Limekiln Falls & Jade Cove Hike

Limekiln Ruins & Falls - BIG SUR Coast

This is one of my favorite short hikes in the BIG SUR region. We will hike up along Limekiln Creek through a lush environment of greenery and redwood groves (some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in Monterey County). We will explore the ancient lime kilns and hike to the bottom of 100ft Limekiln Falls. This scenic little trail provides the best of Big Sur: ancient redwoods, large ferns, cascading creeks and a waterfall.

The four, forty-foot-tall historic kilns we will encounter date back to 1887 when the Rockland Lime and Lumber Company set up operations along Limekiln Creek to convert limestone to lime. Intense fires burning in the kilns over time would convert and purify the limestone into lime. The company exported thousands of barrels of lime from the nearby beach by boat, mostly used for concrete to build San Francisco and Monterey.

Distance: 2 miles (out-and-back)
Elevation gain: 300 feet
Difficulty: Moderate - To get to the Falls there are some creek crossings and fallen logs to get over.

JADE Cove

Jade Cove is a famous, scenic, and rugged coastal spot along Highway 1 known for being the only place in the world with a concentrated underwater deposit of quality nephrite jade. Bring a plastic baggie to collect some jade!

Distance: 1 mile (out-and-back)
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Difficulty: Moderate - Although this is an extremely short hike, it ends with a steep scramble down a rough ungraded path to a rocky shoreline cove. Ropes have been added to assist, but it is not recommended for those who have knee trouble or are afraid of heights.

PLAN TO MEET at 9am on Saturday, FEB 28 at SANTA ROSA PARK in SLO. We will caravan/carpool from there.

There is a $10 per car day use fee at Limekiln State Park. Best to carpool as much as we can.

For those interested, we'll plan to meet at the Main Street Grill (603 Main St. Cambria, CA 93428) for a late lunch/early dinner.

Pack a snacks/lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen, and something warm.

RAIN cancels this event. I'll let you know.

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Where:
SANTA ROSA PARK
Santa Rosa St & Oak St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405