California · Hiking · Ventana Wilderness · Near Gonzales

Big Pines

6.0 mi
round trip
1,553 ft
climb
2,729 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Oct–May
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 3 h ago

Is Big Pines open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Monterey Ranger District. It doesn't name Big Pines, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Monterey Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Big Pines is a 6-mile out-and-back hike in California's Ventana Wilderness, within the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest. The trail rises from about 1,200 feet to a high point of 2,729 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,553 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surface and not accessible. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 80°F and October highs around 82°F, while July and August average about 96°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The hike is rated hard. Horses are allowed, and the trip is open year-round. Rattlesnake Creek and Danish Creek are both within about a mile and a half, and the Carmel River Trail and San Clemente Trail are close by as well.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Danish Creek Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 1.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Subway

    Fast food

    Open after 6
  • If it rainsLordHarris at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    National Steinbeck Center

    Museum

    Museum · 21 mi from Gonzales

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: LordHarris at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

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