Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
See
TRIP 58 Ventana Camp
for the first 3.9 miles of this route to the
Ventana Camp
Trail junction
(1500').
From this junction, the
Pine Ridge Trail
ascends 70 feet and descends 260 feet
over the next 1.4 miles to
Terrace Creek Camp.
Ventana
(Spanish for window) holds
true to its name along this trail, which offers framed glimpses down the
Big Sur
drain-
age to the sheer peaks and ridges of the
Ventana Wilderness
and distant
Pacific.
Notched and barren
Ventana Double Cone
lords over the northeastern skyline. Le-
gends claim a rock bridge once connected its twin peaks, framing a window-like sum-
mit nearly 5000 feet above the ocean. Whether or not that's true, the double summit
served as a prominent landmark for Spanish vessels in the late 18th and 19th centur-
ies.
Enjoy the views, as the trail soon enters shady gullies laced with ferns and moss-
covered boulders amid seasonal springs. After a brief climb to a nearby ridge, you'll
descend south into steep, redwood-lined
Terrace Creek
canyon. Here you'll find
Terrace Creek Camp
and the
Terrace Creek Trail junction
(5.3 miles, 1320').
The small camp flanks the creek just upstream from the junction. Don't expect
solitude, as hikers stream past en route to
Sykes Camp
or back to
Big Sur Station.
You'll find one large main site for up to three tents along the east bank a few yards
from the junction, just below a pit toilet. Three smaller sites lie upstream, two down-
stream. The steep canyon remains cool even in summer heat. In spring, carpets of
redwood sorrel, mats of ferns and mosses, and delicate fairy bells line the babbling
creek to its confluence with the Big Sur. If you're bound for
Coast Ridge Road
via
the
Terrace Creek Trail,
see
TRIP 60 Highway 1 to Terrace Creek Camp
for the trail
description.
Beyond the signed camp junction, the Pine Ridge Trail ascends 510 feet and des-
cends 210 feet in the next 1.4 miles to
Barlow Flat Camp
(see
side trip
). You'll skirt
a ridge and head east along its marble slopes to two seasonal springs. Past the second
spring, the trail enters a damp redwood glen. Microclimates vary dramatically as the
trail climbs to more arid slopes and sun-drenched ridges. Across the canyon, sheer
granite walls reflect the sound of roaring rapids far below in the steep canyon.
Past a second ridge, the trail switchbacks and descends into
Logwood Creek
canyon (6.5 miles, 970'). The creek is an easy boulder-hop in all but the wettest
months. After crossing, you'll ascend 0.1 mile to a saddle, from which a short, steep
spur climbs 200 feet in 0.1 mile to a 1290-foot summit. Detour here for far-reaching
views south along the canyon. Past the spur, the trail descends 0.1 mile to the signed
Barlow Flat Camp Trail junction
(6.7 miles, 1040').
Beyond the signed camp junction, the Pine Ridge Trail ascends 900 feet and des-
cends 690 feet in the next 2.9 miles to Sykes Camp. The trail starts out on a moderate
