Blog: Hiking Berry Falls in Big Basin

It is amazing what hikes are available just over Highway 17. The small town of Big Basin is home to Big Basin State Park. For a nominal day fee of $10.00, you can hike from dawn to dusk. 

The park offers a great assortment of hikes for differing skill level, but does restrict hiking with dogs on many of the trails.  For new hikers I would recommend stopping by the rangers station and seeking out the best hiking route for your needs. 

For me and the family, our favorite hike is Berry Falls.  The park refers to this trail as a 6 hour strenuous hike.  The first time we did the full route of 11+ miles, it took us over eight hours, due to our lack of preparations.  We are finally down to a quick pace of 4 miles for the six-hour loop.

For those daring enough, the hiking route is as follows from the park headquarters:

• Go right on the Skyline to the Sea Trail
• Go right on to the Dool Trail
• Cross the fire road to start the Sunset Trail (Strenuous hike sight will be at the trail head)
• Hike for 4.9 miles to the Berry Creek Falls Trail Head
• Hike through the falls and down the rock face of the falls
• Take the Skyline to the Sea Trail for 5.3 miles to the Park Head quarters.

Additional routes can be found at http://bigbasin.org/trailsberrycreekfalls.html

Here are some tips to make your hike enjoyable and safe:

• Start your hike early!  The park and trail fill up quickly and the temperature can get high.
• Bring at least 2 quarts of water per person
• Dress for the weather
• Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen are musts
• Bring healthy and salty.  The salt in the snacks will help a great deal if you get dehydrated.
• The hike is child frendly, but I would recommend it for kids 10 and up.
• Bring your camera; there are great opportunities for photos
• Take breaks when you need them. The hike can get really long if you don't take care of yourself.

Happy Hiking!