South Coast Ridge Road

Big Sur Area, Los Padres National Forest

Aug 13/14, 2007

It was time to drive Deva back to U.C. Santa Cruz after her summer visits last week. At least once a year I do this to be a good Dad and help her stock up on items difficult for her to carry on the bus. It also gives me a chance to enjoy my van so I've started finding things to explore on my way back to San Diego. In 2006 I drove down Highway 1 / Big Sur and stayed at Refugio State Beach near Santa Barbara. Last Christmas during the O'Neil Barnes & Noble book buying frenzy I acquired Back Country Adventures (Southern California) by Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson which has over 150 dirt roads to explore in an SUV. This year I wanted to get farther away from the campground party crowds and their late night music and antics. BCA showed several roads to explore around Gorda which is about 15 miles south of Big Sur. The book includes GPS coordinates, mile markers, trail ratings, scenic ratings, maps, descriptions, references, ranger phone numbers - so basically everything necessary to take the worry out of heading of the pavement. Well I still got lost, I still took wrong turns and I still was in knots on blind corners with no where to go if some yahoo was running the road from the opposite way. But what a tremendously great time I had. I checked out the Coast Road, South Coast Ridge Road, WIllow Creek Road, San Martin Top, Alder Creek Camp, Prewitt Ridge and the Plaskett Ridge Road by mistake.

Click on the picture for the full size image:

Typical boring view along highway 1 somewhere	I took the Coast Road side trip which starts at the famous Bixby bridge. This 10 mile bypass route meanders up into the hills and is a pleasant drive with some nice views.
Along the Coast Road looking up into the hills	Further down the coast I took the Nacimiento-Fergussen road which would connect me to the South Coast Ridge Road. Here's a view.
This is Nacimiento-Fergussen road. A 1.25 lane blacktop carved out of the hillside quickly climbs to 3000'. It's an excellent warm up to the 0.90 lane dirt roads ahead. Note the bogus center lines.	Yea! Trees!
Look at this pic full size to see the road clearly.	At the junction. All dirt from here.
At the end of Prewitt Ridge Rd. is a campground. A campsite, already taken, is on the other side of the tree.	This was my Monday night campsite view. Three steps from the van
Same view in the morning with a zoom..	Campsite from across the street.
My wrong turn and 7 miles on Plaskett Ridge Rd.	Along Plaskett Ridge Road.
Back on South Coast Ridge Road taking a walk about.	View
A serious ridge road	Willow Creek Road Junction. I decided to cut short the South Coast Ridge Road as I was tired from the miles of blind corner driving. I was ready to find a camp.
Down Willow Creek Rd then to San Martin Top. This this is from my Tuesday night camp site which I came back to later	I walked further down San Martin Top road and the views became more like this. I could not have driven this road . That's over 3000' down to the water.
Lots of hawks waiting for me to expire on my walk.	I did want to see & consider Alder Creek Camp.
Lovely but the flies were too much to deal with. This was a tough rutted road to get down here. Low 4x4 range for me.	Back to Tuesday night camp site.
San Martin Top Road from camp site.	A portion or the South Coast Ridge Road.
Sunset time, looking north	Sunset time, looking south
Sunset time, looking west	The end of great day, time for another beer!
Coming down WIllow Creek Rd. Low gear and braking all the way. Lots of blind corners.	Back to Highway 1 and heading home.