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.