Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
upslope as spring advances. On clear days from the summit you'll catch glimpses of
the Sierra Nevada across the Salinas and San Joaquin Valleys.
The best time to summit is during the wet season (November through April),
when air quality is best and temperatures are moderate along this exposed route. Snow
blankets the mountain at higher elevations after winter storms. Ticks thrive as tem-
peratures rise, while summer brings an onslaught of flies, soaring temperatures, and
blankets of fog that obscure coastal views.
Forged by the Forest Service in the early 1900s, the Santa Lucia Trail historically
linked Indian Station to Arroyo Seco Campground with a detour to Junipero Serra
Peak, formerly known as Sta'yokale among local American Indians.
The trail served as the only access through the eastern section of the Ventana
Wilderness until Arroyo Seco Road was completed in 1939. Though its northern and
southern trailheads remain open today, they are not regularly maintained. In places,
the tread is faint and head-high brush aggressively encroaches on the trail.
