Getting Out: One benefit of writing a column about outdoor
destinations is getting suggestions from readers. I have learned
and written about several places that were new to me. After my
recent column about Garrapata State Park, a reader told me how much
she enjoyed Mill Creek Preserve, which is in the same area south of
Carmel toward Big Sur.
One benefit of writing a column about outdoor destinations is getting suggestions from readers. I have learned and written about several places that were new to me. After my recent column about Garrapata State Park, a reader told me how much she enjoyed Mill Creek Preserve, which is in the same area south of Carmel toward Big Sur.
Access to Mill Creek Preserve is by permit only, a maximum of eight per day, which can be obtained through the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District website (www.mprpd.org/parks/millcreek.htm) or by calling (831) 372-3196. The district asks for reservations “no less than 48 hours in advance,” but I called the day before and a permit was e-mailed to me with no problem.
Palo Colorado Canyon Road is 11.5 miles south of Rio Road, the last traffic light on U.S. Highway 1 heading south out of Carmel. The seven miles up Palo Colorado Canyon Road to the trailhead may be the longest seven miles you ever drive. The first part is up a narrow, twisty, redwood-shrouded road lined with wooden houses battling the decaying forces of a dark dank environment. A mile before the trailhead, the road pops into the sunlight, and I could look across the drainage cut by Mill Creek at the ridge that my hike would traverse.
A small wooden sign finally appears, marking the preserve parking area. As I stepped out of the car, the wet air carried the cool fresh aroma of wet earth and leaf duff. I signed the registration sheet and began a gradual descent into a forest of redwoods and white alders that together created a closed canopy allowing little sunlight to reach the forest floor. Right away, the trail crossed Mill Creek and began the long traverse of the ridge on the far side.
Douglas irises were the headliners along the way. While wildflowers on the open grassy hills are beginning to wither under the desiccating sun, these exotic blossoms are in full fresh flower.
Mill Creek Preserve is 1,534 acres of land that, over the last 150 years, has seen a number of logging operations and was also the site of the Monterey Lime Company. Much of the lime from there was used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. As recently as 1986, lumber operations were proposed, but financial reversals ultimately led to its purchase by the Big Sur Land Trust that then sold it to the park district.
The trail goes out and around a succession of bulges in the slope that inevitably return to an equal number of creases cut in the hillside by small seasonal creeks that descend from the forest above. One creek about a mile out carried enough water for a lovely little cascade. Over the 2.76 miles from the trailhead to vista point at the end, the trail climbs a modest 200 feet, making for an easy stroll for most hikers.
As I neared the end of the trail, this walk in the woods was suddenly transformed. The top of the ridge I had been traversing descended to meet the trail, and I emerged from the forest into open country and sweeping vistas. A hundred yards further, the trail ended on a knob where the landscape fell away on every side. There were views down both sides of the ridge and far beyond out to the ocean.
This is a lovely forest walk, but the highlights for me were the Douglas irises and the expansive views at trail’s end. Bring your lunch and even a book. Four fabulous benches suitable for prolonged loitering await you.
Note:
Ron Erskine will be giving a one evening Introduction to Backpacking class through Gavilan College Community Education on July 7. To enroll, call (408) 852-2801 or visit www.gavilance.com.
