Monte Bello Trail Camp to Castle Rock Trail Camp 14.1 miles
Views: Valley
Crowd: Mid-week empty, Weekend Upper area and Castle Rock Crowded
Average Speed: 3.7 mph
Stopped Time: 6 min lot of rain gear on and off
Difficulty 1-5 for relative distance: 2.5
Bike: No Bikes
Dogs: No Dogs
Cautions: Poison Oak - off trails
​
​
Hike Direction: North to Southeast.
Download GPX route: Click Here
Parking: Page Mill entrance and Castle Rock. Need overnight permit parking for both locations $10
​
Driving Directions:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//37.325556,-122.17868/@37.3253206,-122.2487161,12z/data=!3m1!4b1
​
This is day 2 of a 3 day, 2 night backpacking route that starts in the Water Dog (San Mateo Area), and over nights at the Black Mountain Backpackers Camp. Leaving the Camp area, you'll descend down about 2 miles before climbing up to join the Bay Ridge Trail in a Southward Direction to Castle Rock State Park. There is NOT water along the way and the streams don't seem like something I'd even want to filter. At mile 10 you can cut off the trail and head back North a few hundred yards on 35 to the Fire Station. Water in the Castle Rock Camp.
The Black Mountain Backpacker's Camp is about 2 miles South of the main Parking. Just follow the signs if this is your starting point and you're skipping Day 1's 21.5 mile hike.
Day 1 of 3 Water Dog (San Mateo Area) to Monte Bello Backpacking.
Day 3 of 3 Castle Rock to Waddell Beach.
​
More info: http://www.openspace.org/preserves/monte-bell
​
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is avalible: here: http://www.openspace.org/what-to-do/activities/camping
​
Monte Bello Trail Camp: http://www.openspace.org/visit-a-preserve/permits/camping-permit
​
Castle Rock State Park:
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538
​
Castle Rock Trail Camps:
​
Red = Out & Back (O/B) or Connection hikes
Green = Loops
Blue = Backpacking including Backpacking thru hikes
Light Blue = Thru hikes
Yellow = To-do Backpack
Pink = Smaller loop option
Orange = To-do
Purple = Bay Ridge Trail thru hikes
GENERAL NOTES:
• Total Elevation Gain reported by GAIA on IOS devices looks to be a bit under reported when compared to Garmin devices that feature Baro elevation correction. It has been left for consistency.
• I carried a full overnight weekend backpack and hiked solo, unless otherwise noted. This certainly slows the time and pace a bit. I did so initially for the workout, but now so that the pacing is consistent and thus more predictable for comparing hike to hike times.
• Often midweek you might not see another person on your loop. Some of the Best Hikes on the Peninsula are surprisingly remote.
• Some of the trails have sharp drops just off the edge of the single track. A fall off in the wrong spot could be very bad.
• Cell signal is spotty to non-existent in many of the areas.
• Carry a headlamp in case you get lost, delayed, over estimated your progress, when you have an afternoon start, etc.
• When Hiking Solo, consider carrying extra food, first aid, and shelter or bivy, in case you find yourself lost, injured or in the parks after dark. It could be better to shelter in place, than continue without working light, tripping and falling off a cliff or wandering lost thru the night.
• Wildlife consists not only of lizards, rabbits, birds (including turkeys and hogs in some of the areas) and deer, but I have seen or seen signs of coyote, bob cat, rattle snakes and even mountain lions in several of the preserves over the years.
Seems like the lizards make the most noise as the run thru the leaves, but note that on several occasions the rattle snakes did NOT rattle. It never hurts to be aware of where you are stepping.
​
ABOUT DOGS AND BIKES:
Most of the hiking routes cover a large area and numerous hiking trails. While some of the hiking trails used to create the route might allow dogs or bikes, a "NO" for either is listed if at any point on the hike, a hiking trail used for the hike, has a "NO" sign is posted.
However, regardless of the signs posted, please note that you'll often still see both.