Gaviota State Park

This hike made for a long day trip from Bakersfield, but was well worth it for the weather, the views, and the extent of trails available for hiking. I took a side trip to see La Purisima Mission, which is one of the best I've seen, but if I'd known the extent of trails available at the park I would've spent all day hiking. Next time, next time.

To get there, well, ah, find your way to the 101, whether headed north from Santa Barbara or headed south from Solvang. The park is directly off the 101. It took me about three hours from Bakersfield. I had originally intended to hike Gaviota Peak, but there was some shady-looking dude starting the trail right behind me and after digging around in my pack and realizing I didn't have my pepper spray or my knife, I decided to see what other trails I could find and got the heck out of there. That's honestly the first time I've ever done that. It was worth it though; I think the trails I did find had much better views.

The trail I hiked takes off from an upper parking lot; the right fork that you would take immediately after entering the park (I'd advise going to the left and paying for parking first - $8). The Beach-Backcountry Trail begins right near the water and, after following a service road for a bit, winds back up through the hills around sandstone outcroppings. It looks like this area burned a few years ago - there are few trees but the brush was almost up to my elbows at some points. The trail is well-cut and easy to find. I'd say it's a rather moderate hike - easy to hike up to some of the lower neat outcroppings/caves with kids but harder as you go further on. There are gorgeous views of the ocean pretty much the whole way, especially as you climb higher. The map indicates this trail eventually passes through a hiker tunnel under the 101 and can connect with the Gaviota Peak trail, if you wanted to hike beach-peak all in one shot. I didn't get that far.

All in all I'd give this trail a 9 for difficulty and scenery, the well-marked trail and accesability. The 1 point marked off is because you are in sight/sound of the freeway most of the way, though it is muted and fades out for the mostly.

State trails website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=25118

Some photos:

Remington Ridge Road

So, I realize it's been a while... that's because it is WINTER and I've been hiking the same three or four accessible trails all winter long. Arg. Come on, Summer.

Remington Ridge Road Trailhead lies further up Old Kern Canyon Road from the Mill Creek Trail. It has the same oak and scrubbrush landscape, with even more giant rock formations for climbing or hopping or (in the case of freinds goofing off a couple weeks ago) Yoga Demonstrations.

This trail is steep for the first mile or two and fairly steep after that. Requires the occasional stop to catch your breath. Mainly the trail climbs straight up and across the face of the ridge so that you can even see down to the freeway in the distance on occasion. After this it levels out for a while and head straight back in toward the South. This trail eventually climbs Lightner Peak and, I'm assuming, winds back through and up several smaller mountains on the way to the peak. I usually take about two hours to do a loop: climbing the trail to where it levels out and hike a little further back in past where the corral is, and back down the the bottom.

This trail is PERFECT for training to make longer climbs and really getting an awesome workout, especially if you don't have long.

Fun Facts:

Directions: head out of Bakersfield on the 178 through the canyon. Once the road widens out into a four-lane highway, drive a few more minutes and make a right on Borel Road. Make one more right onto Kern River Canyon Road. The trailhead will be on your left not too far up the road. Or you can take the earlier turnoff from 178 for Kern River Canyon Road. Follow this windy road a few mintues until you reach the Mill Creek Trailhead, located on the right. Keep going several miles to the Remington Ridge Road Trailhead. The second option tends to take long, in my opinion, but is more scenic. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to from Bakersfield.

Hike Time: 2-6??? hours loop. Make it as long as you want.
Water: none. Bring your own.

Note of Caution: Last winter I did see cougar and bear tracks crossing the trail further back in. This was in dead winter - mid December - and I'm sure nobody had been anywhere near that spot in days, if not a couple weeks. During the summer you should be fine.

This spring I will be climbing Lightner Peak so look for an upcoming post!

Wind Wolves Preserve

The Wind Wolves Preserve is beautiful and well preserved (ha.ha.). There is not much shade so hiking in the cooler seasons would be preferable. My friends and I took a short trail that ended up with not much elevation loss/gain, and so decided to go off-trail and take a barely beaten-down path up the side of the mountain (read: necessary to crawl up the mountain). We followed this path for quite some time along the bluffs, found a way down the cliff and on to a nice trail running along the creekbed back to the area where our truck was parked. There was actually still water in the creek. We spent about three hours there on Saturday.

I definitely hope to explore the preserve more. Though the whole thing is not open to the public, there are many trails and this fall and winter will be the perfect time. There will be more defined explanations of the various trails as I explore them!

Maps are available at the gatehouse where you can sign in as well. They show the various trails available for hiking, biking, etc. There's camping there too and from atop the bluffs it looked like a super-nice campground. I was impressed by the whole preserve and how well kept-up it seems.

Directions:

From Bakersfield, there are two ways: take 99 South until you reach Hwy 166, the Maricopa turnoff, and take that West until you reach the sign for the preserve. The preserve is on the South side of the highway. The other way would be to take Gosford (or the 99) down to Taft Hwy, turn right to go West, and follow the signs (in Old River) to turn left to head South to 166, where you would turn right (West) and the WindWolves Preserve is just a few minutes down the road. Dirt road access.

Update: Some new photos of Windwolves that I took February 15th. It's not always this green, but is definitely beautiful year-round.

Mill Creek

I did not hike this weekend, as I was out of town having mucho fun in LA, so I will share one of my favorite rambles from the past - Mill Creek.

The Mill Creek Trail starts winding along the hill above Old Kern Canyon Road, and then makes a fairly straight shot back into the mountains, following the canyon that Mill Creek comes out of. It meanders for a while, crossing the creek (or creekbed) several times before turning into a more strenuous climb up towards the ridge, at the end using several switchbacks to peak over the ridge into more grassy terrain that begins to look more like the area surrounding Brekenridge road. This is a great hike to do with little kids as the beginning parts are not too tough.

This is a gorgeous hike with adequate shade. In the spring it has several weeks of wildflowers, including a Lupine-looking flower all along the trail. In the summer it is dry grass but has a fair amount of shade. I've also walked up to the creek here in early June to see hundreds of Monarch butterflies congregating. Beautiful.

Fun Facts:

Directions: head out of Bakersfield on the 178 through the canyon. Once the road widens out into a four-lane highway, stay to the right and take the turnoff for Old Kern Canyon Road. Follow this windy road a few mintues until you reach the Mill Creek Trailhead, located on the right. Be on the lookout, as I have passed it before (while talking), but the sign is easy to spot. This takes about 45 minutes to get to from Bakersfield.

Hike Time: As long as you make it. The trailhead says the trail ends at Brekenridge Road, about 7 miles. I usually make this about a 2.5 hour easy hike or a 2 hour accelerated hike, stopping at the flat rock for a break and then heading back.

Sunday Peak

WOW. What a gorgeous view. The hike is lovely too. Unfortunately my camera was out of battery, so there are no photos. I will have to use my words.

The trail is easily marked and distinct. Though a sunny day (September 13th), it was only about 75 degrees when we started out about 10:30 that morning, and the perfect weather continued throughout the day. Even spurts of fairly level ground are combined with uphill grades to make the hike both challenging (or at least good exercise) and enjoyable. We were able to stop several times to enjoy the forest and the view through the trees. I believe the trail climbs up to the saddle between Portuguese Peak (to the North) and Sunday Peak. It follows this for a while before turning up the West side of Sunday Peak to the top.

From the peak you can see in all directions, as this is the highest point in the Greenhorn Mountains. The North Fork of the Kern is easily visible, as are several high mountains near the Mineral King range to the Northeast. The San Joaquin Valley was hazy on our day (as it is nearly every day), but to the East the views are absolutely gorgeous.

At the summit are several large rocks, perfect for picnics, a nap or relaxing time. Don't wait til just before you're ready to go to read the registers in the box, they are highly entertaining. Make up your own story.



Fun Facts:

To get there head east through the canyon (178) til you reach the Kernville turnoff- 155. Follow the 155 a ways until you make a left in Wofford Heights to continue on the 155. Follow this up the very windy road (11% upgrade with hairpin turns) until you reach the sandshed opposite the Rancheria Road turnoff. Turn right and head up the dirt service road for a long, long time until you see the sign for Sunday Peak Trailhead. Parking area is on the left. There is a big sign along the road and another just west up the hill where the trailhead begins. All in all it took us about 1.5 - 1.75 hours from Bakersfield.

Hike time: 1 hour and 30-45 minutes up, 45 minutes down. You'll want time at the top too, to enjoy the view.

Water: none. Bring your own.

Distance: trailhead says 1.5 miles to the top, so 3 miles roundtrip. You climb about 1000 feet to the summit at 8295ft.

Yup, this one's a keeper.

The Beginning...

I like to hike every weekend, and am based out of Bakersfield. There's a lot surrounding this area, but not many real paths or concise guides... they always assume you're from farther north or from southern california. I've spent some time researching trails from various sources and spend my weekends checking them out. Some end in amazing hikes and others get lost in cow crap. Literally, I lost one trail on a hill where the cows like to hang out... and never found the rest. It ended there.

I hike for fun, for exercise, and for beautiful scenery. This blog will be updated weekly with my hikes. The weekends I don't get to hike, I'll add a hike from prior experience. This is for others, and for personal incentive to get out and explore new trails instead of just using the same old ones. Happy hiking.