Located in the northern reaches of Big Sur, the legendary stretch of the Central California Coast, Garrapata State Park houses one of the best short hikes you’re ever going to find! This short hike to Doud Peak may only be a little over 6 miles, but in those 6 miles you’ll climb nearly 2,000 feet, take on overgrown trails filled with (at times) hostile wildlife, and deal with possible gale force winds!
The loop to Doud Peak takes you up the tranquil Soberanes Canyon until you emerge out of the canyon and reach the chaparral-covered hills. You’ll end up climbing from the coastal cliffs to the summit of a near 2,000 foot coastal hill, making for a dramatic and varied hike!
Miles/Elevation:
6.2 miles
1,988 feet vertical gain
About Garrapata State Park:
The northernmost park in Big Sur proper, Garrapata State Park is one of the lesser known parks in the area (this probably has something to do with the fact that there is only one sign with the park name on it!). Garrapata State Park is one of the least visited parks in Big Sur, and thanks to that fact, the trails are generally less populated than other parks in the area!
The park is a good place for wildlife viewing, especially marine life. You might spot otters, seals, sea lions, or, if you’re there at the right time of year, gray whales! On land, keep an eye out for friendly animals like deer, and hostile creatures like rattlesnakes, coyotes, and even bobcats and mountain lions!
The park, which consists of former ranch land, is one of the foggiest places in Big Sur, so if it’s foggy during your visit, keep traveling and it will hopefully clear up!
There are no parking fees at Garrapata State Park.
Getting To Garrapata State Park:
Garrapata State Park is located on Highway 1 in Big Sur on the Central Coast of California. There is not a robust public transit option in Big Sur, so you will most likely need to drive yourself.
The park is about 10 miles south of Carmel and Monterey, about a 15 minute drive. From San Francisco, the park is about a 2 and a half hour drive. While it is doable as a day trip from the Bay Area, it does require quite a bit of driving each way!
Parking at the trailhead comes in the form of gravel pullouts on either side of the road. The trailhead leaves from the east side of highway 1, but it doesn’t matter which side of 1 you park on.
The Doud Peak Loop:
Soberanes Canyon:
From the parking lot, head past the barn and up the trail to begin hiking into Soberanes Canyon. After an easy creek crossing, the trail begins heading straight into the hills following Soberanes Creek.
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The environment for this first section of the trail is a dense chaparral that would be exceedingly painful to fall into! Not only would you be faced with the sharp branches and brambles of the native flora, but you would also face an invasive plant type, cactus!
There is a large population of invasive cactus in the lower slopes of Soberanes Canyon, and while they aren’t from here, they seem to do just fine! I think most of them are Prickly Pears, and we could actually see quite a few of the fruits growing on top of the plants. Good luck trying to pick some though: they are largely off trail and guarded by the exceedingly prickly plant life!
Within a half mile, the trail will turn left and follow the north branch of the creek. As you begin climbing up this new section of trail, you will begin to see large trees coming up. These trees ahead of you signal the next section of the hike, the Redwood forest.
The Redwood forest here is very beautiful, and very quiet. While the trees aren’t nearly the size of the behemoths in the northern forests, the forest here has a tranquility seemingly unique to Redwood forests: babbling brooks, gentle dark light, and just a hint of a breeze blowing through the upper branches.
The hiking through this forest is certainly serene, but you will quickly begin gaining elevation upon entering the forest. In less than a mile of Redwood forest hiking, you’ll gain somewhere around 400 or 500 vertical feet.
Roughly a mile and a quarter from the trailhead, you will begin encountering some really steep stretches of trail, and eventually a sign announcing a trail closure. Technically, the trail forward from here is closed. I can’t advocate for others to go forward on a closed trail, but we certainly did, and we saw dozens of people throughout the day hiking on “closed” trails. If you decide to go forth, realize the hiking gets much more difficult!
Up The Hill:
Once you pass the trail sign, the trail all but disappears as you begin climbing steeply up what can hardly be referred to as a trail. There’s some scrambling as you quickly gain elevation, and before you know it, you’ll have climbed 100 feet or more.
Very quickly you will emerge out of the Redwoods and into the chaparral typical of Big Sur. Your shade is also gone too, so get used to lots of sun! You should also get ready for burning legs. The next ¾’s of a mile or so will see you gaining about 1,000 vertical feet!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Now that you’re climbing through the chaparral you are on the big climb of the day. The trail doesn’t quite disappear, though it does get exceedingly steep and degrades in quality. You shouldn’t have any difficulty following the trail, but the verticality certainly will have you working hard!
Stop at Point Lobos on your trip through Big Sur as well!
There isn’t a ton to say about the trail itself; it’s really steep, it’s very sunny (insert shrugging emoji). However, the views on this stretch do deserve a mention!
Looking east, deeper into the hills, you will have burgeoning looks at the inland ridges and peaks of Garrapata and beyond. You won’t be looking at any alpine peaks, but the nearly 3,000 foot Palo Corona does make for a nice backdrop!
As you gain more and more verticality, you will gain emerging views of the Pacific! Over your left shoulder, you will eventually look back and notice its deep blue waters stretching out to the horizon! There is a shoulder on the hill that you have to ascend above before views of the Pacific will emerge, but it signals your progress when it finally does!
For more awesome coastal hikes, check out our list of the best hikes in Big Sur!
For me, the most noteworthy aspect of this climb was the interactions I had with wildlife! We saw literally dozens of lizards as we were hiking, but midway up this hillside, I heard a rustling to my left as I took a big step up. Pausing to look over, I noticed a snake, light brown and perfectly matching the surrounding foliage, coiled back ready to lunge at me.
I immediately stopped, and then took a quick step back. Snakes can often reach out to over half their body length, so while the snake was just out of arm’s reach, I certainly didn’t feel totally comfortable!
It didn’t take me long to identify what it was either: at the end of its body was a small rattle, this was my first encounter with a rattlesnake.
The fact that I had never seen a rattlesnake on a hiking trail to this point is probably more remarkable than the fact that I saw one here, but it certainly came as a shock on trail! The slightly triangular head, it’s coiled shape, the rattle on the end of the tail, everything looked like I had seen online before!
After retreating a few feet and gathering myself, I reached for my camera, but by that point the snake was quickly retreating to the safety of the bushes further off the trail. By the time I had my camera ready, it was basically gone, but I was definitely on edge the rest of the day!
The remainder of the climb passed uneventfully, and as you near the ridgeline which is your goal, the trail eases in difficulty and gradient. The route more or less directly up the hill of the earlier climb eases into a more manageable trail that takes a side angle up the slope.
On Top:
Upon cresting the ridge, the rough chaparral of the climb almost immediately gives way to lush green grass. The change was sudden and caught me off guard, though it was a nice surprise!
An easy nearby hike is the Creamery Meadows Trail at Andrew Molera State Park!
Once you are on the ridge you will also have some pretty impressive new views. For one, you will be able to see what lies beyond the far side of the ridge, but you will also gain inland views and new, broader, ocean vistas.
The trail splits on the ridge. If you plan on skipping the summit and just want to head back to the trailhead, you can take a left to descend via the Rocky Ridge Trail. Otherwise, take a right to reach Doud Peak.
The ridgetop trail towards Doud Peak is all slightly overgrown singletrack. It’s not the most overgrown trail I’ve seen in Big Sur, but it could be cut back a little in my opinion! There are some short stretches through bushes and other dense growth, but the walking passes quickly.
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After around ¾’s of a mile and 200 vertical feet, you will find yourself on top of the modest Doud Peak. The peak itself isn’t much more than a slightly elevated grassy knoll, but the views are pretty fantastic!
Be prepared for some serious wind up here. Big Sur isn’t always windy, but it is at least breezy most of the time. When we were up here, gale force winds were making it hard to even stand up straight! Be prepared for that possibility!
After a short time hanging out at the summit, we headed down.
Down the Rocky Ridge Trail:
Retrace your steps back towards the trail intersection. While you could descend via Soberanes Canyon, the descent is steep and the views will be things you’ve already seen. Continue straight through the intersection to descend via the Rocky Ridge Trail.
One of the best hikes in Big Sur is a loop in Andrew Molera State Park!
Continue along the flat ridgetop for a few hundred yards, and then you will reach the end of the ridge. The view here might be even better than at Doud Peak! Looking south, you can see the ocean a bit more clearly, and you will have nicer views of the seaside cliffs! Through the descent, you will have the entirety of the Pacific stretching up before you towards the horizon, a pretty great descent view!
Once you begin the descent, you will be following the ridgeline as it drops towards the coast. Near the top, the trail quality is fine: a bit rocky and definitely steep, but really no complaints. However, as you descend, the trail gets worse and worse.
What starts off as a steep and rocky trail turns into a washed out mess. The trail for lengthy sections is a washed out trench with steep hard packed dirt for walls. It honestly sucks to hike on. Techniques for passing these sections range from wiggling your feet through the bottom of the trenches to trying to keep your feet up on top of each side. Neither option is great, and a fall here could easily mean a seriously injured leg or ankle!
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The 1,700 foot descent does drag on a bit, but before long you’ll begin to approach the coast, signaling the nearing end of the trail. The incline levels out toward the bottom, and once it does you will soon rejoin the Soberanes Canyon Trail just a few yards from the trailhead. A short walk back to your car and you’re finished!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
The scenery on this hike is truly incredible, and really that’s what you’re looking for right? Add on to that the fact that this trail sees relatively low usage and it should be a recipe for a 10/10!
The problem with this hike is the abysmal trail quality. Sure, there are places where the trail is fine, but long stretches are either extremely steep, horribly washed out, or almost totally overgrown. If the trail was even consistently ok, I would give this a 10/10 without thought, but with the trail how it is, it does honestly take away from the enjoyment of the hike.
If you can handle the rough trail, this loop is fantastic, but be warned it will be rough at times!
Pros:
- Amazing views
- Redwoods
- Ocean panoramas
Cons:
- Brutal trail conditions
- Lots of sun exposure
Alternative Hikes:
Andrew Molera State Park: Ridge, Panorama, and Bluffs Trail Loop
The Boranda Trail to Timber Top
Soberanes Point and Whale Peak
When To Visit:
Make sure you have our ultimate road trip playlist if you’re driving to Big Sur!
Garrapata is definitely a 4 season destination. Spring is a fantastic time to visit, and the weather should be pleasant and mostly dry. Spring is also the best time to see wildflowers in all their glory!
Summer brings the warmest temperature of the year (still comfortable), and morning fog that usually burns off by afternoon. Fall is generally the clearest weather, and winter brings the most precipitation, though it’s still a nice place to visit! This is an especially foggy part of Big Sur, so keep that in mind as well!
Honestly, I’ve been to this area every time of year, and Big Sur (including Garrapata) is always awesome. If you have the chance to go, you definitely should no matter what time of year!
Links For Further Reading:
Doud Peak via the Rocky Ridge Trail
Doud Peak via Soberanes Canyon
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