Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As the trail climbs toward
Skinner Ridge,
it roller coasters through minor gul-
lies, crossing three small seasonal springs in the Mill Creek drainage. The first is the
largest, and if you're not bound for
Apple Tree
or
Turner Creek Camps,
this is the
last water you'll see for at least 5 miles in summer and fall. The route from here is
shady and viewless due to dense, 10- to 15-foot-high thickets of brush, dominated by
different species of ceanothus.
After 2 miles of steep ascents and descents, the dense growth abruptly gives way
to an open grassy knoll atop Skinner Ridge, highlighted by bracken ferns and season-
al wildflowers. The
Skinner Ridge viewpoint
(2.1 miles, 3370') lies just off the trail
to the left. Vibrant wildflowers and green budding plants explode from the hillsides
following winter rains. In summer, sprawling oaks and madrones offer a shady spot
to rest. Some of the largest madrones in Big Sur grow along this ridge.
All too soon you must leave the ridge and begin a steep, 280-foot drop in less
than a quarter mile to a saddle and the
Turner Creek Trail junction
(2.8 miles,
3180').
SIDE TRIP
Turner Creek Trail
descends into a broad gully that closely follows the
Church
Creek Fault.
A dense canopy of madrones shelters a sparse understory, except for
the poison oak that grows aggressively alongside and sometimes on the trail. A
quarter mile farther you'll arrive at
Apple Tree Camp
(3.1 miles, 2920'), which of-
fers two small sites. To the right, the first site lies amid the shade of bays and white
alders a few yards from
Turner Creek
's seasonal headwater stream. The second site
is nestled alongside the stream, and in wet season, the water gurgles along small
mossy pools. Out of season, this creek may run dry, and to find water, you must con-
tinue down to
Turner Creek Camp
(4.8 miles, 2790').
Unfortunately, the trail from Apple Tree to Turner Creek is heavily overgrown.
Just past Apple Tree's second campsite, you'll cross the creek and battle through a
dense understory of blackberries, cow parsnip, thimbleberries, and tangles of poison
oak. The gradual 1.5-mile descent crosses the creek three more times, then follows
the north bank to the camp. The first site lies in the shade of white alders and an
atypical walnut tree. The lush understory boasts spectacular spring wildflowers and
bountiful berries by late summer. Also beware the mosquitoes and flies that flourish
this time of year.
From the Turner Creek Trail junction, the main route heads northeast along the
Big Pines Trail.
This trail is well cleared of brush, though that could change in the
future. The route skirts the ridgetop, crossing a firebreak that was bulldozed during
fires in the late 1990s. The subsequent passage of many hikers has created a clear trail
