Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trip 18
NATURE TRAIL
LENGTH AND TYPE: 0.6-mile out-and-back
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: Stroll through oak woodlands and ancient redwood groves on this 30-minute self-guided
nature tour.
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD:
From the park entrance, head to the stop sign, then con-
tinue straight past Big Sur Lodge. Immediately past the lodge, the road forks. Continue
straight for 0.1 mile to the next fork, then veer left. Drive a quarter mile farther, by-
passing the campfire center parking lot for the smaller lot beside a picnic area. The
trailhead is opposite this lot.
TRIP SUMMARY:
This self-guided, 30-minute stroll through oak woodlands and a mag-
nificent redwood forest is the perfect way to experience the park's diverse plant life.
Informative pamphlets at either end of the trail describe two of the five major resident
plant communities. Your $0.25 donation supports the Big Sur Natural History Associ-
ation.
Trip Description
You'll start on a level trail that meanders beneath sprawling
live oaks,
fragrant bay
trees, and twisting sycamores, whose bark may remind you of a jigsaw puzzle. A dozen
numbered posts correlate to brochure entries, helping you identify plants and animals
common to these unique forest communities.
By the tenth post (0.2 mile, 300'), you'll have entered a
redwood grove,
marked
by dramatic changes in vegetation. Little sunshine penetrates the dense redwood can-
opy, creating a dark, cool microclimate. These ancient giants lie at the southern limit
of their range, in a much warmer, drier climate than that associated with Pacific North-
west redwood groves. Only along the small creeks and rivers that slice the Big Sur
coast are they able to find adequate moisture to survive. The adverse conditions pre-
vent these redwoods from obtaining the impressive size and lifespan of their northern
counterparts. Nonetheless, redwoods have thrived along the
Big Sur River
for thou-
sands of years, their broad shallow roots taking hold in rich deposits of alluvial soil
along the riverbank.
