Campgrounds:
several campgrounds on a first-come first-serve basis (no reservations).
Pfeiffer State Park requires a reservation. Here are some campgrounds that
provide access the Ventana Wilderness.
Bottcher's Gap - located
on Palo Colorado Road off Hwy 101, 8 miles at the end of this road. 11
units, piped water, $12 fee.
China Camp & White
Oaks Campgrounds - Access via Cachagua Rd. off Carmel Valley Rd. (approx.
23 miles from 101 junction) or 28 miles from Greenfield off U.S. 101 via
the unsurfaced Jamesburg-Tassajara Road. 6 units, no water, no fee.
Pfeiffer State Park
- located 29 miles south of Carmel on Highway 101. Reservations required
- call MIXTIX at 1 (800) 444-PARK. Very Popular. 217 campsites for tents
and motorhomes, lots of facilities, around $16 plus MISTIX fee
Wilderness Permit:
Required for overnight use and obtained at any contact point or headquarters.
Can write or call U.S. Forest Service for them.
Here
is a place to spend an entire week of solid wandering among California's unique
coastal range in the San Lucia Mountains, part of the Los Padres National Forest
and the Ventana Wilderness (Window Wilderness). Last May, myself and others
tramped through this wilderness for 5 days and over 50 miles, beginning at Bottcher's
Gap and ending at Pfeiffer State Park. This scenic odyssey is best remembered
for its expansive vistas, blooming wildflowers and pestering bugs, which seemed
to love the wildflowers as much as we did. This was also a wonderful experience
discovering the headwaters of the Carmel River and eventually rising into Pine
Valley, a rustic, pristine valley tucked away from society (and the bugs!).
From there we crested Pine Ridge and descended toward the foggy coast, stopping
at Sykes camp to soak in the popular hot springs beneath towering redwood trees.
We deserved a soak too after 40 miles of hiking, much of it up and down. From
Sykes camp we hiked another 11 miles downhill to the cool coast, thus ending
our odyssey. Here is the longer version of
our 5 day trip with more cool pictures. Also visit the photo
gallery below to see more pictures of this incredible place too.