Salmon Creek Trail

Salmon Creek Trail

Location: Silver Peak Wilderness, Monterey County, CA
Miles: 4.2 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 2 hours
Users: Hikers, dogs , and horses permitted. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair access.

Photo Source: cspafford

The Hike:

The Salmon Creek Trail, which is also known as the Cruickshank Trail, offers a wonderful place to explore the wilderness just off Highway 1 on the Big Sur Coast.

The trail starts you out with a fairly steep climb up an ocean-front ridge. It is definitely worth the hike as there are some wonderful views located up and down the entire coast. There is a wonderful view to the north that shows the gorgeous winding coast.

It is recommended that you wear long pants when hiking this trail as you will battle through some brush that encroaches on the trail, which is a bit narrow in spots.

If you want a closer view of the ocean there is a trail that extends down to a point off of the trail. It is a single track that begins by climbing to high ocean views and then heads inland by a canyon wall that offers relaxing pockets of cooling redwoods and oaks. There are several trail camps located along the way.

Top 3 Adventure Hacks

1) Wear long pants

Avoid bruises or scratches on your legs by wearing flexible hiking pants that could.

2) Document your hike

Take photos or shoot a video while hiking to look back on adventures you’ve taken!

3) Bring proper gear

Always be one step ahead in planning your hikes and bring everything necessary like snacks, water, and 1st aid kits.