Above the Fog at Buzzards Roost
Remember the view from Buzzards Roost? This trail is still closed as Big Basin recovers from the 2020 CZU fire, but we can’t wait to see it again.
The hike starts near park headquarters and follows routes like the Pine Mountain Trail for a roughly 4.6- to 5-mile round trip, gaining about 1,200 feet along the way. It’s a steady climb through forest, and the last stretch is a short rock scramble locals call “the wall.” Take it slow, use your hands, and you’ll pop out on a dramatic rock outcrop at about 2,150 feet.
From the top, the Santa Cruz Mountains stretch out in every direction. You look across Middle Ridge, down into deep forested valleys, and over a sea of redwood and conifer canopy. On the right morning, fog drifts through the ridgelines and golden light catches the treetops, like in the photo above.
More info here. Check trail status here.
Photo by Nick Rickert
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