As with all Santa Lucia Mountains interior and limited access areas, the bird data appearing on eBird and elsewhere are very limited. The opportunities for meaningful discovery and addition to our ever-evolving understanding of the avifauna of Monterey County abound!

Each season offers something unique. In the warmer months an early start is best, as it can become quite hot and apparently birdless as the day progresses. Of course, as the day warms and birds grow silent, it becomes primetime for observing dragonflies and butterflies, all of which are well-represented here.

A good strategy for a first visit is to focus on the walk up Williams Canyon, then while morning birds are still singing, a walk around the nature loop, perhaps with a picnic lunch at the Red-tailed Overlook (requires a steep mile up a service road). Future trips might include the more strenuous Echo Ridge and Patriarch Grove areas, but those might be best reserved for hiking-focused trips, as the additional bird species there are limited. The high ridges can be very hot and buggy in the warmer months.

The bird list for this area is still very tentative, based on only a few visits and those at limited seasons. In addition to the expected redwood, oak woodland, and chaparral species, this is a very reliable area for hearing and often seeing Mountain Quail. Other local and uncommon species occur here, including Varied Thrush. One lucky visitor even witnessed a Canyon Wren working its way up the "canyon" of the bark of the County's largest Coast Redwood!  The regenerating forest is an excellent place for woodpeckers. In addition to the regular species it seems like a great location for a woodpecker rarity someday.

Mitteldorf Preserve is one of the crown jewels of the properties acquired and managed by the Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT). Access is by permit or during BSLT special events only. Permits are not difficult to obtain, https://bigsurlandtrust.org/updated-hike-registration-form/

The preserve consists of 1000 acres of redwood and oak/madrone woodlands, including Monterey County's largest Coast Redwood, and some large, old growth Madrones, and oak woodland, chaparral, and grassland habitats. The preserve was severely burned during the 2016 Soberanes Fire, but many large trees survived and the locale is a model of the powers of regeneration, careful stewardship, and fire resilience of native species, when given a chance. The Preserve is tucked in between the Santa Lucia Preserve, Joshua Creek Ecological Reserve, and the upper portions of Palo Corona Regional Park. More information on the preserve is at https://bigsurlandtrust.org/mitteldorf-preserve-carmel-valley/.

If you enjoy your visit to this area, please consider making a donation to the Big Sur Land Trust, which makes the preservation and access of areas such as this possible.

Big Sur Land Trust maintains several different trails. The area around the Lodge (rustic historical structure) and heritage redwood are readily accessible following a walk up Williams Canyon. A one mile nature trail winds up the redwood canyon above the Lodge through regenerating riparian habitat, connecting with an old fire road and looping back to the starting point. 

Somewhat more ambitious is a walk up the main service to the Red-tailed Overlook. A well-placed picnic bench provides a lovely location to look for raptors and enjoy a view of the basin in which the Preserve sits.

Other hikes are strenuous, including the longer loop on Echo Ridge, and the steep climb to the Patriarch Grove, the patriarchs here being old-growth Madrones and Live Oaks.

On special occasions only, most notably BSLT's annual Race for Open Space, guided trips allow access into portions of Joshua Creek Ecological Area and the upper portions of Palo Corona County Park, including Palo Corona summit itself--all special areas of very limited access.