This is a hiking birding experience, so plan accordingly. An early start is essential. More birding tips are incorporated into the "Birds of Interest" section.

Birding is very good along the whole length of the trail and especially in Pine Valley. Expect the full array of chaparral, high grassland, and montane coniferous forest species.  Some specialties to keep a particular eye open for along the main trail include Mountain Quail (California Quail is also present, making for great comparisons), Bell’s Sparrow (especially at the beginning of the trail), and Rufous-crowned Sparrow (in rocky areas with grass or brush). In late spring and summer, look for Purple Martin (particularly likely with all the dead pine snags now abundant in the area), and keep an ear and eye out for Black-chinned Sparrow (especially in areas of recent burns). In late fall and winter watch for Varied Thrush (especially where the big Madrone trees remain), and Fox Sparrow (can be particularly abundant in chaparral on initial ridge trail).

An enjoyable birding activity that is also a meaningful contribution to our understanding of bird distribution in Monterey County is to investigate and document breeding bird activity in this remote location. Not surprisingly, the area has not been thoroughly covered in previous surveys and reviews. Close reading of the superb Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Monterey County, edited by Don Roberson and Chris Tenney, gives a number of clues and missions for the hardy hiking field birder in this area. More accurately mapping the breeding distribution of Red-breasted Nuthatch, Western Tanager and Yellow-rumped Warbler are notable examples.

Pine Valley can definitely use more bird data, especially of its breeding birds. Conditions support a good array of montane breeding species, including Western Wood-Pewee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Western Tanager, Cassin’s Vireo, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. Owls are well-represented, with 3-5 species not uncommonly heard from the sleeping bag, plus Poor-will in summer!

There are many partially or completely unanswered birding questions and mysteries for this area: Are there stands of high elevation large pines and firs sufficient to host local montane breeders such as Flammulated Owl and Mountain Chickadee, apparently vanished from their historical locations.  Does the Church Creek Divide, a major pass between the Arroyo Seco and Carmel River watersheds, support a strong passerine migration through this gap? Are the high ridges a place to observe hawk migration? Pine Valley—why are there no Pileated Woodpecker records from there?

Steep, uneven terrain. Rugged mountains. Extreme heat and nearly unbearable bugs in the warm months. Upper slopes snow-covered some winters. Intermittently overgrown with encroaching poison oak, other brush, and ticks. Foot access only, with often doubtful vehicular access to the upper (China Camp on Chews Ridge) trailhead. Very limited water over much of the length. Significant portions heavily burned in a long succession of wilderness fires. What’s not to love about this very special birding location!

Those not deterred by the above litany will enjoy a trip through one of the most beautiful and special areas within the vast Los Padres National Forest. The trail—when linked with the Lower Pine Ridge Trail segment (see separate Hotspot)—makes a spectacular traverse through the heart of the Ventana Wilderness, with a high-point of about 4500 feet to a low point at the Lower Pine Ridge Trail trailhead of 370 feet at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Trails, when open, lead yet further into the adjacent wilderness. The birds — not to mention other fauna and flora — are always interesting, with some special local species present, and the chance to document further avian discoveries abound for the curious and intrepid.

The entire Pine Ridge Trail is 23 miles from end to end. For birders, we divide it into two Hotspots -- this one is the uppermost (and easternmost) 7.6 miles of the Pine Ridge Trail, plus Pine Valley -- and the Lower Pine Ridge Trail, the westernmost 12.1 miles. [There is an elevational gap between the two Hotspots, a steep 3.3 mile climb that nicely divides the Hotspots between coniferous-and-oak forests and montane chaparral from lowland oak/redwood riparian woods with coastal chaparral]. Throngs of fellow-hikers seeking hot springy bliss from the lower (Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park) trailhead can diminish the wilderness experience at lower elevations, but this Hotspot is limited to the upper elevations only. [For eBird purposes, note that the first quarter-mile of the Pine Ridge Trail from the Tassajara Road trailhead overlooks adjacent China Camp -- a separate Hotspot reached by driving up Tassajara Road from Carmel Valley -- and this short stretch of trail is technically part of that China Camp Hotspot.]

This account describes the upper Pine Ridge Trail itself -- from the trailhead on Tassajara Road (~4325' elevation) to Pine Ridge Camp (4150' elevation), as well as brief coverage of Pine Valley Camp (3150' elevation), a detour off the actual main route. With a little more bird data Pine Valley would warrant its own hotspot, but until that time it is best covered here. See also the well-described adjacent Hotspots along Chews Ridge and the adjoining Lower Pine Ridge Trail hotspot for the continuation of this trail.

From top to bottom, beautiful — often spectacular — scenery awaits. This is not a hiking guide. For that see https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lpnf/recarea/?recid=10951 (Lower access from Highway 1 in Big Sur) and https://www.ventanawild.org/trails/ventana-wilderness-trails/pine-ridge-trail (basic information on the trail, with user trail reports), among many other trail guide websites and books. A "Trailforks" elevational cross-section of the upper Pine Ridge Trail is at a link near the top of this page.

Briefly described, the trail starts on Tassajara Road near China Camp, ascends over and then down a ridge through regenerating brush and grassland. The thick pines and Madrones on the lower slopes above China Camp from years past are mostly gone, with remnant pockets remaining. The trail drops steeply into Church Creek Divide, where some huge Madrones escaped the fire. A 1.3 mile detour drops further down a tributary of the Carmel River to lush Pine Valley Camp, much of which was saved from the recent fires. Huge old growth Ponderosa Pines, broad meadows, an all-year spring, willow and blackberry riparian thickets, interesting rock formations, and abundant bird-life all make for a veritable Garden of Eden. 

Back on the Pine Ridge Trail, the main trail ascends up Pine Ridge, then along it through areas that burned heavily in past fires, but also through and near some intriguing unburned areas of Coulter and Ponderosa Pine, Santa Lucia Fir, Black Oak, Canyon Live Oak and Madrone. There are spectacular views of the northern Los Padres National Forest along this route, from distant Cone Peak to the south, Junipero Serra Peak to the east, Church Creek Canyon, and close views of the Ventana Double Cone Crest. The trail drops long and steeply into the Big Sur River watershed. See the hotspot for the Lower Pine Ridge Trail for a description of the birding in that segment of the trail. 

There are trail camps along the route, all first-come, first-serve, with the popular Pine Valley camp sometimes crowded, especially on holiday weekends. With thoughtful planning and calendar flexibility, the worst of the crowds are avoidable just about everywhere on the route. Those planning to hike the full distance from Chews Ridge to Pfeiffer are advised to hike it from top to bottom—even in the cooler months the climb from the Big Sur River to the top of Pine Ridge is a long and grueling hike through mostly open terrain, nicknamed, somewhat facetiously, “the Golden Staircase” (approximately 5.5 miles and 3500 feet of elevation gain from Sykes to Pine Ridge Camps). The full hike requires a long car shuttle or a good friend to drop you off and pick you up, not to mention good gear, plenty of water, excellent physical conditioning, and an understanding of how to move safely through rugged wilderness.

Day hikes are possible, how strenuous depending on how far one tries to go. Anyone checking birding spots along Chews Ridge would enjoy a walk up the first mile or so of the Pine Ridge Trail. China Camp to Church Creek Divide is a nice, fairly strenuous, out-and-back day hike (7.5 miles, roughly 1400 feet of elevation gain, 400 on the way in, 1000 on the return trip). Pine Valley might be doable in a day for the very fit, but there would hardly be any time for birding this marvelous spot, so an overnight is preferable there.  

Always get up to date advance information on the access road and trail conditions. Both the upper access road and the trail itself might be closed at any season.