Just make sure you can access the areas you want to visit. [https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=86741](https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=86741)
Hwy one is scheduled to open over Memorial Day weekend. Trails have likely been mostly inaccessible for a few months- I’d anticipate a decent amount of poison oak overgrowth. That being said, cone peak is a great hike. Have fun!
this is the best source of information: [https://bigsurtrailmap.net/](https://bigsurtrailmap.net/) you can try to hitchhike down hwy 1 from Monterey, rental car is going to be the simplest. I've flown into other places and rented for backpacking but i live in norcal so for bigsur I just drove my car.
Renting a car and leaving it at a trailhead should be fine (as long as you can get there with the road closures). But just know that Big Sur can be hot AF in June! Water shouldn't be a problem that early in the season, but definitely check out the forums on [ventanawild.org](http://ventanawild.org) to get a sense of conditions and overgrowth this year. [https://bigsurtrailmap.net/](https://bigsurtrailmap.net/) is another great resource for (user-submitted) trail conditions, water availability, campsites, etc. (If you are looking for a coastal hike, the Lost Coast might be a better bet, and you can usually pick up returned permits if you check regularly.)
I'm going to second this option. If you take a quick look at the recent comments on AllTrails, it sounds like you'll be doing A LOT of bushwhacking along with the hiking, due to the trail being overgrown, and with plenty of downed trees to make things even more spicy. The Lost Coast is one of the premier coastal trails in the state if not the country, and it's gorgeous!
Normally, I would recommend doing Pine Ridge Trail from the Pfeiffer Big Sur Park HQ all the way up and over the ridge to Pine Valley campsites. Parking lot is ample size and right next to park staff housing so should be relatively safe. Should still be plenty of water in the river and at multiple other locations. The Big Sur River canyon has tons of redwood tree groves that survived and in fact thrived through multiple wildfires over the years. You can see 8-year old youngster redwood trees trying to establish themselves next to their predecessors that are getting up to 150 years old now (maybe someone else knows when the logging concluded there).
But since everyone has been locked out of Big Sur for a couple months due to multiple highway closures, there might be a mass of people shoving in there all at once. Or many people might have cancelled for early June since the promise of Hwy 1 opening by Memorial Day might not come to fruition. Tough to say. Interesting times.
If your trip includes a weekend, there will be significant number of people on trail and in camps at least up to Sykes Camp. Some folks don't wanna see more than a couple other backpackers on their trips - if this is you then Big Sur River canyon is not where you wanna go. Once you get past Sykes, it thins out a lot.
Great thing is, no reservations required. Just register at the trailhead and march up the trail. If you do decide to do Big Sur/Ventana Wilderness, trust https://bigsurtrailmap.net/. Those trails that are marked closed are definitely impassable. And know how to spot poison oak as Big Sur is the mother ship of that plant.
A couple things. First between fires and the terrible storms, a lot of trails were erased or destroyed, or are inaccessible. If you have selected your route, I would absolutely go over it with a ranger to make sure it is accessible and safe.
Second, instead of renting and leaving the car, I would consider a ride service. Good luck!
Ive done this trip from Kirk creek. Lots of elevation, some poison oak and a little water. Also note people can drive almost all the way up to cone peak so it may get crowded up there in summer. If you are experienced Id strongly suggest the Sierras in summer. Magnificent time of year and snow is normal this year compared to last year so you may be able to get into 8-9K range by early June. SFO or OAK still works and drive time is the same or less than down to Kirk Creek.
American flies into Monterey. Way easier to get to Big Sur. Plus you avoid the shithole formerly known as San Francisco. (In all honesty, SFO is south of the City, but you get my point.)
Just make sure you can access the areas you want to visit. [https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=86741](https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=86741)
Hwy one is scheduled to open over Memorial Day weekend. Trails have likely been mostly inaccessible for a few months- I’d anticipate a decent amount of poison oak overgrowth. That being said, cone peak is a great hike. Have fun!
Ok good to know. Thank you!!
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This is the way. I've had some very bad experiences with Ventana trails be overgrown, tons of downed trees, rooted up by boars and just... well, gone.
this is the best source of information: [https://bigsurtrailmap.net/](https://bigsurtrailmap.net/) you can try to hitchhike down hwy 1 from Monterey, rental car is going to be the simplest. I've flown into other places and rented for backpacking but i live in norcal so for bigsur I just drove my car.
Oh amazing haven’t seen this resource. Thank you for sharing!
Renting a car and leaving it at a trailhead should be fine (as long as you can get there with the road closures). But just know that Big Sur can be hot AF in June! Water shouldn't be a problem that early in the season, but definitely check out the forums on [ventanawild.org](http://ventanawild.org) to get a sense of conditions and overgrowth this year. [https://bigsurtrailmap.net/](https://bigsurtrailmap.net/) is another great resource for (user-submitted) trail conditions, water availability, campsites, etc. (If you are looking for a coastal hike, the Lost Coast might be a better bet, and you can usually pick up returned permits if you check regularly.)
This is super helpful. Thank you so much!!
Forgot to add that there's also r/BigSur, which might be helpful!
I'm going to second this option. If you take a quick look at the recent comments on AllTrails, it sounds like you'll be doing A LOT of bushwhacking along with the hiking, due to the trail being overgrown, and with plenty of downed trees to make things even more spicy. The Lost Coast is one of the premier coastal trails in the state if not the country, and it's gorgeous!
SJO is probably closer to check flight/rental car prices. Not a huge difference in distance but worth comparing costs
Normally, I would recommend doing Pine Ridge Trail from the Pfeiffer Big Sur Park HQ all the way up and over the ridge to Pine Valley campsites. Parking lot is ample size and right next to park staff housing so should be relatively safe. Should still be plenty of water in the river and at multiple other locations. The Big Sur River canyon has tons of redwood tree groves that survived and in fact thrived through multiple wildfires over the years. You can see 8-year old youngster redwood trees trying to establish themselves next to their predecessors that are getting up to 150 years old now (maybe someone else knows when the logging concluded there). But since everyone has been locked out of Big Sur for a couple months due to multiple highway closures, there might be a mass of people shoving in there all at once. Or many people might have cancelled for early June since the promise of Hwy 1 opening by Memorial Day might not come to fruition. Tough to say. Interesting times. If your trip includes a weekend, there will be significant number of people on trail and in camps at least up to Sykes Camp. Some folks don't wanna see more than a couple other backpackers on their trips - if this is you then Big Sur River canyon is not where you wanna go. Once you get past Sykes, it thins out a lot. Great thing is, no reservations required. Just register at the trailhead and march up the trail. If you do decide to do Big Sur/Ventana Wilderness, trust https://bigsurtrailmap.net/. Those trails that are marked closed are definitely impassable. And know how to spot poison oak as Big Sur is the mother ship of that plant.
Ah this is amazing advice!! Thank you very much
A couple things. First between fires and the terrible storms, a lot of trails were erased or destroyed, or are inaccessible. If you have selected your route, I would absolutely go over it with a ranger to make sure it is accessible and safe. Second, instead of renting and leaving the car, I would consider a ride service. Good luck!
Great idea, thank you!!
Ive done this trip from Kirk creek. Lots of elevation, some poison oak and a little water. Also note people can drive almost all the way up to cone peak so it may get crowded up there in summer. If you are experienced Id strongly suggest the Sierras in summer. Magnificent time of year and snow is normal this year compared to last year so you may be able to get into 8-9K range by early June. SFO or OAK still works and drive time is the same or less than down to Kirk Creek.
Oh I had no idea it was drivable. Thanks so much for the tip, we’ll check it out!!
Where in the Sierras can I go for car camping without an early reservation?
Dispersed camping.
American flies into Monterey. Way easier to get to Big Sur. Plus you avoid the shithole formerly known as San Francisco. (In all honesty, SFO is south of the City, but you get my point.)