Basics
Overview
This overnight backpacking trip in Big Sur is the quintessential beginner’s backpacking trip because of the stunning scenery, moderate difficulty, and easy logistics (Big Sur does not have permits or quotas). The hike begins at Kirk Creek Campground on Highway 1 and ends at Vicente Flat. Despite only being 5.25 miles from the trailhead to Vicente Flat, the scenery is diverse.
Most of the elevation gain is in the first 3 miles. The hike begins by traversing the hillside above Highway 1. This section has sweeping views up and down the famous Big Sur coastline. After climbing steadily for 1,500 ft, the trail levels out and turns away from the coast as it heads up Hare Canyon. The terrain becomes increasingly wooded but there are still many sections where you can see the undulating ridge lines on the opposite side of the canyon. Finally, the trail opens up to the idyllic redwood grove where Vicente Flat is located.
Optional Extension to Cone Peak
From Vicente Flat, there is the option to continue on to Cone Peak, the second highest peak in the Santa Lucia range. Vicente Flat to Cone Peak and back would be a great second day objective on a 3 day/2 night version of this trip. However, the section from Vicente Flat to Cone Peak is steep and has a tendency to be bushwhacky, making the trail much more difficult. Trail maintenance is infrequent and irregular, so it is important to check for recent trail conditions on AllTrails or the Ventana Wilderness Alliance trail reports before attempting this hike.
The Campgrounds
There are 2 camping options on this trail: Espinosa and Vicente Flat. Both are primitive backcountry campgrounds, so water needs to be treated and you must dig a cathole to number 2. It is easy to find tent spots that are flat and well-established.
Espinosa Camp is closer to the mouth of Hare Canyon and is not very notable. There are 2 campsites that could probably fit 2 tents each. The sites are right next to each other and have a partial view from its perch above the canyon. The only water source is a stream that flows across the trail a little past the camp, but this stream is seasonal.
Vicente Flat Camp is a large area shaded by towering, old-growth redwoods. A large creek runs through the center. I absolutely loved camping here. In the morning and late-afternoon, the low-angled sun filled the forest with golden light and it was incredibly beautiful. Some campsites are tucked into clusters of trees and have more privacy, while other campsites are larger and located right along the trail at the beginning of the flat.
If you are making a campfire or using a camp stove, please remember to get a free campfire permit online here.
Getting to the Trailhead
(As of April 2025)
The trailhead is located at Kirk Creek Campground (see on Google Maps). Highway 1 is closed around Lucia, so Kirk Creek Campground can only be reached from the south. If you’re coming from the Bay Area, this means you will take Highway 101 south until King City and then take Jolon Road to Nacimiento Fergusson Road (Forest Road No. 22S01) until it merges back to Highway 1 right at Kirk Creek Campground.
Day 1
We left South Bay at the very leisurely time of 10 AM since the hiking time each day was only going to be 2.5-3 hours. As we drove down Highway 101, the sky above us was sunny, but dark rain clouds shrouded the coastal range on our right.
Once we left Highway 101, the weather was all over the place. One moment the sun was streaming through the clouds, and the next moment our windshield was being pelted by giant raindrops so fast that my wipers couldn’t keep up.
The weather forecast for the coast (I used Carmel, CA as a proxy) was supposed to be overcast with a chance of rain, but we didn’t know what to expect since that felt like it could fit the whole mix of the conditions we were experiencing. But to our delight, when we finally crested the coastal range, we saw clear skies, white clouds, and a glittering blue ocean.
Kirk Creek Campground is on the west side of Highway 1, and the trail to Vicente Flat starts right across from it. There is parking for 20 or so cars at the trailhead. Overflow parking seems difficult as you’d have to use pullouts and walk along the shoulder of the road to get to the trailhead, but we found a spot despite our late arrival. We borrowed some picnic tables at Kirk Creek Campground to eat banh mis (thanks to an earlier San Jose Viet Town stop) and then started our hike.
Most of the trail is narrow and a bit overgrown. This wouldn’t be a problem except for the fact that the foliage is notorious for ticks and poison oak in the spring and summer. Thus, wearing long clothing treated with permethrin is essential for this hike. On the bright side, hiking in late spring and early summer means you get treated to wonderful wildflower displays, most notably: lupines, California poppies, and Indian paintbrush.
The initial incline is moderate and has great views up and down the coastline since there are few trees besides the occasional groves tucked into the folds of the otherwise open hillside.
After around an hour and 45 minutes of hiking, the trail turns northeast into Hare Canyon. We passed by Espinosa camp where we found 2 occupied campsites. The sites would have a good vantage point over the canyon, but the views are partially blocked by the trees. Overall, it did not look like that desirable of a camp spot, and it didn’t make sense for us distance-wise either.
The trail was more woodsy once we entered the canyon, but we still had nice views. The lighting fluctuated from soft and moody to bold and warm as the sun drifted in and out of the clouds.
After around another hour of hiking, we reached Vicente Flat. I was worried about crowds since backpacking season starts to pick up around May, but Vicente Flat had lots of options for sites. It didn’t take us long to find a spacious yet private campsite. We were surrounded by redwood giants that made us feel small. I loved this campsite so much!
We set up camp and then made our dinner and enjoyed it on logs next to the creek.
Day 2
When we woke up the next morning, the top of the rain fly was sagging from all the water it had collected over the night, and it was still actively raining. We snoozed for a whole hour, but one hour later, it was still raining. When I finally mustered the courage to leave the tent, I realized it was actually not raining as hard as the rain fly had made it sound. Once we started hiking, the rain had mostly ceased, but the fog remained. I love seeing how much the weather conditions can transform a hike. It was such a stark contrast from the day before that it felt like a different hike altogether.
We were not that much faster on the downhill hike because the narrow trail and brush slowed us down. Even though it wasn’t raining, my pants and shoes and socks ended up getting really wet from the waterlogged plants lining the trail. The fog was so thick that there were points on the coastal side of the trail where we could not see the road or the ocean from the trail.
We got back to the trailhead at 10:30 AM after 2.5 hours of hiking. It felt great to end a weekend backpacking trip so early in the day.
This Big Sur backpacking trip deserves its spot in the classics. It’s super approachable for a beginner yet not lacking at all in terms of views and variety.
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