Day Hikes Around Big Sur: 99 Great Hikes

Big Sur is an awesome stretch of spectacular coastline in Central California. The Santa Lucia Mountains quickly rise over 5,000 feet from the ocean. This magnificent landscape begins near Carmel at Point Lobos State Reserve and extends 75 miles south to Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County, just south of the Monterey County line. The steep coastal mountain range and rugged shoreline isolate the Big Sur country, which maintains an unspoiled, rustic charm and relaxed, leisurely pace.

This completely revised and updated edition of Day Hikes Around Big Sur includes 99 great day hikes along the coast and throughout the interior mountains. Hikes, which take from one hour to all day, range from easy beach strolls to strenuous mountain climbs with panoramic coastal vistas. The diverse terrain is a hiker’s paradise with a well-designed trail system of more than 300 miles. The network of trails venture into the beautiful canyons and across the slopes and peaks, offering unparalleled views of the mountains merging with the coastline. Along Highway 1 are endless views of the scalloped coastline and the deep blue Pacific. Awe-inspiring bridges span numerous creeks and deep canyons. Highlights along the miles of trails include isolated beaches, eroded coves with tide pools, rugged marine terraces, redwood and Monterey cypress groves, shady canyons, waterfalls dropping into mossy glens, lighthouses, and vertical cliffs with crested ridges.

Statistics, accurate driving and hiking directions, and numerous maps make these hiking adventures stress free. Dog admission information is included. Most trails can be accessed from Carmel Valley Road or Highway 1, including many beach access points.

Companion guides include Day Hikes Around Monterey and Carmel and Day Hikes On the California Central Coast.

ISBN-13: 9781573420686

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Day Hike Books - Inc.

Publication Date: 03-18-2014

Pages: 304

Product Dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

Series: Day Hikes

Since 1991, Robert Stone has been writer, photographer, and publisher of Day Hike Books. He is a Los Angeles Times Best Selling Author and an award-winning journalist of the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers, the Outdoor Writers Association of California, the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association, the Bay Area Travel Writers, and the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Robert resides summers in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and winters on the California Central Coast.

Read an Excerpt

from hike 50. Ewoldsen Trail to Canyon Falls and OverlookHiking distance: 4.5 miles round tripHiking time: 3 hoursConfiguration: out-and-back with large loop Elevation gain: 1,600 feetDifficulty: moderate to strenuousExposure: shaded forestDogs: not allowedMaps: U.S.G.S. Partington Ridge, Big Sur and Ventana Wilderness map The Ewoldsen Trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park leads through a dense coastal redwood forest in McWay Canyon. The trail crosses several bridges as it heads up to the steep ridge separating McWay and Partington Canyons. From the grassy coastal cliffs are amazing overlooks perched on the edge of the cliffs. The views extend across the park and far beyond, showcasing the jagged coastline and endless mountain ridges and valleys. En route to the ridgetop overlooks is Canyon Falls, a long, narrow, two-tiered waterfall on the South Fork of McWay Creek. The 30-foot cataract cascades off fern-covered rock cliffs in a lush grotto at the back of a serene canyon.

Show More

Table of Contents

Each hike includes statistics, a summary, driving directions, hiking directions, and a map. (1) About the hikes, overall map with hike locations (2) Point Lobos State Reserve (3) Garrapata State Park (4) Soberanes Point to Molera Point (5) Andrew Molera State Park (6) Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (7) Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (8) Garland Ranch Regional Park (9) Carmel Valley Road, Tassajara Road and Arroyo Seco Road (10) Limekiln State Park (11) Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and Cone Peak Road (12) Pacific Valley (13) Silver Peak Wilderness Area to Ragged Point (14) Index