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Salmon Creek Trail

The Salmon Creek Trail is a 10 mile out-and-back hike that starts along CA-1 and heads past Salmon Creek Falls before ascending upon the hills near Big Sur, CA.

Salmon Creek Falls is about 0.5 miles in and there are some small camping spots along the way. Getting to the waterfall is a little bit tricky, but if you stay along the trail above the creek, you'll reach the falls. If you head down to the creek too late, the waterfall will be 15 to 20 feet below you on the ledge.

Note: I have not hiked further than the waterfall, but the GPS data provided is accurate for the entire trail.

Know Before You Go

  • Salmon Creek Trail is a 10-mile out-and-back hike in Big Sur, CA.
  • The trail passes Salmon Creek Falls, located about 0.5 miles from the start, with some camping spots nearby.
  • Staying on the trail above the creek is crucial for easy access to Salmon Creek Falls.
Interactive topographic map for Salmon Creek Trail located in Big Sur, CA. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
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Distance
10.0 mi
Difficulty
Moderate
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
5 hrs
Elev. Gain
1,982'
Rating
0.0
Admin avatar
Added
May 10, 2014
Updated
July 08, 2018

Weather Forecast

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Total Change
3,060'
Ascent
1,982'
Descent
1,967'

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Trails in California
Out-and-Back Trails
Camping Trails
Waterfall Trails
Vista Trails
Dog-Friendly Trails
Water Source Trails

Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Waterfalls
Camping
Water Source

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    35.815373, -121.3585
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  2. Main Trailhead

    35.815515, -121.358168
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Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases (CDC)

Availability

Summer

Surface type

Dirt

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Trip Reports (Reviews)

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Admin avatar
David Miller (Admin)
1.0 mile / 1.6 km
August 27, 2014
Ended up camping by the large rock outcropping just downstream of the falls for a night.
Camping Hiking
Neeners avatar
Neeners
1.0 mile / 1.6 km
May 11, 2014
Camping Hiking
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

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