California · Hiking

Prewitt Loop

Prewitt LoopPhoto: pom'., CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
24.3 mi
round trip
2,657 ft
climb
2,585 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jan–Dec
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 18 h ago

Is Prewitt Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Monterey Ranger District. It doesn't name Prewitt Loop, 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.

Prewitt Loop is a 24.3-mile out-and-back hike in the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from a low point of about 133 feet to a high of 2,585 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,657 feet. It is a hard hike, and the route is natural-surface, so expect a rougher ride than a paved path. The trail is open to both horses and bikes, and it is not an accessible route. For planning, the most comfortable stretch runs from late spring through early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Hearst Castle show highs around 75 to 78°F from July through September, with almost no wet days. That station sits about 1,059 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. Prewitt Ridge Trail starts just 0.4 miles away, and Plaskett Creek Campground is about a mile off. Willow Creek and Kirk Creek are both within about 4 miles.