Big Sur Trail

The Big Sur Trail (Trail 3E07) is a Ventana Wilderness connector hike in Monterey County, linking Cold Springs Campground to the Pine Ridge Trail (3E06). It’s a short long-distance piece commonly used inside longer Ventana Wilderness loops rather than a standalone day hike.

Mapped length is about 8.47 miles, and the route climbs and drops enough to land in the moderate/strenuous bracket. Expect it to feel remote—part of the point of the trail is getting from one backcountry camp area to another rather than staying on established corridors.

The trail connects key wilderness camps along the way: Cienega Camp, Mocho Camp, and Rainbow Camp, plus Cold Springs Campground. That camp-to-camp structure makes it a practical connector for multi-day itineraries.

It is managed as a standard/terra trail (surface predominantly ground). In the field this usually means staying on tread that can be obscured by brush at times, with frequent poison oak pressure in the wilderness setting.

Route conditions can vary and wilderness conditions change quickly. It’s wise to plan around seasonal and reporting-based variability, and to treat the trail as something you’ll need to actively navigate rather than follow a polished path.

Practical wilderness planning for this route centers on poison oak and dense brush; insect management can also matter during warmer months. The corridor is open daily year-round, with no fees for the trail, and there’s no motorized use in wilderness areas.

More information: Conditions, Visitor information, Big Sur Trail - Ventana Wilderness Forums