Turkey Springs, Big Sur

My first ever backpacking trip!

This trip started at the Salmon Creek Trailhead, right off Highway 1 near the southern parts of Big Sur. We arrived Saturday midday, the Sun shining high, skies clear.

First, we visited a waterfall near the trailhead. We did a bit of climbing around the rocky waterfall area. The area was full of people.

Then, we began the hike. The initial portion is a continuous yet gradual uphill climb through forest. The first vista point is a rocky hill following a small flowery patch of land. I climbed up the hill and enjoyed a pretty view, as my companions came up. We hiked for a while more, before arriving at a crossroads that became our lunch spot. We had originally planned to go to Estrella Camp, less than a mile away from the crossroads. However, to my delight, we decided to venture the unknown and take the other path, aiming to arrive at Turkey Springs Camp before dark. Our lack of water was a complication. We were guaranteed a water source at Estrella, but it was unsure how much water we would encounter on the way to Turkey Springs. I happened to have no water on me at all, but I managed.

The next section was more of the same, if not slightly more difficult. At one point, a large tree had fallen across the slope, forcing us to go down and around on steep terrain. After a long winding up a large hill, we emerged atop an open hillside, where we took another break. Here was a neatly made fire pit, healthy grass, and a few trees for shade. We briefly considered stopping there, but the lack of water and the un-campsite-like appearance convinced us to keep on going.

After the open hilltop, we began crossing the tops of short hilly terrain, alternating between grassy plaintops and small groves of trees. The trees were often in valleys, where we found small creeks of water flowing. Then, the hills opened up to flat, grassy plains, where we found a real campsite, as well as trailmarkers. Once again, we decided not to stay at the campsite, in part because there was no water and in part because, with its broken down tables and benches and the surrounding fence, it emitted quite a creepy aura. The trail signs we found, however, were very helpful, and we headed off for Turkey Springs, two miles away.

We crossed more flat, grassy plains, before arriving at a picturesque hilltop and beginning a descent. At one point, we encountered tree branches placed as a barracade across the trail. Spotting a trailmarker pointing to a path into some trees, we wisely followed the unblocked path. After about ten more minutes of the rocky forest, we spotted a red post, vibrantly marking the presence of man. We had arrived at Turkey Springs. A small area enclosed by trees, it has a quick flowing stream next to it, as well as a fire pit and grill. We happily set up camp and settled down by the fire for the night. We shared brats, cookies, wine, whiskey, and laughter until, too tired, we retired to our tesnts.

In the morning, I woke up early and explored the surrounding area by myself. It was nice to get some alone time, after having been with the group for a whole day. It was also nice to be completely alone. I found an open hillside near camp, where I got a good view of the area. It is a hilly, mostly tree-covered valley, stretching on as far as I could see. After relaxing there for a bit, I set out to find out why the fork in the trail had been blocked. The path ventured across some rocky hillsides before seemingly ending upon an open hilltop. While the area was very pretty, there was no water and not much cover from the sun. Happy at having found out why the path was blocked, I trekked back to camp and arrived around 10.

We had a nice breakfast of oatmeal, ramen, and tea before saying goodbye to Turkey Springs and departing for the hike back around 11. It was for the most part easy and quick. We stopped at the open hilltop to rest, take pictures, make a fire, and play reverse-jenga. As we descended into the forest, a mist enveloped the hills and it became a bit wet. We reached our cars around 1515 and left Big Sur, with tired bodies but full hearts.