Big Sur, CA
Big Sur, CA
From San Luis Obispo, Big Sur is only slightly over an hour north along the appropriately famous Hwy 1. Traveling through the coastal towns of Morro Bay, Cayucas, Cambria, and San Simeon, “The 1” bobs and weaves its way past Hearst Castle and Elephant Seal breeding grounds as it meanders along the cliffy California coastline. Greeted by countless coastal vistas there are ample opportunities to flex your photog muscles at any of the various pullouts along the roadside.
Once into Big Sur there are numerous campgrounds to choose from. Lacking the foresight we failed to secure campsite reservations and had to wing it, which we do often. Fortunately we landed a sweet spot at Plaskett Creek Campground.
The trail running in Big Sur is outstanding! We have run a few trails, but this weekend we took the trailhead by Kirk Creek inappropriately named Vincente Flatt Trail. In the nearly 20miles of trail we ran there was over 3,000ft of climbing. Hurdling snakes and poison oak along the dry gravely trail it curls along the ridges and works its way back into a shaded valley, mysterious and damp, shrouded by the long arms of giant redwoods overhead. Here, at the 5 mile mark, is a babbling creek signifying the end of the road for the casual user, and rough ways ahead for the more adventuresome sort. Quickly narrowing to slightly more than a ribbon of trampled mosses and grass the trail again climbs up to the heavens and heat of another ridgeline. Once to the top, in a cruel but predictable fashion, the trail veers back inland and away from what appears to be and epic vantage point for crashing coastal shores. We soon turn around. Not because the trail was turning any less exciting and challenging, but because the pups are limited in their distance and it is easier to blame turning around on their stubby dog legs than it is the aching in ours.
Big Sur has far more to offer than we could ever experience in even a dozen weekends. Epic surfing, breathtaking landscapes and sunsets, as well as incredible trails make Big Sur one of our favorite quick trips along the central coast.
Written by Stephen Stockhausen
Call for comments: Have you ever been to Big Sur? What are some spots we need to scope out?
