Sykes Camp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sykes Campground
Big Sur River at Sykes Hot Springs
Location	Ventana Wilderness, Big Sur, Monterey County, California
Coordinates	36°14′55″N 121°41′08″W / 36.2485736°N 121.6855045°W / 36.2485736; -121.6855045
Elevation	1,080 feet (330 m)
Type	Backcountry
Land	Los Padres National Forest/Ventana Wilderness
Campsites	7
Facilities	Fire rings, single box latrine
Water	Big Sur River, purification required
Fee	None
Fires	During fire season, permit required
Season	Year round (currently closed)

Sykes Camp is a special place located about 10 miles (16 km) from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park in California. It's found along the Pine Ridge Trail. This camp used to have seven campsites right next to the Big Sur River. It also had a simple pit toilet. Sykes Camp has been closed since as of September 2018^[update] due to trail damage and other issues.

Exploring Sykes Camp

Before it closed, you could reach Sykes Camp by hiking along a few different trails. The main way was the lower Pine Ridge Trail. The hike from the coast is tough! It's about 10 miles (16 km) long and takes 6 to 7 hours. You climb from 313 feet (95 m) up to 1,575 feet (480 m) in just 4 miles (6.4 km).

The camp was hit hard by heavy rains and floods in 2017-2018. These floods happened after the Soberanes Fire. Before the floods, there were seven campsites. They were located on both sides of the Big Sur River. There was also a pit toilet downstream from where the trail met the river.

Sykes Hot Spring

When the camp was open, there were three small pools. These pools were made by people to catch water from a hot spring. They were carved out of the hillside about .25 miles (0.40 km) downstream from the trail. The biggest pool was about 8 feet (2.4 m) wide and 2 feet (0.61 m) deep. It could fit about four adults. The water temperature was around 100 °F (38 °C), but it changed with the rain.

The U.S. Forest Service says these man-made pools were not allowed. They didn't fit with the idea of a true wilderness experience. The Forest Service wanted to remove these pools if they washed away. They also wanted to stop people from rebuilding them.

The hot tubs were completely destroyed by heavy rains in 2017-2018. In 2020, the Forest Service said they would not allow them to be rebuilt. They explained that man-made structures are against wilderness rules.

Why Sykes Camp Closed

Sykes Camp is in the Ventana Wilderness and next to the protected Big Sur River. The trail to the camp became very messy. People left behind backpacks, tents, food wrappers, and trash. The camp and hot springs often got very crowded, especially on holidays. More than 200 people were sometimes camping there. But there were only seven official campsites and one toilet for about 20 visitors. Some people even reported seeing human waste that was not properly buried.

Many visitors didn't know that wilderness camps don't have trash service. They would leave their garbage behind. This made the problem worse. The U.S. Forest Service doesn't have enough money or staff to clean up. They haven't had a Wilderness Ranger in the area since the 1980s.

The area around Sykes Camp was closed because of the Soberanes Fire in 2017. Later, a big winter storm damaged the Pine Ridge Trail badly. The hot spring pools were also washed away. As of As of August 2018^[update], the trail was blocked by many fallen trees and washouts. To reopen the trail, they need to check the environment and maybe even build a new path. The trail is still closed. If you enter closed areas, you could face a fine or even jail time.

In January 2020, the Forest Service announced that they were working on the Pine Ridge Trail. As of As of December 2020^[update], the trail and campsites are still closed. Entering illegally can lead to a $5,000 fine.

History of the Area

Before European settlers arrived, the Esselen people lived in this area. We don't know if they used the hot springs. Tests on old items found nearby show that people were in the Big Sur region as early as 3500 BC.