OUTSIDE: Fields of Dreams

Spring 2022 might not be a banner season for wildflowers – it wasn’t a wet winter – but if you put in some work, hillsides splashed with color are just within reach. In late April, a friend and I hiked up to Timber Top in Big Sur, an arduous, 2.6-mile slog uphill with about a 2,500-foot elevation gain. For lack of a better term, it’s an ass-kicker, and it’s hard to appreciate the flowers while climbing (it was for me, at least). But once the pinnacle is reached, the world opens up: The blues and purples, oranges and yellows, whites and even pinks here and there light up the landscape, with the view of the horizon over the Pacific serving as a reliably stunning backdrop. It’s an epic canvas, and while descending, it feels like you’re walking right into it. To extend the 5.3-mile out-and-back, consider hiking in either direction along Old Coast Road, which offers sweeping views of the Santa Lucia Range. (We also saw a bonus hillside carpeted with lupine.) It’s a tough climb to Timber Top – it just goes up, and up, and up – but the rewards are world-class, and a reminder of how lucky we are to live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Just be sure to pack plenty of water, because you’re going to sweat it out. [DS]

For trail details, visit alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/boronda-south-of-big-sur.