Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIDE TRIP
Sprawled along a 0.1-mile stretch of the Big Sur,
Sykes Camp
offers campers their
choice of 10 sites. The best lie upstream from the Pine Ridge Trail.
From the trail junction, cross the river and head upstream to a sandy beach and
adjacent emerald pool. This wet ford can be swift and treacherous in winter as the
river swells. You'll soon reach the first of six sites, with room for up to two tents
beneath live oaks and madrones. Fifty feet farther upstream, you'll reach a pit toi-
let amid three large redwoods. The second and third sites lie nearby along a narrow
gravel bench. Each can accommodate up to three tents.
A larger fourth site is perched above the rocky bank in the shade of fragrant
bays, madrones, and live oaks, whose roots grasp riverside boulders. Secluded pools
below this site are often less crowded than pools closer to the hot springs. Perch atop
the sun-baked boulders and watch small trout dart between the white water cascades
and calm pools.
Beyond the fourth site, the camp trail leads 60 feet upstream, crosses the river,
and emerges on a sandy beach beside another attractive pool. Just above this pool lies
the fifth site, which can accommodate up to two tents. Onward, 80 feet past a bend,
is the similarly small sixth site, atop a sandy flat bordered by a smooth rock face and
alders.
Downstream, the unmarked 0.4-mile spur to
Sykes Hot Springs
is heavily used
and easy to follow—ignore erroneous descriptions of bushwhacking from camp.
Those who want to keep their feet dry will have to navigate sheer rock faces laced
with poison oak. The preferred route requires a few boulder-hops or wades that may
be difficult or impassable in rainy season.
From where the Pine Ridge Trail crosses the Big Sur, head downstream along
the south bank 25 feet to the first crossing. Onward, you'll pass a small single-tent
site, recross the river, and reach two more sites, equipped with a pit toilet. Beyond
the third site, the trail crosses the river twice in 100 feet and arrives at a fourth site.
A third of a mile downstream, you'll catch a whiff of sulfur from the first of several
small hot seeps.
The trail ascends 60 feet to the first of three small pools, each large enough for
up to four adults. Directly below the pool lies a stone- and sandbag-lined hot tub, 6
feet across and 2 to 3 feet deep. Perched beside the clear, bracing waters of the Big
Sur, these mineral-rich 100°F pools are among Ventana's most popular destinations.
Don't expect a private soak in summer or on weekends and holidays in spring and
fall.
From Sykes Camp, you'll cross the Big Sur and climb 0.3 mile to a long, narrow
saddle. Passing a rocky ledge, the trail crosses a gully and small seasonal creek. Leav-
ing the canyon, switchbacks climb to a south-trending ridge (10.6 miles, 1680'), offer-
ing impressive views down the Big Sur's steep
North Fork
and
South Fork
drain-
ages. The terrain and temperatures vary widely as the brushy route leads to a second
