down, we were happy to see rock water bars - and also some dirt water bars that looked like dozer construction - since that meant we were on the trail.
Previous trail reports mention the forest of knobcone pines, presumably sprouted since the Soberanes Fire in 2016. They were mostly killed in 2020 in the Dolan Fire. We pulled out or knocked down the dead saplings. Where larger knobcone pines had fallen across the trail, we sawed them so hikers could get through. In a few spots, living knobcone pines did not burn, and more are resprouting, many right in the middle of the trail. We cut back some of these as well.
At the junction with the Lost Valley Trail we found the wooden sign still attached to its post, but it was lying on the ground. The sign points to both directions on the Lost Valley Trail but there is no sign for the Lost Valley Connector Trail.
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
We hiked from the North Coast Ridge Trail to the Lost Valley Trail, and back. We cleared most of the large and small deadfall so the trail condition is now somewhere between Passable and Clear. About 80% of the trail burned in the Dolan Fire in 2020, and those sections are easy walking. In the unburned sections we cut back brush and added flagging to help hikers find the route. We used the GPX track from bigsurtrailmap.net and it was invaluable in locating the trail.
From the NCRT, a metal post marks the start of the trail. There is no sign. The trail contours for a quarter mile across the hillside, to where it reaches a main ridgeline. From there the trail follows the ridgeline all the way down to the Lost Valley Trail. As noted in a previous report, if you are hiking uphill, you need to watch for the turn at this point (36.13037,-121.55596). The contour section doesn't have much tread, but it also doesn't have much brush, making it a pretty easy section. We found water at a drainage just before the contour comes out on the ridgeline. I wouldn't count on this water being there through the summer, however.
The route can be confusing in the unburned sections. Watch for cut brush and flagging. On the hike down, we were happy to see rock water bars - and also some dirt water bars that looked like dozer construction - since that meant we were on the trail.
Previous trail reports mention the forest of knobcone pines, presumably sprouted since the Soberanes Fire in 2016. They were mostly killed in 2020 in the Dolan Fire. We pulled out or knocked down the dead saplings. Where larger knobcone pines had fallen across the trail, we sawed them so hikers could get through. In a few spots, living knobcone pines did not burn, and more are resprouting, many right in the middle of the trail. We cut back some of these as well.
At the junction with the Lost Valley Trail we found the wooden sign still attached to its post, but it was lying on the ground. The sign points to both directions on the Lost Valley Trail but there is no sign for the Lost Valley Connector Trail.
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Rose Mo
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: June 6, 2020
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)
My friend and I began our loop at St. Lucia, expecting the Lost Valley Connecter to be tough. We are hardy backpackers and have done long trails including the Tahoe Rim Trail and Lost Coast. Hikers beware! The first section of the trail is followable, yet seems to peter out near the top of a ridge, within view of the north ridge trail. We spent an hour following many false trail leads, clearly tread by unfortunate hikers like ourselves that lost the path. After an hour we turned back defeated, only to discover a pile of rocks on the way back down, with a small path beside it leading to North Ridge. Super easy to miss. The rest of LVC was unbelievably overgrown, and while the path was discernible, I strongly discourage using this trail unless you enjoy getting torn to shreds and and covered in poison oak. I believe if people continue to use the trail in the current condition, there will be necessity for a rescue before long.
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)
My friend and I began our loop at St. Lucia, expecting the Lost Valley Connecter to be tough. We are hardy backpackers and have done long trails including the Tahoe Rim Trail and Lost Coast. Hikers beware! The first section of the trail is followable, yet seems to peter out near the top of a ridge, within view of the north ridge trail. We spent an hour following many false trail leads, clearly tread by unfortunate hikers like ourselves that lost the path. After an hour we turned back defeated, only to discover a pile of rocks on the way back down, with a small path beside it leading to North Ridge. Super easy to miss. The rest of LVC was unbelievably overgrown, and while the path was discernible, I strongly discourage using this trail unless you enjoy getting torn to shreds and and covered in poison oak. I believe if people continue to use the trail in the current condition, there will be necessity for a rescue before long.
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: May 23, 2020
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
I hadn't done this one in a while. I headed uphill, and got a fairly early start.
The lower mile or so wasn't too bad. Most of the "brush" on the lower section actually consisted of knobcone pine seedlings or small trees of various sizes. As time goes by perhaps these will become more of a problem.
Brush on the last half mile increased quite a bit, and became the more usual manzanita and other shrubby stuff. There was some poison oak as well.
I got to a left-hand turn (heading uphill) where a nice, open rock outcropping made for a scenic overlook. The breeze there was nice, and kept the biting flies at bay. This might have been within the last / upper quarter mile of it, where it becomes less firebreak and more trail.
Following that I spent some time sawing an interlocking section of small blowdowns, which was ugly. It could certainly use more work.
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
I hadn't done this one in a while. I headed uphill, and got a fairly early start.
The lower mile or so wasn't too bad. Most of the "brush" on the lower section actually consisted of knobcone pine seedlings or small trees of various sizes. As time goes by perhaps these will become more of a problem.
Brush on the last half mile increased quite a bit, and became the more usual manzanita and other shrubby stuff. There was some poison oak as well.
I got to a left-hand turn (heading uphill) where a nice, open rock outcropping made for a scenic overlook. The breeze there was nice, and kept the biting flies at bay. This might have been within the last / upper quarter mile of it, where it becomes less firebreak and more trail.
Following that I spent some time sawing an interlocking section of small blowdowns, which was ugly. It could certainly use more work.
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Hydro-Logic
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:21 am
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: May 22, 2020
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
The infamous Lost Valley Connector. I've done this a few times over the last 10 years. This time was by far the worst I had seen it. From the top the first 1/4 mile is hardcore encroaching brush and faint, slumping tread. Without GPS and Jack's AMAZING maps this woudl have been tough. We had loppers and gloves and tried to do our best as we hiked. We didn't buff it out by any means but we did spend a bit of time clearing the worst of it. I feel like someone behind us woudl have a relatively easy time staying n the trail and not getting scratched up to all hell. Still needs work. A two person crew could clear it in a day.
the bottom 3/4 is very easy to follow and doesn't have much brush. It's steep, it's hot, it's exposed but hell it's the Ventana. A few hours of work will have the bottom 3/4 of the trail in prime shape
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
The infamous Lost Valley Connector. I've done this a few times over the last 10 years. This time was by far the worst I had seen it. From the top the first 1/4 mile is hardcore encroaching brush and faint, slumping tread. Without GPS and Jack's AMAZING maps this woudl have been tough. We had loppers and gloves and tried to do our best as we hiked. We didn't buff it out by any means but we did spend a bit of time clearing the worst of it. I feel like someone behind us woudl have a relatively easy time staying n the trail and not getting scratched up to all hell. Still needs work. A two person crew could clear it in a day.
the bottom 3/4 is very easy to follow and doesn't have much brush. It's steep, it's hot, it's exposed but hell it's the Ventana. A few hours of work will have the bottom 3/4 of the trail in prime shape
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CoyoteRyan
Re: Lost Valley Connector Trail
Date Hiked: May 25, 2019
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
We tried to hike this from North Coast Ridge Trail down into Lost Valley but turned around after the first 100 feet. The trail was heavily overgrown, but it seemed possible to see the tread. It may potentially clear up as you move down the ridge. It was shortly before dark when we reached the trail intersection and as such didn't want to find ourselves on a trail of this quality with just headlamps.
General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread)
We tried to hike this from North Coast Ridge Trail down into Lost Valley but turned around after the first 100 feet. The trail was heavily overgrown, but it seemed possible to see the tread. It may potentially clear up as you move down the ridge. It was shortly before dark when we reached the trail intersection and as such didn't want to find ourselves on a trail of this quality with just headlamps.
