Timeless Big Sur and Ventana Wilderness Adventure

A short Redwoods adventure in Big Sur. Opted to take the old coastal stage road from Bixby Bridge to Molera SP trail camp. It crawls over scenic hills and thru deep redwood gulches. Ocean views and white knuckles. Next day hiked the Bobcat trail following the river to legendary Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP to spend the night enveloped in the deep groves. Lunch at Big Sur Inn gives new meaning to lunch ‘in’ the river. Slept cowboy style in a giant grove watching the trees darken and then open its portal to the stars. Next day explored the park, the homestead, the gorge and swimming and dunking the crystal river. Many people in the park on/in the river but the joy was palpable. Returned hike to Molera camp equally refreshing.
Part 2: Tassajara Hot springs deep in the Ventana Wilderness.
Ventana wilderness, Tassajara hot springs, Hearst Hunting Lodge, battle tanks, oh my. After some mellow hiking at Big Sur, I secured a day pass to the Zen meditation center at Tassajara Hot Springs deep in the wilderness. The 17-mile forest service road from Carmel valley is difficult and scenic if you have the courage to take your eyes off the road. After I got blissed out in the plunge pools and creek I floated down the road to a random camp for the night. Recalling several interesting conversations with guests and practitioners I drifted off to sleep with the coyote chorus.
Next I took the Jolon road which runs through the massive and remote Fort Hunter Liggett garrison to William Randolph Hearst’s hunting lodge. Designed by Julia Morgan c1929, the massive hacienda is open to the public as a hotel and transient officer’s quarters. Unfortunately, I didn’t have reservations and was turned away by the military police. Fortunately, it was weekend so there were no active battle tank maneuvers. The Jolon-Nacimiento road to the coast was closed so I slowly turned homeward.