Mill Creek
Photo: Roger Sylvia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 1.0 mi
- round trip
- 121 ft
- climb
- 521 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jan–Dec
- best months
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 5 h ago
Is Mill Creek open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Monterey Ranger District. It doesn't name Mill Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.
Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Order with Exceptions
Agency closure covering Monterey Ranger District · Order 05-07-51-26-11 · USFS · Monterey Ranger District
Los Padres Fire Use and Firearm Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-00-26-05 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
San Carpoforo Beach Prohibition of Overnight Camping and Campfires
Agency alert covering Monterey Ranger District · Order 05-07-51-26-03 · USFS · Monterey Ranger District
Santa Barbara Front Country Fire Use Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-5406-01 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Monterey Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Mill Creek is a short, easy hike in the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about a mile long, with a one-way climb of about 120 feet from a low point of 390 feet to a high of 521 feet. It's an out-and-back route on natural surface, and bikes are allowed. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby King City weather station show May highs around 78°F and October highs around 80°F, with only a couple of wet days in each month. Summer runs hotter, with typical highs near 85°F from July through September. Kirk Creek campground sits about 0.7 miles away. Stone Ridge and San Antonio are hikes about 3 miles off, and Plaskett Creek Campground is roughly 5 miles away.
- Kirk CreekCamping0.7 mi
- Alvin Trail (Closed)Hiking2.6 mi
Stone RidgeHikingPhoto: Demi Lucas, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)3 mi- San AntonioHikingPhoto: Demi Lucas, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)3.3 mi
Plaskett Creek CampgroundSurf fishing4.9 mi- PonderosaCamping5.8 mi
Wagon CavesRock climbingPhoto: Bob n Renee, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)8 mi
The BeachRock climbingPhoto: Thomson M, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- KIRK CREEKHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: Roger Sylvia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- San AntonioHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: Demi Lucas, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Cook Spring CampHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: scorpio-tiger, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Stone Ridge TrailHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: vikjam, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Stone RidgeHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Demi Lucas, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Stone Ridge Spine PathHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: vikjam, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Gamboa Point TrailHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: Harold Litwiler, Poppy, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
CONE PEAKHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: garmonb0zia, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
North Coast Ridge TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: scorpio-tiger, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Adobe-Santa Lucia Connector TrailHiking · ~15 min drivePhoto: Thomson200, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Mill Creek
Best months: Year-round. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
63° / 38°
9 wet
Feb
65° / 40°
9 wet
Mar
70° / 42°
8 wet
Apr
74° / 44°
5 wet
May
78° / 48°
2 wet
Jun
83° / 51°
1 wet
Jul
85° / 54°
0 wet
Aug
85° / 54°
0 wet
Sep
85° / 51°
1 wet
Oct
80° / 46°
2 wet
Nov
70° / 41°
5 wet
Dec
62° / 37°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at King City, CA, 24.6 mi away at 320 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
