Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trip 45
HIDING CANYON & ROUND ROCK CAMPS
LENGTH AND TYPE: 20.4-mile out-and-back, loop, or point-to-point
RATING: Strenuous
TRAIL CONDITION: Potentially impassable due to high water crossing along the Carmel River during
the wet season, abundant poison oak, trail washouts, and faint tread
HIGHLIGHTS: Hike backcountry trails through narrow gorges, past waterfalls and deep swimming holes,
to remote, peaceful camps.
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD:
This hike begins at the Los Padres Dam Trailhead.
TRIP SUMMARY:
The Carmel River Trail offers numerous day-hiking and backpacking
opportunities. Highlights along this 15.2-mile trail include Bluff, Carmel River, and
Hiding Canyon Camps, the gorge below Round Rock Camp, Pine Valley, and Pine
Falls. (For a description of the upper Carmel River Trail, see
TRIP 49 Pine Valley
.
)
The well-established yet overgrown trail meanders through the Carmel River
canyon, carpeted with ferns and shaded by deciduous trees. The best time to hike this
route is in fall, as temperatures are mild, water levels are low, ticks and flies have di-
minished, and autumn colors burst forth from mature sycamores, maples, oaks, and
alders that line the river. Heavy rainfall may end your hike at Bluff Camp, as the
Carmel River and its tributaries can rise a few feet, making passage hazardous. Be
aware of changing weather conditions before entering the narrow canyon. If you're
headed to Hiding Canyon Camp, regardless of the season, expect to forge or boulder-
hop the river more than two dozen times. Walking sticks and river shoes are a big help.
Trip Description
See
TRIP 44 Bluff & Carmel River Camps
for the first 4.5 miles of this route to
Carmel River Camp.
Just upstream from the main site at Carmel River Camp (1220') the trail crosses
the river and follows a bend west beneath a filtering canopy of maples, sycamores, and
alders. Few people venture beyond the camp, and poison oak encroaches on the little-
used trail beyond. At times, you may find yourself waist high in this highly toxic plant.
Watch for the plant's distinctive three-leaf cluster. Hungry ticks also lay in wait for un-
suspecting hikers. Wear long pants and check every few minutes for hitchhiking pests.
