Located in the same park as the fabled McWay Falls, the Tanbark Trail provides much more adventure without the Big Sur crowds! Climbing more than 2,000 vertical feet above the vivid blue waters of the Pacific, this trail takes you on a Redwood filled adventure to the ruins of a fabled old metal structure, on the way providing big time views, and idyllic canyon environments!
Located a bit more than 35 miles south of Carmel, this hike is far enough from the population centers of Northern California to avoid the worst of Big Sur’s crowds, but still provides some excellent hiking! From highway 1, you’ll traverse a Redwood canyon, hike up and out of the primeval forest, and eventually make your way to the edge of the coastal hills! You’ll have to work for these views though!
Miles/Elevation:
6.1miles
2,024 feet vertical gain
About Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park:
Stretching from the coastline to the high ridges of inland Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a 3,700 acre park located in the middle of Big Sur. Home to massive old growth Redwoods, high peaks and ridges, and most notably the stunning McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns was first established in 1962.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns’s most iconic feature is McWay Falls, which drops 80 feet off a cliff to the beach, just inches from the surf! While the park does have numerous other trails, most of them are closed due to past fire damage, and have been closed for years. For most, a quick stop to see McWay Falls is all they will see of the park, but there is much more waiting to be explored!
Getting To The Trailhead:
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The Partington Cove Trailhead is located on Highway 1 in Big Sur on the Central Coast of California, and is used to access the Tanbark Trail. There is not a robust public transit option in Big Sur, so you will most likely need to drive yourself.
The trailhead is about 36 miles south of Carmel and Monterey, about an hour long drive. From San Francisco, the trailhead is about a 2 and ½ to 3 hour drive. While it is doable as a day trip from the Bay Area, it does require a lot of driving each way!
Parking at the trailhead comes in the form of gravel pull outs on either side of the road. The trailhead leaves from the inland side of highway 1 near the north end of the parking area. This trailhead is also used to access Partington Cove on the ocean side.
The Tanbark Trail:
Through The Redwoods:
From the parking area along highway 1, follow the trail inland as it heads into the forest. Be sure not to head towards the ocean if you want to hike the Tanbark Trail, although Partington Cove is a worthwhile journey too! Before you get into the Redwoods proper, you will pass through an open meadow and cross a bridge, then the Redwoods begin!
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The first thing I noticed upon entering the forest was Partington Creek. The creek will be your constant companion as you hike through the valley, and there are lots of good photo ops along the water!
Very quickly, the trail will begin climbing, and once it starts heading uphill, it won’t stop! The climb isn’t too crazy or steep, but it will get you breathing hard. The gorge does get pretty narrow here too, and you’ll have a short boardwalk where it gets too narrow for even a trail!
After just under a half mile, the trail will take a hard right turn and begin to climb out of the valley. I actually made a mistake here and missed the turn at first. There is a light use trail that continues along the creek and leads towards a gorgeous waterside grove featuring a small waterfall. It was a mistake, but a happy one!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Once you begin the climb leading up and away from the creek and valley floor, the incline of the trail actually levels out a bit. There are some very steep inclines along the creek, and while you won’t get any flat sections, the incline will never be overly steep either. The climb up through the lower Redwood forest passes relatively quickly, and before long, you will be catching glimpses of the ocean through the upper branches of the Redwoods.
The Upper Climb:
Eventually, the limbs of the Redwoods will be beneath you, and you will find yourself in a new environment. The majority of the rest of the hike will be done through leafy forest and some smaller pines. You will continue to find isolated stands of Redwoods, but they will no longer be the dominant species.
From Partington Creek at the bottom of the canyon, the first half mile of the climb heads southwest back towards the ocean. The trail then turns sharply back inland and spends the following mile heading east, away from the ocean. Over this mile, you will leave the Redwood forest and climb into the upper leafy woods.
At just over the two mile mark of the hike, the trail doubles back on itself and again travels towards the sea. Once you are again heading towards the Pacific, you’re looking at right about a mile and 300 vertical feet of climbing remaining.
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The high point of the trail is actually not at the end, and from the high point (which is in the woods and doesn’t have any big views) you’ll actually be descending for more than a quarter mile to the Tin House and the end of the Tanbark Trail.
The approaching end of the trail is evident once you reach the end of the Tanbark Trail when it intersects with the Tin House Fire Road. Continue straight onto the Tin House Fire Road and the best view of the day will quickly come into view. A window in the trees looks south over the coastal hills where they plunge into the Pacific! It’s a phenomenal view worthy of any Big Sur hike!
For most people though, the highlight of this hike is the Tin House. Built in 1944 by New York congressman Lathrop Brown allegedly to get above the notorious coastal fog, this vacation home was apparently abandoned almost immediately and was never fully finished.
Stop at Point Lobos on your trip through Big Sur as well!
For some, this spot is a big time destination, and some people think it’s the coolest thing in the world (a bit of hyperbole). For me, it was an old pile of rusty metal covered in graffiti. I honestly don’t get the appeal of the Tin House. Like, the hike getting there is fine and there are some great views, but why is this ruin of a building so cool! There isn’t even old abandoned stuff inside!
Descending:
For more awesome coastal hikes, check out our list of the best hikes in Big Sur!
One you’ve had your fill of the views and the history, it’s time to head back down. You have a choice of descent. Option one is to return via the way you came on the Tanbark Trail. It’s a nicely made and maintained trail as you will have seen by now, but it won’t be new. The other option is to take the Tin House Fire Road. It’s new, but it is a fire road, and it’s allegedly steeper.
I decided to take the Tanbark Trail because I don’t really like fire roads, and I was feeling pretty worked after 5 consecutive days hiking and I knew descending the way I came would be pretty easy!
The descent back along the Tanbark Trail is fine. The trail is nice, it’s shaded, you get some occasional views, but it’s very unremarkable. There are very few obvious landmarks on the trail, and it really started to drag on. You can never really tell if you’ve descended 300 feet or 1,000 feet! That was really illustrated to me when I suddenly arrived back at Partington Creek and it was a genuine surprise!
If I was to do this hike again, I would definitely descend via the fire road. It does require you to walk along highway 1 a bit to return to the starting trailhead, but it would at least be something new, and from what I’ve seen, it looks like there are some pretty views on that descent.
Anyway, after just over 3 hours on trail, I arrived back at the trailhead. This was my fifth day of hiking in a row in Big Sur, and by the end I was basically stumbling back along the trail! This was a good hike, but by the end I was worked and ready to be done!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10
This is a really nice hike but it’s just not as special as many other trails in Big Sur. The Redwoods early on the trail are beautiful, and rival any Redwood forest I’ve seen in Big Sur, but the rest of the trail is very mediocre.
The climb out of the Redwoods becomes tedious and boring, and there are really no interesting moments or views, and the final destination isn’t even that amazing. There’s one nice view at the end, but the Tin House is exactly what it sounds like (a rusty tin structure) and the view isn’t anything you can’t get at any of the other hikes around.
Is this hike worth doing? Yes, if you’ve explored Big Sur thoroughly. There are so many good trails in the area, and I would recommend most of them over this one. It’s not a bad hike at all, but in a place filled with special trails, this one is merely good.
Pros:
- Beautiful Redwoods
- Big ocean views
- Well made trail
Cons:
- Miles of forgettable hiking
- Not much for views until the end
- No great final destination
Alternative Hikes:
When To Hike The Tanbark Trail:
Big Sur 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!
Honestly, I’ve been to this area every time of year, and Big Sur is always awesome. One last thing to consider is tick season. You may not know tick season is even a thing, but Big Sur is somewhat famous for its ticks, and this trail is overgrown in spots. Ticks are most active from February through July, and risk for Lymes Disease is highest in those months. Keep that in mind when deciding when to hike, and always check yourself for ticks after any hike!
Links For Further Reading:
Tanbark Trail and Tin House – California | AllTrails
Hiking the Tin House via Tanbark Trail, Big Sur – littlegrunts.com
