Ventana Wilderness Forums

I hiked from Cruikshank to Silver Peak to Buckeye on the 25th. The turnoff from Cruikshank to Silver Peak is easy to pick out and follow. There is definitely a bit of bushwhacking involved, but if you remain attentive making it to Silver Peak is do-able. There is a small pile of rocks next to the trail in the brush that you want to take out to the peak.

The trails south of Silver Peak Camp (where there is water) were not as easy to find. I attempted to take the Soda Wildtrail, and followed it up some other peak (closer to the coast) whose name I do not know. Not long after this next peak (which had a cairn and survey marker, but no register that I could locate), I lost the trail. I am unsure if this was because of my inexperience (and poor judgement in not bringing a map or gps), I was on the wrong trail or it is simply too overgrown to be discernible.

[Ed: note this posting does not reference the "trail" off Buckeye Trail cited by the original poster and highlighted on his map, but rather to a route from Cruikshank Trail southwest along the old road to Silver Peak and then the "Soda Wildtrail". FYI the "Soda" survey marker is atop the chert/peak along the Soda Wildtrail - the trail/route hugs the north side of the chert outcropping]

I just did this 3ish weeks ago. Extremely overgrown, very heavy bushwacking and no water sources until I came down from the peak. But I cameled at lions den so that wasn't a problem as the spring there was flowing fine, this was the weekend before the big storm that took out the road btw.

I will sometimes refer to Alltrails for information about areas I haven't been to and sometimes I find some useful information, but I would not rely on Alltrails for any up to date or accurate information about any unofficial trails in the Ventana or Silver Peak Wildernesses; the one shown in the OP's post is a good example as it shows a trail down Villa Creek Canyon from Villa Creek Camp to Highway 1 when no such trail exists and it would be a very very difficult slog to get down that way. Also that Buckshank Ridge trail that is highlighted on the map in the OP's post is not a trail at all and involves some serious bushwhacking and route finding. The only reliable information sources are those posted by Jack on https://bigsurtrailmap.net/, and the paper map put out by Green Trails--https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/big-sur-ventana-wilderness-ca-no-125sx-green-trails-maps.

All this talk about the trails makes me want to get out there, hopefully it will reopen soon!

I love that map ! But it would be a bad idea to plan a trip using that. Several fascinating trails are shown but don't exist. And at least one that should be shown but is not (Villa Camp to Alder Creek Camp). I have seen the trail from Villa camp down to highway one on several maps, but was that ever a trail?

Once Silver Peak Wilderness opens up...
Definitely read all the comments in the discussion that is linked in Jim Ringland's prior post as among those comments were some very detailed first-hand information from several folks who have spent a bit of time in the Silver Peak environs. As I said in my post in that discussion--much of that territory is not for the faint of heart!

There was a discussion about this route and others in the area back in April 2019. See the thread "Help Wanted! Loop through Silver Peak" at http://www.ventanawild.org/forums/ventana-discussion/1796 .

There's definitely no official trail, it's an old dozer line that folks use as a cross country route. As Mr. Felsman indicates, the entire wilderness is closed, but once it's open again, please use the maps at- https://bigsurtrailmap.net/
Alltrails & Caltopo have basically no quality control & are not to be trusted, especially in the Big Sur region.

The route you speak of may be a deer trail or heavily overgrown. Be prepared for some heavy bushwhacking.

At this time the Silver Peak Wilderness is closed to the general public. It will remain closed until the Dolan Fire is declared out.

Is there an official trail that runs past Silver Peak? CalTopo and AllTrails shows a trail running from Lion Den Campground, past Silver Peak, and connecting north to Buckeye Trail.

And does anyone have water source information? Seasonal streams or creeks?