When I met the park ranger at night (after getting lost the first time - don’t start your hike at dusk! allow time and the sun goes down quicker in the Mtns, in February!) I took a photo of this map which is not too detailed but helped me orient to where I was. I think it’s the best you’ll be able to do. You can probably pick it up from the station rangers if they’re open, but again it’s a map for probably all of Los Padres or at least the Big Sur parks.
http://brianwiese.com/photos/1-FridayNight/img_5909
The purple on the map is the Pfeiffer Big Sur State park region, the big red P is the roadside parking lot... http://brianwiese.com/photos/1-FridayNight/img_5852 http://brianwiese.com/photos/1-FridayNight/img_5858
The pink dotted line is the trail. There’s a jet to the left and a sign to Ventana camp (which I did not explore but hear it’s nice, http://brianwiese.com/photos/2-MorningMixup/img_5976), Terrace creek is beautiful and about the midway point (http://brianwiese.com/photos/2-MorningMixup/img_5993), I didn’t check outl Barlow (http://brianwiese.com/photos/3-SatOut/img_6007), and Sykes is downstream to the left once you reach the end of the trail (http://brianwiese.com/photos/3-SatOut/img_6035) but you’ll have to navigate walking around or through the stream - might be good to have hiking polls or sticks for stabilization.
Actually... here you go, I think this is what you need: http://www.amazon.com/MAP-Big-Recreation-Wilderness-Press/dp/0899973655/
If you’re living in the area and want to consider more options, maybe check this book out: http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Backpacking-Big-Analise-Elliot/dp/0899973264
If you just leave during midday or so (morning preferably, drive down early to avoid the crowds/traffic) you’ll have a great time and no worries hiking the 10 miles. If you go on a weekday might have less traffic on the trails/hotsprings as well - though this is summer! Try spotting out a camp ground to enjoy the springs early in the morning and maybe bring some tealights if your looking for a little romantic lighting.
free national forest days... National Get Outdoors Day – June 11 National Public Lands Day – September 24 Veterans’ Day Weekend – November 11-13
http://www.ventanawild.org/trails/trailconditions.html Here it is for Pine Ridge... http://ventanawild.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=263
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/hiking.html Holy cow... there’s even an iphone app map of the trail now! http://www.everytrail.com/guide/pine-ridge-trail-to-sykes-hot-springs fyi - just found this too... interesting: http://www.drjack.info/HIKES/TRAILMAP/ventana_trailmap.html
if you open in google maps, expand campgrounds, click on “Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground “, then follow that green trail just below it following the ridge south of the river - that’s the Pine Ridge
more basic hot springs info: http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/hotsprings.html
just found this: http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/ Def check out the hikes #1,3,4 - 2 is awesome but closed, I never did 5
another day/overnight hike you might consider is hiking up to the top of Mt Manual, for some great views... It’s a 10 mile hike, no water, and 1/2 of it quite exposed in the summer heat but camping on the peak is cool - starts right in Pfeiffer BS where hike #1 is
Mount Manuel Trail: Beginning at the Oak Grove Trail, 8 miles roundtrip, strenuous. A steep climb to the top of 3,379 foot Manuel Peak.
http://www.redwoodhikes.com/Big%20Sur/Mt%20Manuel.html
You’ve also got check out Pfeiffer Beach... walk down this Sycamore Canyon Rd/Forest Route 19S05. You can park the car free just a 100yds or so south of the Big Sur Station (though maybe overnight is better within the parking lot at the station?) and walk down this road. There’s not much parking down it... it’s a bit of a hike but shady and pleasant, and hopefully not too many cars on it because the road is narrow. The beach and views of the cliffs in the water is awesome though, especially at sunset. So this might be a good evening thing to do after you already have a campsite setup somewhere in Pfeiffer Big Sur for the night. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4657391
I did a ‘shore to summit’ hike once, from this beach all the way to the top of Mt Manual. You’ll be really lucky if the fog rolls in and the ocean and valley becomes a sea of clouds with your peak and others the little ‘islands’. (can’t find my pic of that!!!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAY3HuoTJ1s
I know you’ll be camping, but dnld the BigSurGuide pdf file from this page (http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/lodging.html) - its good info for the coast and the map. There’s a pic of the sunset through the window in the rocks at Pfeiffer Beach - only happens in the winter though. Another shot I wish I got! http://divermaidentravels.blogspot.com/2011/01/central-california-sunset-at-pfeiffer.html
I’d definitely also spend a day walking around Carmel and checking out the white sandy beach there next to the Pebble Beach golf course. You can have a campfire on the beach there at sunset. So many great places to watch the sun set in Big Sur/Cali - but I’m sure you know that. I really miss campfires/beach sunsets + wine!