Date Hiked: July 4, 2026
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)

I hiked here as part of a loop in the Ventana wilderness, connecting the Big Sur River and Carmel River watersheds. Lime Point (parking) – Church Creek Trail – Pine Ridge Trail – Big Sur Trail – South Fork Trail – Marble Peak Trail – Tony Trail – Tassajara Road – Church Creek Trail – Lime Point

Marble Peak Trail from Strawberry Camp junction to Tony Trail junction: Wilderness Freeway. One of my favorite trail sections on this trip. Easy to walk, great views, interesting flora and fauna, sunny, and I met no other hikers. Just delightful. Shovel Handle Camp is small and directly by the trail and has water. Camp Creek Camp is slightly larger, but the ground looked a bit uneven but is shadier than Shovel Handle. Willow Springs Camp is huge, has a toilet and beautifully located under tall rustling oak trees. Tony Trail Camp seems less frequently used, with Willow Springs being close and more preferrable.

Date Hiked: June 28, 2026
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)

Hi all - I hiked this trail with my fiancé on June 28, and while it seems like it would be a phenomenal trail when clear, the trail is currently covered in poison oak. I hiked in from Arroyo Seco Campground, and while the trail to the Arroyo Seco River is clear, Marble Peak Trail north of the Arroyo Seco River is very difficult to pass due to the significant poison oak on the trail. I only made it a couple of miles before turning around and camping along the Arroyo Seco River.

Date Hiked: January 19, 2026
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)

The entire Marble Peak Trail is clear from Arroyo Seco all the way to Marble Peak! Huge thanks to the VWA volunteers who have spent the past year focusing on the section between Strawberry Valley and Tassajara Creek Camp, plus volunteers who have worked the section from Marble Peak to Strawberry Valley over the past several years.

Section: Arroyo Seco Road to the Arroyo Seco River crossing: freeway.
Section: Arroyo Seco River crossing. We have crossed at flow rate 227 cubic feet per second. And you could probably cross at 300 or 400 cfs if you linked up with others for safety. The best way to cross is go to the abutment, drop down to the downstream side, and walk about 20 feet. Then angle back upstream so you reach the far bank just upstream of where Tassajara Creek comes in. Then walk along the far side, upstream, to the abutment on the far side, and climb back to the trail.
Section: Arroyo Seco River to Willow Springs Camp. All good. There is one tree down between the Tony Trail and Willow Springs Camp. You can squeeze between the tree and the backslope. We don't think we can clear this tree.
Section: Willow Springs Camp to Strawberry Valley. Freeway all the way. There was one tree on the descent to Strawberry Valley. You can get over it.
Section: Strawberry Valley to Marble Peak on the North Coast Ridge Road. There was one pine tree across the trail in Indian Valley.

Notes: there is water in all the creeks, the tread is in great shape, brush has been cut back. This is a perfect time to enjoy this beautiful trail. You might consider water shoes not just to cross the Arroyo Seco, but for the 15 creek crossings between Tasssajara Creek Camp and Willow Springs Camp. Hikers have recently done out-and-back and loop hikes. We met a hiker doing a loop from Timbertop: Cold Spring, Big Sur Trail, to Church Creek Divide, to Tassajara Road, the Tony Trail, back up Marble Peak Trail to Tan Oak and out the next day to Timbertop. Another hiker going from Arroyo Seco to Strawberry, South Fork, Big Sur Trail to Pine Ridge Trail, Church Creek Divide, Church Creek Trail to Horsepasture Trail, out to Arroyo Seco. And 3 intrepid souls who hiked to Strawberry, up the Black Cone Trail, to Black Cone, and back.

Date Hiked: November 10, 2025
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

We got back to the Marble Peak Trail last weekend and were able to clear the thick sections of brush above Willow Springs Camp. We skipped ahead to the worst sections, but then we went back and connected everything. The trail up to where we have worked is Clear. I'd say Wilderness Freeway but it is not "heavily used" so I guess that disqualifies it. Plus you have to step over or duck under several trees.

Beyond our brushing, the 0.6 miles to the top of the hill are Passable. There is brush, but you can make your way through it if you are used to Ventana trails. There are 2 large oak trees to climb over. Then another 0.6 miles to reach our work coming from the Marble Peak end of the trail (0.2 miles beyond Camp Creek). This section is Difficult. We flagged all the places you might have a question about the route.

It should now be possible to use the Marble Peak Trail to make a loop hike. You could come from Arroyo Seco, at least until the River gets too high, or hike up the Horsepasture Trail or even the Tony Trail (brushy on the bottom 1/3). Maybe hike all the way to the North Coast Ridge Road, or take the South Fork Trail.

A huge thank you to the many volunteers who have contributed to this work over the past year.

Date Hiked: October 12, 2025
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)

This report is only for Tan Oak Camp to North Coast Ridge Road. Trail is in excellent shape. There are a few overgrown sections just uphill of Tan Oak Camp but no big deal really. The trail gets really good between Indian Valley and the Ridge Road. We ran into an older lady at the top who was very friendly and she said she does trail work with VWA. Bravo for all the great work that has been done on this trail!

Date Hiked: September 4, 2025
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

A couple of notes on the Marble Peak Trail. The VWA has been plugging away from the Marble Peak end of the trail. We are almost to Camp Creek from that direction. With the exception of a brushy quarter mile in Tan Oak Canyon, that entire 7-mile section is a Wilderness Freeway.

The Arroyo Seco end of the trail, which burned in the Willow Fire (2021), has gotten very brushy. VWA volunteer crews did several trips, as far as Willow Springs Camp, following the Willow Fire. Then the USFS Monterey Ranger District obtained funding to hire a contract crew last fall. They were able to clear from Tassajara Creek Camp to the Tony Trail. This effort included brushing a wide trail corridor and restoring the tread to about 3 feet. Unfortunately the brushing did not include grubbing out the alder trees, poison oak, or blackberry vines. All had resprouted vigorously over the year since the Forest Service crew worked the trail. And about 20 trees fell onto the trail, further impeding progress.

VWA volunteers spent 4 days last weekend clearing all the trees, restoring the trail to its original route in several instances, and working on the massive blackberry and poison oak overgrowth.

We noted stickers from Big Sur Rec Crew, and also that someone had been through with a machete and a chain saw. The machete work was effective at clearing alder trees, but the cut ends sticking up 2-3 feet above the ground were very hazardous, since anyone who fell on one of these cut stems could be impaled. We re-cut hundreds of small alder trees, from a half inch to 3 inches in diameter. We also cleared the cut brush, which had been left in the trail corridor. And finally, we cut and cleared all the fallen trees. Including a couple which had been cut with a chain saw, but not cleared from the trail.

People, the trails definitely need work but please make sure your trail work doesn't make things worse, or dangerous to hikers.

Trail condition: Arroyo Seco River to Tassajara Creek Camp: wilderness freeway. Tassajara Creek Camp to the Tony Trail: clear.

Date Hiked: September 2, 2025
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

After reading that last report we went out on three separate occasions and broke it thru to willow. 17cuts and a buncha brush pushed back. A few step overs still all creek crossings clear and we cleared 50yards of Tony trail at the junction, same with horse pasture as well. This trail being an old bulldozed road rad makes the work a snap. Should be easy to maintain theee conditions moving forward. Hopefully this helps get this trail open as a thru trail once again.

Date Hiked: June 28, 2025
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)

Attempted to make it to Marble from Arroyo Secco on 6/28-29

Tried to make it up to Marble for a quick overnight. Past the washed out bridge the trail is a mess. The creek crossings are numerous and miserable- dead fall everywhere, brush waist high. Wear long pants or you’ll get decimated. Mile past Willow Springs there is zero trail - you can kind of follow old flagging tape (guessing from a fire crew) but I found myself lost in 10’ brush and turned around.

Willow Springs was a negative experience with bugs, ants, and mosquitoes abound. Not worth the cuts, scrapes, and toil.

Date Hiked: June 1, 2025
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

My son and I hiked the Boronda/Coast Ridge/Marble Peak/South Fork/Big Sur trails on 6/1/25. I'm writing updates on Marble Peak, S. Fork, and Big Sur. We hiked these trails in a counter-clockwise loop. Flies were a constant nuisance; they were generally OK when moving, but headnets were nice to have when stopped for an extended time. Poison oak was horrific, mainly on S. Fork and to a lesser extent Big Sur. Aside from those nuisances, it was a fabulous day!

The Marble Peak Trail is in great condition from Coast Ridge until reaching Tan Oak Creek. It's fine after that until the S. Fork Junction, just a bit brushy. We went through here last year and the Betsy/Flyin' Brian (I know my Barkley Marathons history) trail crews' hard work is very noticeable. All the blowdowns along Tan Oak/Zig Zag creeks have been cleared. Coming down from the Higgins/Tan Oak divide towards Tan Oak there used to be a significant side slope but it's in wonderful shape now.

The entire section of trail between Indian Valley and Tan Oak Creek was particularly enjoyable; the trail is clear, with beautiful scenery and a sense of remoteness. There are great views on top of the ridge, and later at the divide between the S. Fork headwaters and Tan Oak Creek there is a wonderful view north to VDC and La Ventana. After reaching the creek, the brush and later occasional scraping of (wild rose?) bushes slows the hiking a bit but no real complaints all the way to the S. Fork Trail junction. There is still a good flow in Tan Oak and Zig Zag Creeks at this time.

I'd say CLEAR from Coast Ridge Rd. to Tan Oak Creek, then PASSABLE to the S. Fork junction. Note that when coming from Coast Ridge Rd., if you want to take the usetrail shortcut, it's a bit hard to find. But you just have to push through one or two bushes and it's clear from there. If it's difficult you're not in the right place.