Hike the Ocean View Summit Loop
San Francisco › Big Basin Headquarters
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Activities:
Hiking
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Skill Level:
Intermediate
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Season:
Year Round
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Trail Type:
Loop
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RT Distance:
6 Miles
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Elevation Gain:
600 Feet
Take in the best that Big Basin Redwood State Park has to offer: Massive redwoods, a creek, and an ocean view.
This hike begins at the Big Basin park headquarters. If you're up for 6 miles through giant redwoods and along serene creeks, and with an ocean view, then this is the hike for you. Ocean view summit loop starts on the Gazos Creek Road bridge, next turn right on to the Middle Ridge Fire Road, which gives you the access to the ocean view. Taking another right onto the Meteor trail, which returns to the trailhead.
Pack List
- Park Map
- Water and snacks
- Camera
- Light jacket (it can get cool in the evenings)
I made the mistake of heading out on Labor Day. The place was packed. But once I got on the trail, it thinned out. First note: trail head isn't marked. It actually is down by the parking lot (there is a "y" and you head to the left. Second: missed the (also unmarked) right hand turn onto Middle Ridge Rd. So I kept taking Gazos Creek and then turned right onto Creeping Forest Trail and headed towards Dool Trail (seeing that I could intersect with Middle Ridge later). Third: hit the summit and it was super disappointing. Not only was there a line to go up to the lookout point (because a small group of was eating lunch) but the actual "ocean view" was pretty small and blocked by fog. Lastly: the best part of the hike was the Meteor Trail. Super beautiful and lush. Definitely glad it finished that way because if you were to walk up meteor to the summit it's pretty steep for little reward. Overall I'm glad I did the hike but don't know if I'd hurry to do it again.
about 1 year ago
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