1995 Map of Sycamore Flat

About this map

Sycamore Flat and the surrounding drainage of the Arroyo Seco dominate this mid-1990s revision of the Monterey back country. The landscape is defined by the high crests of Sierra Paloma Ridge and Salinas Ridge, which create a complex network of canyons carved by Paloma Creek, Piney Creek, and Sand Creek. Human presence is marked by isolated outposts such as Fritch Ranch, George Ranch, and the remote Hermits Cabin on the eastern slopes. Much of the western portion of the sheet is protected within the Los Padres National Forest and the Ventana Wilderness, where narrow trails and fire boundaries crisscross the steep terrain. An interesting industrial outlier, an Oil Test Well, is noted on the slopes above Grandmas Flat, reflecting mid-century exploration in these typically agricultural and conservation lands.