Boronda Trail to Timber Top Camp, Big Sur

A challenging hike with sweeping coastal views

The incredible coastal view at the end of the Boronda Trail.

Essentials

• Type of trip: Weekender
• Drive time from San Francisco: ~3 hours
• Difficulty and total mileage: 6.2 miles roundtrip, very difficult. The entire hike is one massive uphill climb.
• Crowds: Light. It’s a difficult trail, so you’ll see more day hikers than backpackers.
• Temperatures: This hike has almost no shade along the entire route. We recommend visiting in the spring, when the weather is slightly cooler and the wildflowers will be out. Temps can range from 70°F daytime to nighttime lows near 50°F. Check the current forecast here.
• Permits: No permits required for camping.
• Bears/threatening wildlife: No bears, but we did encounter two large snakes along the trail, one of which was a rattlesnake.
• Water situation: There is NO water along this trail. Pack in at least 5 liters of water.
• Fire situation: Fires and camp stoves are allowed with a California Campfire Permit, available here. Check current fire restrictions before your trip.

Prep

Gear: Check out my temperate climate backpacking checklist for a recommended set of stuff to bring for this trip.

Food: For this hike, we opted for real food rather than freeze dried. However, this hike does have a lot of elevation gain, so it’s worth considering freeze dried meals if you’re concerned about pack weight.

Campground accommodations: Timber Top Camp has one picnic table and grill, though the campsites themselves aren’t clearly designated. There’s room near the old horse corral or down on the ridge that runs parallel to Coast Ridge Road.

Trip Details

Saturday

We left San Francisco around 8am and arrived at the trailhead around 11am. The trailhead is not marked on Google Maps so you’ll need to use the GPS coordinates to find it (36.198344, -121.717733). There will be parking on both sides of the road and the trail starts just beyond the green gate.

We set off around noon from the trailhead, which immediately climbs uphill. There are very, very few flat sections of this trail. Within the first mile, we had two separate snake encounters, one of which was a rattlesnake. Both times, we had to stop and wait for the snakes to slither off the trail before continuing onwards.

Shortly after that, we arrived at a flat shaded area, where we stopped to eat lunch.

A shady spot to enjoy a snack break and a great view.

After lunch, we continued on for the remaining two miles of the trail. As I said, the trail is incredibly steep with very little shade, so do not be shy about taking breaks. The trail may be only 3 miles, but it’s brutal.

A few shots of the trail, though it still doesn’t illustration how incredibly steep this trail is.

As you hike, be sure to pause and look back at the trail behind you. It’s pretty incredible to get a sense of how high you’ve climbed, even if the pain in your thighs has you thinking, “when does this trail ever end?”

The coastal views only get better as you go on.

When you see this view, the end is near.

Timber Top Camp itself is somewhat small; there’s one picnic table and grill, and not much flat, even ground to pitch a tent. However, we walked north from the camp on a trail parallel to Coast Ridge Road and found more flat ground there. From camp, we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset and shared some tequila and a campfire with a few fellow backpackers.

Right: Our camp with a view of the ocean and clouds. Left: View of Ventana Double Cone behind our camp.

Sunday

The hike out will be so much faster than the hike in. However, the steepness of the trail will still take a toll on your legs going down. At least you’ll be facing the ocean the whole way down!

After you’re back at the car, head to Nepenthe a few miles up Highway 1 for a post-hike lunch with an incredible coastal view. You did it!