Читать книгу 101 Hikes in Northern California. Exploring Mountains, Valleys, and Seashore онлайн

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The low bluffs along the beach expose the variegated hues of intensely deformed rocks. While part of the Franciscan Complex, they have been more heavily metamorphosed than similar exposures found farther north in California, as a result of the numerous northwest-trending faults associated with the San Andreas Fault, which slice apart the Big Sur region and intensely shear the adjacent rock. The rare mineral almondite is exposed in places, coloring the white sand purple where it has eroded onto the beach. Rounded granite stones are also present, washed down from the Santa Lucia Mountains.

Sea lions, seals, and even sea otters can sometimes be spotted offshore as you go (barefoot) up the beach. Crowds diminish and rocky points hem in secluded stretches of sand as you continue, eventually reaching the junction for Spring Trail, your access to the return route on the bluffs above.

Eighty feet of climbing up a narrow gully brings you to Bluff Trail—go left back the direction you came. Coyote brush, poison hemlock, California poppies, and more lupine cover the open blufftops along the trail back toward the Creamery. At the bluffs’ end, the trail intersects Ridge Trail—go left again, immediately dropping down to a wide dirt road. Bearing left here returns you to the Beach Trail. Turning right down the road takes you winding along the opposite side of the Creamery close to several large coast live oaks, before the road rejoins the Beach Trail at the footbridge over Big Sur River.