Pine Ridge Trail to Ventana Camp

Pine Ridge Trail to Ventana Camp is a roughly 9.9-mile out-and-back from the Big Sur Station/Pine Ridge Trailhead. Follow the western Pine Ridge corridor to the Ventana Camp junction, then take the steep, roughly one-mile spur down to a redwood-shaded camp beside the Big Sur River. Return the same way. Go for a full backcountry day with a real destination; this is too much for a quick park stroll.

The mapped walk is about four miles to the camp junction, followed by a little over a mile down the spur. That last drop becomes a climb back out before the long return on Pine Ridge. The Forest Service describes this corridor as strenuous, with considerable climbs and drops, and warns that fallen trees can make passage difficult. Allow about six to eight hours for the round trip.

Expect a mix of chaparral and stands of redwood, pine and oak. Pine Ridge Trail was built in 1916 by the Post family of Big Sur and remains the gateway to several camps in the Ventana backcountry. This hike turns at Ventana Camp; the much longer Pine Ridge traverse continues well beyond it.

Potable water is available at Big Sur Station, so refill there before leaving. The Forest Service does not issue a wilderness or backcountry permit for this route. A California Campfire Permit is required to use a small gas stove or have a campfire. Dogs are allowed on Pine Ridge under leash or voice control; leash them around pack animals.