Hikes in Big Sur

Big Sur is a charming town in Monterey County, 140 miles south of San Francisco. The name also applies to the fifty miles of coastline between Big Sur and San Simeon, which is as beautiful as any in the world. Big Sur is defined by dramatic and beautiful landscapes. Tall green mountains drop to rugged shores and mesmerizing blue waters. [wp_ad_wide_page] Salmon Creek Falls Big Sur The drive up Highway One is so scenic that many people don't get out to hike at all, but they should! ... Read more.

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The Grotto in the Santa Monica Mountains

Simply named The Grotto, this narrow bolder-filled canyon with small talus caves covering a creek in the mountains makes a fun destination for a short hike. From the Circle X Ranch Visitor Center in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area on the west side of Malibu, it is 3-mile round trip to the Grotto with 475 feet of elevation loss. The trail beneath Circle X Ranch and Exchange Peak From the main parking area for Circle X Ranch, walk down the access road to a small group campsite and pick up the single track trail to the Grotto, which descends into a verdant canyon. ...Read more.

Distance: 3 miles · Elevation change: 475 feet

By: Seth Smigelski Published: December 28, 2009 Last updated: May 19, 2026

Hikes in Big Sur

The Grotto in the Santa Monica Mountains

The Grotto
in the Santa Monica Mountains