Environment

Popular Hwy. 1 trails and roads closed on the way to Big Sur

Several popular trails and roads along Highway 1 up to Big Sur have been closed after rangers determined visitors were not practicing social distancing.

The Los Padres National Forest ordered the temporary closures in the Monterey Ranger District effective Thursday.

The shutdown includes trailheads such as Salmon Creek and Jade Cove and will last at least through June 1.

The road, trails and trailheads are drawing increasingly heavy vehicle traffic and large groups of people, “creating circumstances where social distancing is not possible,” U.S. Forest officials noted in a press release.

“Additionally, some roads, trails and trailheads are located adjacent to residential properties and could potentially contribute to exposure risks to local residents,” Forest Service officials said. “Roads and trails may create unmanageable vectors for further community spread of COVID-19.”

Officials said they’d continue to evaluate circumstances around COVID-19 and follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as state and local health departments, for guidance on reopening.

This forest closure order includes the following roads, trails and trailheads:

Roads

Tassajara Road – Forest Road No. 18S02

Milpitas Road – Forest Road No. 19S09

Nacimiento-Fergusson Road – Forest Road No. 22S01

South Coast Ridge Road – Forest Road No. 22S05

Baldwin Ranch Road – Forest Road No. 24S06

Los Burros (Willow Creek) Road – Forest Road No. 23S01

Sycamore Canyon Road – Forest Road No. 19S05

A Forest Service map indicates closures on Highway 1 in Monterey County.
A Forest Service map indicates closures on Highway 1 in Monterey County.

Trails

Boranda Trail – Forest Trail No. 20S03

DeAngulo Trail – Forest Trail No. 2E07

Kirk Creek Trail – Forest Trail No. 4E17

Prewitt Loop Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E06

Sand Dollar/Jade Cove Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E13

Cruickshank Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E10

Soda Springs Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E17

Buckeye Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E09

Salmon Creek Trail – Forest Trail No. 6E11

Trailheads

San Carpoforo

Salmon Creek

Buckeye

Soda Springs

Cruickshank

Prewitt South

Prewitt North

Mill Creek

Kirk Creek

De Angulo

Boranda

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