Los Padres National Forest

A cool experience with 6 to 10 mile hikes

Pups are welcome at camp and on hiking trails

Driving to and sleeping at a campground

Splashing in Salmon Creek Waterfalls in Silver Peak Wilderness

Yvonne Leow

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Last updated

August 3, 2024

Trip · 3-day camping trip

For · Families

Vibe · Moderate and fun

Permits · No need for a wilderness permit, just fill out a CA campfire permit online and reserve a campsite

Drive · 4 hours from LA and SF

Ideal dates · November to March to see the seals and the best waterfalls

Pets · Welcome on trails and campgrounds

Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) boasts a whopping ten wilderness areas: Ventana, Silver Peak, Santa Lucia, Garcia, Machesna, San Rafael, Dick Smith, Matilija, Sespe, and Chumash. In total, the forest has a mind blowing 1.75 million acres. This trek takes you through Silver Peak Wilderness, which is supervised by the Monterey Ranger District, and covers 31,555 acres along the central coast. You'll walk through chaparral scrub to pockets of dense redwood forest—with seaside vistas and flowing streams. Did we mention there's a glorious waterfall too?

Official National Forest Website

Official Fire Restrictions

Directions to Campsite

Main image credit: Wikipedia

Prep Itinerary Gear Food

Stuff to know

There are critters in the Silver Peak Wilderness. Make sure you pack up your food and scented items in the car or an animal proof container when they’re not in use.
Mosquitoes, horseflies, and ticks like to hang out during the summer. Bring yo' bug spray, or even better a bug net.
Watch out for poison oak, especially if you venture off-trail.
Make sure you check campfire restrictions before you go! Restrictions happen seasonally, depending on how high the wildfire risk is.
Practice Leave No Trace! That means packing out any trash and making sure you keep an eye out for litter.

Check the weather

Salmon Creek Waterfall in Silver Peak Wilderness

Where to camp

Plaskett Creek Campground

Each campsite comes with a:

Picnic table
Fire pit
Space for up to 6 people
Two parking spots
Vault toilets & flushing toilets (on site)
Drinking water

Plaskett Creek Campground offers a beautiful location just minutes from Sand Dollar Beach, one of the largest and most popular beaches in central California. The campground gives visitors access to a variety of outdoor activities, including water play and exploration of the surrounding hills and forests. The family-friendly campground offers comfortably equipped sites, allowing anyone to enjoy a relaxing stay in the Los Padres National Forest.

Check-in: Noon · Check-out: Noon

Nightly Rate: $45

Reserve your campsite

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Itinerary

Day One

Plaskett Creek Campground. Credit: Recreation.gov

Leave LA in the morning

Last pit stop · Mini Mart and Gas - 19019 CA-1 in Ragged Point
Nearest grocery store · Linn's Gourmet Goods - 4241 Bridge Street in Cambria
Pick up a sandwich, cup of soup, and/or a slice of pie at Linn's!

Arrive at Plaskett Creek Campground and check in to your site

Arrive at the site and get your tent and gear set up.

Explore Sand Dollar Beach

This beach is across the highway from the campground
True to its name, the beach is known for the sand dollars that wash up on its shores, especially during the low tides of the winter months
The 0.4 mile easy out and back Sand Dollar Beach Trail will take you up and down the shore.
Explore the Jade Cove at the northern end of the beach and the sea caves at the south end of the beach.

Cook up dinner and chill

Enjoy your night and get dinner ready. For an easy dinner that the kids can participate in, try foil campfire dinner packets with your favorite veggies, protein, and sauce.
Enjoy the night around the fire and tell some campfire stories about America’s national parks from this book.

Silver Peak is named for "the silvery sheen of the chaparral vegetation that covers its slopes," according to the USFS wilderness map

Day Two

Salmon Creek Falls. Credit: Adventure Hacks.

Make brekkie and head out to explore Salmon Creek Falls

Enjoy a quick breakfast at the campsite. Think of a classic that you enjoyed on the weekends growing up, like bacon and eggs.

Explore Salmon Creek Falls via the Salmon Creek Trail

This easy 0.3 mile out and back trail will take you from trailhead parking to the waterfalls
Once there, explore the waterfall and let your whimsy take hold

Head back to camp for lunch

Enjoy a lunch at your campsite and take an afternoon siesta

Checkout the Redwood Gulch

This easy 0.6 mile out and back trail will take you through a hidden valley of the southernmost Redwoods in North America

Enjoy dinner your last night at camp

Relax for your last night at camp and take in the wilderness and stars.

Silver Peak Wilderness is known for its lush and unique vegetation along the creeks. This includes fern-covered canyons, grass and oak-dotted meadows, and heavy timber. The Wilderness hides the world's southernmost stand of redwoods, an isolated grove of coastal redwoods.

DAY THREE

Lombardi’s Pasta Familia. Credit: Facebook

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Pack up and leave camp by 10 AM

Cook up brekkie, pick up any random pieces of litter around camp, and save some snacks for the return trek
Make sure you have enough water and snacks for the car ride back home

Catch a view of the Elephant Seals on the way home

Stop off at the Elephant Seal Vista Point to see elephant seals and their newborn babies during peak seasons.
An estimated 18,000 seals visit California’s coasts during their peak breeding season from November to March.

Check out Lombardi’s Pasta Familia for lunch on the way back

This family-friendly Italian restaurant in Cambria is sure to please even the pickiest of kids.
Located at 4851 Bridge St in Cambria, about a forty-minute drive from Salmon Creek Trailhead
Open Every Day · 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM