Carmel River Trail into the open terrain of Pine Valley. The route is ideal in spring and fall, when temperatures are moderate and storms infrequent. The winter months can be quite pleasant as well, though freezing temperatures and strong storms occur at times. The heat, flies, and mosquitoes of summer are best avoided. No water is available at the trailhead. Poison oak is plentiful—be watchful.
To Reach the Trailhead From points north, follow Hwy. 1 to Carmel and take Carmel Valley Rd. (County Rd. G16) east for 23 miles to Tassajara Rd. Turn right on Tassajara Rd., bear left in 1.3 miles at the fork with Cachagua Rd., and continue on Tassajara Rd. for another 10.7 miles to the China Camp entrance; the pavement ends 1.8 miles past the fork. Park at the large turnout across from the camp entrance. The trailhead is 100 feet farther south on the camp side of the road.
Ponderosa pines rise above the grasslands of Pine Valley.
From points south, take Hwy. 101 to Greenfield and exit on Rte. 101 Business, the town’s southernmost exit. Turn left on Elm Ave. (County Rd. G16) a half mile later and proceed 5.8 miles to Arroyo Seco Rd. (County Rd. G17). The two roads merge for 6.5 miles and then fork. Bear right and continue 17 miles on Carmel Valley Rd. to Tassajara Rd. Turn left and proceed as above.
Description From the marked trailhead (0.0/4,350'), Pine Ridge Trail gradually climbs 400 feet and then descends the same elevation through brush dominated by ceanothus and tan oak. After this scratchy welcome to the wilderness, you traverse steadily upward to emerge from the worst of the overgrown sections at the route’s high point (0.6/4,750'). Views look south over the Church Creek and Tassajara Creek drainages, west toward the Coast Ridge, and southeast toward 5,862-foot Junipero Serra, which rises above the unseen Salinas Valley. Cone Peak (Hike 3) perches atop the farthest visible ridge to the south, 17 miles away.
The route cruises near the ridgeline through golden grasslands, charred forest, and thick new growth. Oak woodlands and stalks of Our Lord’s candle, a large and easily distinguished yucca, punctuate the scenery as you next ascend and top a minor saddle before continuing upward to another, more prominent saddle. Views vanish briefly as the trail switchbacks southwest and then climbs north to the second highest point along the route (2.1/4,740'). From this point onward, it’s all downhill to Pine Valley.
The trail turns southwest on a steep grade, dropping 850 feet through open woodlands carpeted with spring wildflowers. A final series of switchbacks deposits you at Church Creek Divide and a four-way trail junction (3.6/3,650'). The divide forms a deep saddle between two west-trending ridges and sits atop the 29-mile-long Church Creek Fault, a splinter fault of the greater San Andreas Fault system. The grinding faults of the area pulverize adjacent rock, which then erodes away to form distinctively straight valleys. Here the Church Creek Fault has created linear Church Creek canyon southeast of the divide, and the upper Carmel River valley (including Pine Valley) to the northwest. The divide also separates the watersheds of the Carmel River, which has its headwaters in Pine Valley, and the Salinas River, which initially flows southwest before turning north, eventually entering the sea some 80 miles north of the Carmel River mouth.
From the divide, turn north and follow Carmel River Trail toward Pine Valley. The trail slowly descends, crossing over the usually dry headwaters of the Carmel River, and then eventually levels off. As the gradient eases, sandstone cliffs appear to your right, water trickles audibly off to your left, and ponderosa pines begin to rise from open meadows.
For thousands of years, Pine Valley was home to the Esselen people and provided them with fertile hunting, gathering, and living grounds. The Esselen may have used fire to clear underbrush and maintain the pine stands and broad meadow, where deer, rabbits, antelope, and even bears once commonly grazed. In the adjacent forest, doves, quails, and other game birds flocked beneath the abundant canopy of oaks, bays, pines, and madrones. Wild roses grow in dense thickets on the east edge of the valley, perhaps cultivated by the Esselen for straight, strong arrow shafts. Beneath the sandstone cliffs, women took harvested acorns from the surrounding oak woodlands and ground the nutritious meat into flour. Their mortar holes still pepper sandstone outcrops just downstream from the Pine Valley–Pine Ridge Trail junction.
Hidden Pine Falls
A large gate marks the official Pine Valley entrance (5.3/3,140') at a junction with the Pine Valley–Pine Ridge Trail and the route to Pine Falls. To make the trip to this waterfall oasis, be prepared for some hiking excitement—the 0.7-mile one-way journey follows a path that is narrow, overgrown, and washed out in a few precarious places. From the junction, turn left and cross the river. Head downstream a few yards and then recross the river past the first of three small unofficial campsites. The route now closely follows the river, crisscrossing it multiple times as it winds downstream through a lush riparian environment.
You eventually emerge at an overlook directly above 50-foot Pine Falls (6.0/2,700'). The descent to its base can be hazardous, as you must clamber across slick boulders. A conveniently placed rope may be available to help you negotiate the final 20 feet to the crystal clear pool. Enjoy a brisk plunge and then return the way you came.
Nearest Visitor Center King City Ranger Station, 831-385-5434, is located at 406 S. Mildred Ave. in King City. Take the Canal off-ramp from Hwy. 101, go east on Canal, right on Division, and left on Mildred. It’s open Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Backpacking Information: Campsites and water are abundant in Pine Valley. A valid campfire permit is required.
Nearest Campground China Camp (9 sites, free) is adjacent to the trailhead. No water is available.
Additional Information www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf, ventanawild.org
HIKE 7 High Peaks Trail
Highlights Monoliths of towering volcanic rock, prairie falcons, and California condors
Distance 5.3 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss 1,650'/1,650'
Hiking Time 3–4 hours
Recommended Map USGS 7.5-min. North Chalone Peak
Best Times October–May
Agency Pinnacles National Park
Difficulty
THE STORY OF THE PINNACLES began some 28 million years ago when the Pacific tectonic plate first made contact with North America near present-day Los Angeles, and pushed an active underwater volcanic ridge beneath the continent. Widespread geologic havoc followed, and the first strands of the San Andreas Fault began forming. Shortly after this collision, 23.5 million years ago, rising magma escaped onto the surface through one of the many newly formed fractures and created a large, short-lived stratovolcano 24 miles long and roughly 8,000 feet high. Straddling the young San Andreas Fault, the volcano was quickly ripped in two as lands west of the fault were pushed northwest. The western half of the volcano was then tilted by associated splinter faults, protecting it from erosion until it was once again exposed at the surface. It
