Mitteldorf Preserve
Echo Ridge Loop Trail
📍There’s not many places I go to hike that offer the peace and serenity as well as the diversity that the Mitteldorf Preserve offers. Located in Carmel Valley and accessed through the Santa Lucia Preserve (by reservation only), the Mitteldorf Preserve is “over 1,000 acres of riparian and oak woodlands, chaparral, grasslands, and a rare stand of madrone contribute to the beauty of this important watershed and habitat for several protected species.” It is also home to the oldest known redwood tree in Monterey County. Standing over 224 feet tall the tree has been estimated to be 1286 years old (+/-30 years). A tree this size must be pretty big. It occupies 16,500 cubic meters of space, equivalent to the volume of over 300 (mid-sized 25’ long) school busses, making it also the largest redwood south of Santa Cruz mountains.
The Mitteldorf Preserve is managed by the Big Sur Land Trust. To learn more about the Mitteldorf Preserve or to request a permit to hike there click the links.
⛰️The Mitteldorf Preserves offers several trails to hike. I’ll write more about some of the other trails in upcoming blogs. This blog will focus on the Echo Ridge Loop Trail. Starting and ending at the Williams Canyon Trailhead, the Echo Ridge Loop Trail is about 9.5 miles round trip and will gain nearly 1900’ of elevation. It is a difficult hike. The initial two miles up the trail are fairly flat until you hit the Mitteldorf Preserve sign. Hiking left (clockwise) up the trail is where the challenge begins. You’ll face fairly steep climbs until you get tot he Patriarch Ridge split. A little relief will come when you stay right and follow the Echo Ridge trail downhill along the shaded road. That relief is short lived as the trail ascends to its max elevation of about 2550’ elevation. A nice leisurely decline awaits but the temps can make this section of trail hard as there is little shade and full exposure to the sun. Bring plenty of water on this hike. Follow the main road to a single track trail along the Monterey County Regional Park boundary, near the sign for Echo Ridge. As you pass Echo Ridge the trail continues as a single track and steeply descends through a series of switchbacks. Echo Ridge is a good place to adjust your shoe laces for the descent and break out the trekking poles if you like to use them. You’ll eventually exit the single track and merge into a dirt road between the Lodge and the Mitteldorf Preserve sign, where you started up the mountain. Do yourself a favor and head uphill at this point, to the right ,and enjoy the what you find at the end of the road.
The trail back to the start is a leisurely shaded hike, mostly downhill back to the parking lot. It’s a nice way to finish a difficult 9”ish” mile hike.
🥾The Echo Ridge Loop trail is generally a well travelled and maintained dirt road for 75% of the nearly 9.5 mile hike. This road provides access to the Lodge, Bunkhouse and gives access to the road along the ridge in case of emergency or for other uses.
Starting at the dirt parking lot near the Williams Canyon sign follow the road across the first bridge crossing and up the steep short hill. This is the beginning of the trail I will be describing up to and around to Echo Ridge, then back down to the canyon to the exit. The road ascends gently 2 miles along part of San Jose Creek through the redwoods and across several bridges. These 2 miles are especially nice in the morning sunlight when the creek can be heard, the air is cool and the sun shines its rays through the redwood canopy. Enjoy the leisurely hike up to the Mitteldorf Preserve sign.
Many people hike up to the sign and turn back making a nice 4 mile hike. The Echo Ridge Loop Trail will continue on up the steep slopes of the canyon. I prefer to hike this loop clockwise, heading to the left from the sign. Here the road begins its ascent. The road is well travelled however footing can be tough due to the nature of the soil and steep grade in some spots. Good hiking shoes are very helpful. Continue up the road, past the Headwaters Trail post, until you reach the Red Hawk Overlook.
The Red Hawk Overlook is a great spot to take a quick break and enjoy the view of the canyon you’ll be hiking around. Directly across the canyon you’ll notice a grassy hillside with large oak trees on the ridge. That is Echo Ridge. You’ll walk across that ridge beneath the large oaks as you near the descent back into the canyon. Take note of where you’re standing. See if you can find it when you’re on Echo Ridge.
After a quick break, get back on the road and continue up the road past the first corner and out from under the oaks. Look behind you at a beautiful view of Carmel Valley and into Seaside and the Monterey Bay. On a clear day you’ll be able to see all the way around to Santa Cruz. It’s gorgeous! Continue up the road to the Bunkhouse Trail post.
The Bunkhouse Trail post is the turn off to the Bunkhouse Trail, a 6 mile loop that will take you on single track loop trail to the north. The trail loops around to picnic bench on a grassy hilltop across the canyon from where you’re standing. The trail descends behind the Bunkhouse and back to the Mitteldorf Preserve sign. It’s a great hike and one I will feature in the future.
Continuing up the road past the Bunkhouse Trail post you’ll climb a short ways up the hill and encounter a “Y” in the road. the sign says Patriarch Ridge to the left, uphill and Echo Ridge to the right, downhill. You can learn more about Patriarch Ridge by clicking the link or looking it up in a future blog of mine. Take in another great view from this location before you head downhill following the Echo Ridge sign.
Follow the road as it winds around the canyons and up to its peak elevation of about 2,550 feet. You’ll also begin to notice the vegetation is healing from fire. There are signs of a large forest fire that burned through this area. The 2016 Soberanes Fire burned along this ridgeline and into the Preserve. “The fire swept through the property, destroying a barn and many beautiful redwoods and madrones. Five years later this natural, fire adapted environment is continuing to show amazing resilience. It is also an example of the immense amount of stewardship required in the aftermath of a fire.”
Somewhere around the 6 mile mark the dirt road meets the boundary fence to the Monterey County Regional Park. At this point the trail to Echo Ridge turns into a less maintained single track trail, paralleling the fence, but it is still well defined by hikers that have come before you. Follow the single track trail along the grassy ridge where the large oak trees sit along side the trail above the deep canyon to your right. Under one of these large oaks is a natural bench cut out of a large oat tree stump. This is Echo Ridge, a great place to stop for a break, a snack and to rehydrate. Look deep into and across the canyon to find the Red Hawk Overlook spot you stopped at earlier on your hike. If you look closely you can track the road you’ve travelled along all the way around the canyon, almost to where you are standing. Look towards the bay for more amazing views of Carmel Valley, Monterey, Seaside and all the way to Santa Cruz on a clear day.
Your descent into the canyon bottom starts nearby. Echo Ridge is not only a great stop for a break but you should also consider adjusting your shoe laces and get out the trekking poles for the steep descent ahead. Once you’re all ready continue on the trail to where the trail turns right and begins its descent. This is a great spot to take in more views of the Monterey Bay Area. Follow the single track down the makeshift steps, through the grass, back and forth down the switchbacks until you drop into the oak canopy and then into the redwood canopy. Finally you’ll merge into a dirt road. Turn right on the dirt road and head uphill to the Lodge. You won’t be disappointed.
A short distance up the trail you’ll notice the Lodge. A log cabin style building set into natural surroundings. Look to your left across the creek you’ll notice an empty in ground swimming pool, paths and rock bridges as if this was a resort at one time. Continue to the Lodge to access stairs that lead you to the pool or walk past the lodge to the large brick patio on the back side of the Lodge. there you’ll find clean “flush” bathrooms and a great spot to take another break after a steep descent.
Don’t forget to explore down the stairs and across the creek. There you’ll find the largest and oldest redwood tree in Monterey County as well as an elaborately decorated in ground empty pool. Let your imagination run wild as you dream up what this place might have been in its hayday. It’s a terrific spot to take photos and only leave footprints. Please practice Leave No Trace so future generations can enjoy it as much as you.
Once you’ve completed your tour around the Lodge, walk back down the road and you’ll find yourself at the Mitteldorf Preserve sign, on the road you started. An easy downhill two mile hike will take you back to where you started.
🍔🍺 you’re like us you’ve worked up a hunger and a thirst. There are many places to satisfy that need but our favorite is 2.5 miles into Carmel Valley. The Bear & Flag Roadside Eatery & Wine Shop is our favorite place to meet after our hikes in Carmel Valley. The Bear & Flag is a modern California Roadside Eatery & Wine Shop featuring a Chef Todd Fisher inspired experience with a wide selection of grab-n-go sandwiches, salads, BBQ, exceptional beer and wine selections, as well as coffee and ice cream. They have something for everyone, and it’s all GOOOOD! #yumyumgetchasome
There’s a few other places nearby that are great stops as well. Baja Cantina Grill and Filling Station offers a great atmosphere, great cantina food and wonderful drinks from their full bar. It’s a great place to get the party started. Earthbound Farms Farm Stand is also another gem in Carmel Valley. The Farm Stand is a favorite destination for organic food and gardens by locals and out-of-town visitors alike, the Farm Stand is a living celebration of Earthbound Farm’s mission to bring the benefits of organic to as many people as possible, in a most delicious and inspiring way.
Carmel Valley is also known as a renown wine region and offers many tasting rooms for visitors. It’s hard to miss a good wine selection in Carmel Valley. If wine is your thing, go check it out!
That’s the end of this RADventure. Follow along and you’ll get more “Dirt” on our next Trail.
