The trail to Bull Run Lake can be difficult depending on what kind of shape you’re in and how much water is flowing in the streams you have to cross, but the lake is beautiful and a great place to camp.

From the Stanislaus Meadow parking area just off of Highway 4, it’s almost exactly 4 miles to the lake.  You can cut up to a half mile off of that if you drive in on the dirt road to the official trail head.  However, there are some pretty rutted sections of that dirt road that I would not want to take without elevated ground clearance and maybe four wheel drive.

Stanislaus Meadow Trail Head

I parked in the large parking area, about four miles East of Lake Alpine on the South side of Highway 4, and walked the dirt road into the official Stanislaus Meadow Trail Head.  The parking area is at about 7900 feet elevation.  It was a pleasant walk and I wanted to get some video footage anyway.  From the parking area I followed the road for about 0.55 miles to the well signed Stanislaus Meadow Trail Head.

There are no facilities at the parking lot or trail head so plan ahead.  Make sure and bring plenty of water for the hike.

Near the trail head is a junction with the Emigrant Trail that will take you to Mosquito Lakes in one direction and to Lake Alpine in the other.  On some topo maps the trail to Lake Alpine is shown, but the trail to Mosquito Lakes is not.  There is another trail junction further up toward Bull Run Lake that also goes to Mosquito Lakes and some people make a loop out of it.

From the Stanislaus Meadow Trail Head, we travel mostly South down a gentle slope for a little more than a half mile to the signed boundary of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness Area.  Remember that motorized vehicles and bicycles are not allowed in the Wilderness Area.

Continuing mostly South from the Wilderness Area Boundary, or path begins to steepen it’s descent.  This steeper South bound part of the trail continues for a little over six tenths of a mile until we reach a crossing near the headwaters of the North Fork of the Stanislaus River, about 1.7 miles from the parking area.  When I did this hike in early September the river was dry.  However, earlier in the season when the snow is still melting, this crossing can be challenging.  There are several places where people or horses have chosen to cross depending on the rate of flow.  This is the low point of our hike at about 7440 feet.

From the crossing of the North Fork of the Stanislaus River, we begin to climb gently in a Southeasterly direction for about four tenths of a mile where we come to another stream crossing.  Again, when I did the hike this stream bed was also dry but it would not have been just a few short weeks earlier.

From the stream crossing at about 2.1 miles from the parking area, we turn toward the North East, and begin to climb more steeply.  In another six tenths of a mile, or about 2.7 miles from the beginning, we come to the trail junction I mentioned at the beginning of this article.  If we continue North East at this point we can go to Heizer Lake or further on to Mosquito Lakes and Highway 4.  Today though we are going to Bull Run Lake so we take the right fork of the trail which now takes us toward the South East.

For about then next four tenths of a mile our path is nearly level… it won’t stay that way.  At about 3.1 miles from the beginning we start one of the steepest inclines of the hike.  Going steeply up hill we travel first to the South East, then East, then South for a bit less than half a mile where we come to a short level stretch and a small pond on our right.  I know my first reaction upon reaching this pond was great disappointment having mistakenly concluded that this was my destination… luckily the person I was hiking with knew better.

From the pond it’s only another four tenths of a mile (all up hill) until we reach Bull Run Lake at about 8360 feet elevation.  The lake is fairly large and has quite a few great camping spots pretty much all around its perimeter. Being a relatively short hike and a beautiful location, it is a very popular spot for weekend day hikers and back packers.

The hike into Bull Run Lake is easier that the hike to Wheeler Lake.  They both have lots of good camping spots.  One big difference between the two is that the scenery going to Wheeler Lake is very volcanic in nature whereas the hike into Bull Run Lake is like a lot of the Sierras… Granite, Granite, Granite.  In fact, there are some stretches of the trail where you pretty much have to rely on the rock ducks (small cairns) and tree blazes (examples shown in the video) along with map and compass and GPS if you’re lucky.

I hiked this trail on one of the busiest weekends of the year, Labor Day weekend.  I saw lots of people on the trail, some who looked like they were prepared, others who did not.  There are some steep sections, exposed sections, gravely sections, and depending on the time of year, some significant stream crossings.  Bring plenty of water, good hiking shoes, and stay within your abilities.

Elevation Profile

I hope you get the chance to enjoy this hike to Bull Run Lake!

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In this article I’ll explain what the GPX and KML files are that I  provide with many articles and how you can use them.

With most trail, road trip, and destination articles I provide two down-loadable files; a KML file, and a GPX file.  Both files contain information about tracks, waypoints or both.  A track is what you see on the map that accompanies the article showing the path I took.  Waypoints are markers that show up on the map at specific locations.   While each of these files contains similar information, each has a particular use.

KML files are in a format that is compatible with Google Earth and Google Maps, as well as an increasing number of other applications.  If you download the KML file from an article then you can open it using the Google Earth application and get a 3D view of it with satellite imagery.  If you have not tried Google Earth, I highly recommend it.  You can get a copy for free from Google!

The GPX files that I provide are actually compressed (zipped) versions of the GPX files.  GPX stands for GPS Exchange.  Once un-zipped, these files can be imported into many GPS units, particularly Garmin products.  If you import the GPX file to your GPS unit then you should be able to see the track and waypoints that I captured as well as some additional information that I may have added later.

I should point out here that you can actually open GPX files with google earth as well.  I include both types of files because sometimes I modify the KML file specifically for display within Earth.

The GPS unit that I use most often is the Garmin 60CSx for several reasons.  It uses AA batteries making it easy to use over extended periods of time when a charger may not be available.  It’s memory can be expanded with a Micro-SD card allowing expanded map and track capture capabilities.  For example, I have topo maps of  most of the western US loaded on mine in addition to street maps.  It also has a very sensitive receiver that seems to lock onto the GPS satellites faster than many other GPS units.  One thing that I consider a feature, that some may not, is that it uses buttons rather than a touch screen for navigation, etc.  This is a feature to me for two reasons… First, I’m often using the unit in dirty, dusty, gritty conditions and would be concerned that a touch screen would get scratched up quickly.  Second, to protect the unit from bumps and dings, I keep the unit in a protective sheath which still allows the buttons to be pressed but would probably prevent a touch screen from working.  This unit is also water resistant and includes both a barometric altimeter and a magnetic compass.

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Wheeler Lake Trail Elevation Profile (one way)

This trail takes us up to the top of what some folks call Wheeler Ridge and then down to Wheeler lake from the Woodchuck Basin Trailhead off of California State Route 4.  In the late summer at these elevations the snow is just melting off and wildflowers are bursting from the ground almost everywhere.

Before we get started with the trail description, let me throw a little caution your way.  While this trail is not too long, it is almost all up hill or down hill, sometimes steeply, often on exposed slopes, at elevation.  Know your physical abilities and stay within them.  Also, be aware of Sierra mountain weather.  It can go from clear skies to thunder and lightening very quickly!

Woodchuck Basin Trailhead Sign on Hwy 4

We start our trek at the Woodchuck Basin Trailhead parking area which is located about 1.2 miles North-East of the North-East end of Lake Alpine on California State Route 4.  This dirt parking area is fairly large but this is also a very popular trail for day hikers, equestrians, and backpackers so on busy holiday weekends it can get a bit crowded.  If you have 4 wheel drive, you can actually drive further up the dirt road leading to the actual trailhead and perhaps find a spot.  On the weekend we hiked the trial, parking was abundant.

Remember that this trail goes into the Mokelumne Wilderness area so only foot or horse traffic is allowed.  No bicycles and no motorized vehicles.

Woodchuck Basin Trailhead

From the trailhead parking area, we follow the narrow dirt road a little less than a quarter mile, generally North, to the trailhead sign.  This path takes us up a gentle slope under tree cover.  You may notice multiple fire rings along the way.  When large equestrian groups come up, you’ll often find these rustic campsites occupied.

From the trailhead sign we continue up hill with a slightly increased slope.  We go about a half mile in a North North-east direction for about a half mile to the easy crossing of intermittent Silver Creek.

This section of the trail is wooded and we begin to get a taste of the wildflowers that await us on the other side of the ridge.  Click on the thumbnails for larger images…

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Silver Creek Crossing

Crossing Silver Creek was a simple step-over for us.  We’ve come a little less than 3/4 of a mile so far and the approach to Silver Creek has been a pleasant, shallow, grade with lots of wildflowers to encourage us forward.

The trail immediately following the creek crossing takes us through a beautiful meadow as we approach the wall of volcanic rock that forms the rim of Woodchuck Basin.

This is a good opportunity to take a break, take some pictures, and get well hydrated because soon we’ll be making our way up the basin wall toward the ridge line.

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Wilderness Area Sign

Less than two tenths of a mile from Silver Creek, or about 0.87 miles from the beginning, we come to the well marked beginning of the Mokelumne Wilderness area.  Up to this point we have been heading mostly North, making our way up the slope of Woodchuck Basin  toward a domineering volcanic wall.  After the sign for the wilderness area, we turn toward the West and begin the steady trudge traversing the basin wall, making our way steadily up hill, now at somewhat less gentle slope.

Up to this point, the trail has led us through a mostly wooded landscape.  That is about to change.  As soon as the trail turns to the west, and begins the climb up the slope of the basin wall, we notice that the cover becomes more sparse, and the track drier and more gravel strewn as we go.  For about the next two tenths of a mile, as we continue to climb we are still treated to plenty of mountain wildflower eye candy but it gets thinner and thinner as we go.  Also along this stretch we begin to be able to look down into the valley to the South and see Lake Alpine  as well as  Utica and Union reservoirs.

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Exposed Climb Up Basin Wall

Finally, at just a little over a mile from the beginning of our hike, and a couple tenths of a mile since we turned toward the west in the Wilderness Area, we find ourselves on the completely exposed, mostly South facing slope above Woodchuck basin.  From here up to the ridge top there is virtually no cover and the trail goes pretty continuously up hill.

We have already gained almost 630 feet in elevation to about 8382 feet.  Over the next nine tenths of a mile we’ll gain another 377 feet where we’ll reach the ridge overlooking the valley where our destination lies.

View From the Trail

To compensate for the exposed conditions on this stretch of the trail we are granted wide open vistas of the Dadanells and beyond.

From the point where the exposed section starts, it’s about eight tenths of a mile until we first reach the.  At this point, we look down into Underwood Valley to the North-West, and Mount Reba almost directly to the West.

At this point there are spur trails off to the East and West that follow the ridge line.  However  we’ll follow the main trail which now turns to the North East and up for another tenth of a mile or so.

Last Up Hill Stretch

This last uphill section is now on the North West facing slope of the ridge and the conditions are dramatically different than they were on the other side.  Here, instead of a bare, sun beaten slope, we’ll often times find the trail blocked by snow all the way into late summer.  We also pick up some tree cover for a brief time.

View From The Top

At the end of our almost continuous up hill journey, we’ve come about 1.98 miles and gained over 1000 feet in elevation to 8758 feet.  We are met here by spectacular view down into Avalanche Meadow below, and the mountains in the distance.

If the late summer snow hasn’t already turned you back, this is a good place to stop for awhile, assess your strength, stamina, and water supply.  The trail section that comes next is even steeper than the one we’ve just come up and the first part of it is again on an exposed slope.  Add to that that the first part of the remaining trail is down steep switchbacks on loose scree making footing unsure.

That said, if you’re up to the task, what awaits you down in Avalanche Meadow and Wheeler lake may make it worth the effort.  Just make sure you know you can hike out once you have committed by hiking down this slope.

Looking Back Up Switchbacks

So, from the top of the ridge we continue down a rocky set of switchbacks for the next 500 or so feet, quickly losing about 130 feet in elevation.  Keep your eyes open because there are several “false” trails where people have either accidentally or on purpose cut off some of the switchbacks creating much steeper and more difficult alternatives.

At the bottom of the switchbacks we continue North East in a more direct fashion, now entering the wooded forest floor.  Our elevation loss (gain coming back!!) continues to be fairly steep but the footing is better than it was on the switchbacks.

Unnamed Intermittent Stream

We continue North East from the switchbacks for a little less then two tenths of a mile where the trail turns to the South East, toward the inside of a bowl formed of volcanic rock, and Avalanche Meadow.  Just a bit further on, now 2.32 miles from where we started we come to our second intermittent stream crossing.

From this intermittent stream we continue South East for about 3 tenths of a mile still making our way down the North East facing wall of the gigantic bowl.  At that point, about 2.6 miles from our beginning, the trail turns North East.

As we get deeper into the bowl, it’s obvious that there is much more water and the conditions are much less harsh than on the ridge line.

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Continuing now to the North East for less than 2 tenths of a mile, we come into the stunning Avalanche Meadow and our closest approach to the babbling creek that flows out of it to feed Wheeler Lake.  Fed by melting snow around the bowl that surrounds the meadow, the wildflowers here were amazingly prolific and were growing almost head high.

Avalanche Meadow

At this point, about 2.78 miles from where we started, we’ve dropped back down over 600 feet from the ridge top.  The area in the immediate vicinity of the meadow has a shallower slope than that leading up to it or that which lies ahead.  It’s really an awesome place to take another break, take a bunch of pictures, and get hydrated.

From Avalanche Meadow we turn toward the North West and travel down an increasingly steep slope for about 1/3 of a mile to the Wheeler Lake basin.  In just a few hundred more feet, we come to a trail marker indicating that we are at the junction of the Sandy Meadow trail to the right and Frog Lake trail to the left.  Straight ahead is our destination, Wheeler Lake.

Wheeler Lake South Shore

Wheeler Lake is a very attractive lake for camping because it has quite a few good camping spots near the lake but under forest cover.  We started down the trail toward Frog Lake, around the South end of the lake.  Just a little ways off the trail under nearby trees to the West, we saw several inviting camp sites.  We also saw plenty of evidence that this area is sometimes frequented by range cattle which I suppose could dampen the camping experience.

At the point where the Frog Lake trail begins to move further from Wheeler Lake, we made our way, easily, cross country toward the North shore of the lake.  We stopped at a point that looked like a nice campsite and had lunch.

Wheeler Lake North Shore

From the North shore you can look back and see the volcanic bowl that feeds Avalanche Meadow and Wheeler Lake.

Well, we’ve come almost three and a half miles now, and the mile coming down from the ridge line into the Wheeler Lake basin was fairly steep coming down.  But, as usual…. it was much steeper going back up!  Unless you are in tip-top condition, and completely acclimated to the elevation, coming back up to the ridge from Wheeler is definitely a place where you want to pace yourself and take lots of breaks.

Once you make it to the ridge then, as they say, “it’s all downhill from here”.  Also, since most of the trail coming back down from the ridge is not as steep as on the other side I found that I was able to maintain a good pace all the way back to the parking area.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this trail description and the pictures I’ve shared here.  I also hope that someday you get to enjoy some or all of the trail as much as I did.  Just know your limitations and don’t get yourself stuck in a situation you can’t get out of.

I’d love to hear your comments!

joe

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This hike takes us from the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) trailhead at Ebbetts Pass to Noble Lake.  During the mid summer weeks, this trail, like many above 8000 feet elevation, yields a spectacular display of sub-alpine wildflowers.  Unlike the lower elevations where summer heat has already turned the foothills golden, at these elevations spring has just begun.

PCT Trailhead Sign on Hwy 4

We’re going to start our hike from the paved PCT trailhead parking area.  The turnoff from California State Route 4 is about four tenths of a mile North East of Ebbetts Pass.  The trailhead parking area has room for quite a few vehicles but if you find it overcrowded there are several alternative parking opportunities up at the pass.  The trailhead parking are also has a couple of vault toilets.

The actual trailhead is at the Southern end of the parking lot.  At the trailhead you will find an information board about the Carson Iceberg Wilderness Area and a wilderness permit station.  If you plan to spend the night on the trail, you’ll need to fill out one of the wilderness permits available there.

Wildflowers Everywhere

The first part of our journey is on a mostly South bound spur trail that we take for about two tenths of a mile where it meets up with the PCT.  We’re going up hill but at a gradual pace, only gaining a bit over 80 feet by the time we get to the trail junction.  This first stretch of trail is mostly under tree cover but there are some areas where the wildflowers were beautiful.

You also get your first glimpse of the ancient volcanic nature of this area as you approach the PCT.

At the trail junction we’re going to turn left, toward the East.  This is actually the Southbound direction of the PCT and if we were to follow it for a few months we would find ourselves at the Mexican border, East of San Diego, California.  Were we to take the North bound PCT, in about the same amount of time we would find ourselves at the Canadian border.  From end to end, the PCT is 2.650 miles long!  Today however we’re only going to be hiking a small fraction of that.

Volcanic Peaks

After having taken the PCT toward the East (South bound), we continue our gradual climb for less than a quarter mile at which point we turn toward the South, and  then Southwest while heading down hill for about a third of a mile.

On this stretch of trail, off to our right we see what will become a very familiar sight.  Most of the rest of the trail will be in ancient, and highly eroded volcanic landscapes.  You can see the boulders and gravel that at one time were picked up and frozen in the lava that flowed here.  I’ve heard it said that there are some sections of the PCT between the Sonora Pass and Ebbetts pass where a compass is virtually useless because  Magnetite deposits overwhelm the earth’s magnetic field and cause compasses to point in the wrong direction.

First Stream

At the bottom of the gentle slope we’ve been going down, at about seven tenths of a mile from the trail head, we came to the first of several small stream crossings.  Most of these streams appeared to be from melting of nearby snow fields that were quickly shrinking.  I’m sure that a few weeks earlier and these snowfields would have crossed our path and a few weeks later, they’ll be gone.  The fact that the snow is still there and still melting is why, even on July 31st, it looked everywhere as though spring had just arrived.

From the stream crossing we climb, very gently, another 114 feet over a little less than half a mile, headed East.  Reaching a peak in the trail, at about 1.2 miles from the trailhead, we turn toward the North and start heading down hill.

Down Western Side of Noble Canyon

Two tenths of a mile after we start going down hill, we come to a sharp turn to the right which ends up heading us in a Southerly direction, going down the Western wall of Noble Canyon.

This side of the canyon has interspersed sections of open space, tree cover, and several small stream crossings.  The volcanic landscape is interesting enough to take your attention away from the gravel strewn path leading to more that one slip-n-slide moment.

From the turn to the South that we made, we continue another 0.46 miles to a second stream crossing.  In just a about a tenth of a mile we come to our third crossing, and in another two tenths of a mile we come to our fourth.  When we hiked the trail this time, each of these crossings was either an easy step across, or there were easily navigable stepping stones.  I would imagine that depending on how much snow, how fast it’s melting, or if there’s rain, they might be a bit more challenging but for us they were easy to cross and a welcome thirst quencher for Brandi and Chewy, our dogs,

Continuing on, about another third of a mile from the last stream crossing, and now about 2.57 miles from the trailhead, we come to a fifth perennial stream crossing and about a little over a tenths of a mile further we cross Noble Creek.  Noble Creek is still shallow, but wider than this the rest of the streams we cross.  If you’re going to get your feet wet by accident, this is probably where you’ll do it.  Still, though we had to use stepping stones to cross, it was easy to do so and neither of use got wet.

Eastern Side of Noble Canyon

From the crossing of Noble Creek, we start making our way up the Eastern side of Noble Canyon.  This side of the canyon is much more exposed, hot and dry.  Still, the scenery is awesome and there were wildflowers everywhere.

About two tenths of a mile from the Noble Creek crossing, and about 2.9 miles from the trailhead, we come to a junction with the Noble Canyon Trail which takes off to the left, down the canyon.  This trail follows Noble Creek all the way down to near the Silver Creek Campground on Highway 4.

We’ll stay to the right, on the PCT and continue working our way up the canyon wall.

From the junction with the Noble Canyon Trail, we head South, then East for a little over a third of a mile where we come to our seventh, and last, stream crossing on our way to Noble Lake.  Here we start a series of long switchbacks which take us up, somewhat rapidly, almost 400 feet in a little over 3/4 of a mile.

Brandi at Noble Lake

We climb to 8852 feet and then drop down a little to our destination Noble Lake.  The area surrounding the lake has very little to offer in terms of cover so, for me, this would not be a first choice for a camping spot.  I would not want to be here overnight in windy conditions and particularly if there was a threat of lightening.  However, it’s a great day hike and a nice place to come for a getaway picnic or as a rest stop for a destination further down the trail.

So we’ve come about 4.1 miles.  We started at 8595 feet and climbed to 8816 feet in about 0.4 miles.  Then we dropped to 8662 feet in about 0.3 miles and climbed back to 8796 feet in about 0.48 miles.  The next 1.52 miles took us down to 8291 feet followed by a 1.3 mile stretch that took us back to 8853 feet and just a short distance from the lake.  Now it’s time to do it backwards…

This was another great trail easily accessible from California State Route 4.  I hope you get the chance to enjoy it as much as we did.  Remember, depending on snow conditions from the prior winter, the best time to try it might be from late July to early August.

If you’re interested in current conditions, you can try posting an inquiry to our forum or the one on bigtreestech.com.

joe

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Hi everybody,

This loop trail in Calaveras Big Trees State Park takes us up and around Big Trees Creek and the South Grove.  Unlike the Beaver Creek Loop, this path stays entirely within the park boundaries and stays on fire roads that are behind locked gates and well maintained.  At a little over 11 miles, with a couple moderate climbs, this trail is great for mountain bikes, good for trail running, but perhaps a bit long for hiking.  However, again unlike the Beaver Creek Loop, this path is mostly under the cover of the forest with fewer completely exposed areas.

We start the trail at the locked gate which is at the end of Big Trees Parkway (the road to the South Grove).  From there, we follow the same path that we did for the Beaver Creek Loop up to the point where the Rail Road Grade takes off to the left.  So from the locked gate, we go about 1/2 mile upstream on the West side of Beaver Creek where we cross it on a good bridge. We’re now going to be heading down stream on the east side of Beaver Creek, but our path goes gently up hill rather than following the stream bed. After another half mile or so, we come to where the Bradley Grove trail crosses our path.  The Bradley Grove trail is a footpath only so don’t take your Dog or Bicycle off the road to explore.  Dogs and Bicycles are only allowed in campgrounds, or on paved roads, and fire trails in the Park.  There is a place to lock your bike at the junction in case you want to go have a look.

A little more than a quarter mile further up the road we come to where we turned sharply left for the Beaver Creek Loop.  At this point, about 1.4 miles into our journey, we’ll stay on the main road and go straight this time.  In just a few more yards  we’ll come fork in the road and take it (I love that line!).  This is where the actual loop part of our path begins and ends.  We’ll be going left, counter clockwise around Big Trees Creek and the South Grove.  You could go the other way, but if you’re going on a mountain bike my personal opinion is that the counter clockwise direction is better because you don’t have as many gravely uphill sections to deal with.

There is a sign at this fork indicating that the path to the right is 5N07, and the path to the left is 5N36.  However, recent topo maps, such as those from MyTopo.com, indicate that the path to the left is actually 5N45.  If you’ve taken the Beaver Creek Loop path already, you’ll  no doubt recognize that 5N07, off to the right, is a continuation of the old railroad grade that used to go through the forest.

After taking the left fork (not 5N07), we’ll very shortly run into one of the steeper uphill sections of or path.  A bit further on and the steepness of the slope decreases but we’ll continue generally up hill until we reach the five mile mark in our trek.

Alpine Gold (Hulsea algida)... I think

When we’ve gone almost 1.7 miles from the start, we find ourselves in a section of the forest that appears to have gone through a forest fire in the not too distant past.  It appears that either the fire or the fire fighters, or both have thinned the forest and the understory in this area.  As a result, this area is also a great place to find a wide variety of wildflowers. In the resources section below I’ve shown a great book to help identify many of the wildflowers you’ll come across as well as most of the other plants, trees, mammals, fish, insects, and spiders you’ll come across in the Sierras.

At about 4.3 miles from the start we come to another one of the areas in the park where its volcanic past is evident.  Much like what was described in the Lava Bluffs Trail article, you’ll see patches of lava and ash mixed with native rock.  There’s a great description of the geologic history of the Sierras in the other resource I have listed below.

After having gone about 4.6 miles, we come, finally, to the highest elevation of our journey.  At this point, we are almost directly above the start of Big Trees Creek which flows South West from here.  We’ve been following its path upstream since shortly after taking the fork onto 5N45 (or 5N36???).  Though we’ve been following its path,  the creek is small enough, and we’ve been far enough from it that we’ve yet to see or hear any evidence of it.  So, don’t count on the creek to replenish your water.  Bring what you need for you and your dogs if they’ve come along.

Barbed Wire Gate at Peak

At the peak here our path will take use around  a bend to the right and we’ll start going down hill.  Right at the peak you may notice a barbed wire gate off to the left, near the main path.  Starting here, for the next four miles or so, we’ll be skirting the southern boundary of the State Park.  Keep and eye on your left and you’ll often catch a glimpse of the barbed wire fence intended to keep free range cattle out of the park.  Keep your ears open and you may hear the cow bells.  You may even run into cattle inside the park if someone has negligently left one of the gates open.  If that happens, make sure you go by the Park’s visitor center and let them know where you saw the cattle.

A short distance from the peak we come to the first of several fairly steep, gravel covered sections going down hill.  For me personally, these are the reason why I like taking the trail in this counter clockwise direction, particularly on my mountain bike.  I’d much prefer to deal with gravel going downhill rather than up hill.

Unmarked Trail

At about 6.3 miles from the start, there is an unmarked trail that goes off to the right.  This trail is obvious and appears to have been built and maintained but does not show up on either the park map or topo maps… the only mystery of the day…  However, we’re staying on our fire trail, down hill, to the South West. In another quarter mile we run into another unmarked trail that also looks purposely built and maintained.  Here again the trail does not show up on either the park map or topo maps.

At about 7 miles from the start we come across another fire trail going South, off to our left.  We’re going to go on past it though since it (5N20) just leads outside the park and is no doubt fenced off. In just a little less than another mile, at about 8 miles from the start, we come to another fire trail leading off to the left.  Here again, we’ll keep to our course bending a bit to the right since this road (5N36 I believe) also leads outside the park and is probably fenced off.

Gate on 5N07

In another four tenths of a mile, at 8.5 miles from the start, our course takes a sharp right.  This is the junction of 5N07 and 5N45 that we’ve been following up to now since taking the fork near the beginning.  There’s a chain link fence across 5N07 to the the left, which is also the Park boundary.  So, our course is to the right, now on 5N07.

At a little over 9 miles from the start we come across a junction with another road that goes off to the left.  It also appears that at one time it crossed and went off to the right as well but that direction has not been maintained.  This road does not show up on topo maps so I can’t tell you what it is or where it goes.  Fortunately, our path is pretty obvious and we’re going to stay on it.

Big Trees Creek

Just a bit further down 5N07, at about 9.2 miles from the start, we finally get our first, and only glimpse of Big Trees Creek.  While the Big Trees are impressive, the creek is not.  If flows under our path in an unflattering corrugated steel culvert.

South Grove Trail Signs

Very shortly after leaving Big Trees Creek behind, we come to where the South Grove Trail crosses 5N07.  The trail is clearly marked, but too often, people who are going out to the South Grove become momentarily confused by this junction and may want to follow you rather than pay attention to the trail signs.  If  this happens, please get them turned around and back on the trail.

5N07 on Railroad Grade

Soon after the South Grove trail crossing, at about 9.3 miles from the start, our path, 5N07, starts to follow the old railroad grade that was uses to haul lumber through the forest.  Where we join the grade you can see an unmaintained section of it going off to the right as our path follows it to the left.   Being an old railroad grade, the slope is gentle and you can see evidence of the tremendous effort that was made to keep it that way. We’ll follow the grade for about seven tenths of a mile as it gradually turns us in a North Easterly direction and takes us all the way back to  the fork where we started our loop.

Coming from this direction, if you look across the road we originally came in on, you’ll be able to clearly see how the railroad grade continues on the other side of the road.  For a description of that path read the article “Beaver Creek Loop”.

We’re now back in familiar territory, on the road that we originally came in on, at the form marked with the sign for 5N07 and 5N36.  So, we’ll turn left toward Beaver Creek, and follow the path about 1.4 miles back to the parking area.

I have hiked and mountain biked this path.  Both were enjoyable, but I thought it was a better for mountain biking than for hiking, mostly due to the distance.  If you’re going to hike over eleven miles, there are some much more scenic trails in the area.

Recommended resources:

Enjoy,

joe

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I’m calling this a track rather than a trail because it really is a linked set of forest roads rather than a designated trail.  Some of the road sections are inside Calaveras Big Trees State Park, and some are outside the park on Sierra Pacific Industries land.  Some sections are maintained, and some are not.  On the sections that are not maintained, you are bound to come across downed trees, brush, etc, that you’ll have to deal with one way or another.

The track goes up the east side of Beaver Creek for about 5 miles, then crosses over and comes back down the west side.  Much of the first half of the trail is on a Railroad grade that was built (as far as I can tell) shortly after World War II by the Pickering Lumber Company who were logging giant Sugar Pine and other timber in the area.  This grade, and our track, passes right next to the smallest National Forest, Calaveras Big Tree National Forest, which was set aside in 1945 to protect a stand of these old growth Sugar Pines.  The national park is easy to miss as there are no signs, roads, trails, or improvements of any sort, and it is only 379 acres.

End of South Grove Road

The track starts at the end of the Calaveras Big Trees State Park, South Grove road.  There is a dirt fire road behind the locked gate at the end of the paved road.  This fire trail follows the West side of Beaver creek upstream for about 0.6 miles until it crosses over to the east side on a solid vehicle bridge.

Bridge Across Beaver Creek

This location, where there is easy access to the creek and some places where the flow slows some, is a favorite for trout fishermen.

Once across the bridge, we go back downstream, now on the East side of Beaver Creek for a ways.  Though we are going down stream, the trail still gradually picks up elevation as we begin to rise above the creek bed.

At a little less than a mile and a quarter from the start, and about six tenths of a mile from the bridge, we come across a trail crossing.  Here, the Bradley Grove Trail crosses our path.  In fact, though I did not confirm it on my exploratory hike, I believe that the Bradley Grove trail later meets up with the Rail Road Grade where we will soon find ourselves.

Bradley Grove Trail Crossing

Remember that while in the State Park, dogs and bicycles are not allowed on single track foot paths, like the Bradley Grove Trail.  So, if you’re on a bicycle and want to check out the trail, they’ve provided a locking station right at the junction.  If you’ve brought your dog, keep on the road.

A little over a quarter mile from the Bradley Grove trail crossing, and a little less that a mile and a half from the start, you’ll see a very sharp left hand turn, almost a U turn.  Take this to the left and it will put you on the old Railroad grade.

Covered Water Tank

Just before you get to the Railroad Grade turn, you may see a water tank with a metal roof off to the right.  If you see it, it means you’re getting really close.

If you happen to miss the sharp left turn onto the railroad grade, then in a few more yards you may notice a set of railroad ties set into the roadbed.  If you come across these, you’ve gone a bit too far… turn around.

The railroad grade is marked as forest road 5N05X on some topo maps.

Start Of Railroad Grade Path

Here’s what the start of the railroad grade looks like (to the left) after you’ve taken the sharp left.  It’s very inviting.  You can tell right away that this is a road that does not see as much traffic as the one we’ve been on.  Also, being a railroad grade, designed for hauling tons of timber out of the forest, it has  a very gentle slope to it.

Some Smaller Down Trees

Once we make the turn and start on the Railroad grade, you’ll likely find that this section is not maintained.  This results in a very lush, overgrown understory to the forest encroaching on the road and sometimes dominating it.  It also means that it’s pretty likely that you’ll run into several fallen trees along the way.  On my exploratory trek, some of these fallen trees were fairly small and easy to get over….

Some Larger Down Trees

Some, not so easy…

Railroad Ties Along Path

Along the way, keep your eyes out along the sides of the path for old Railroad ties.

Sometimes there are just one or two buried in forest litter.  In a few places there are large piles of the ties as you can see here.  My guess is that at some point when they were done logging in the area, they pulled up the track to use elsewhere and moved the ties out of the way so they could use the road bed.

Railroad Grade Cut

A little over four tents of a mile from the start of the Railroad grade, and about 1.9 miles from the start, you’ll come across one of several examples of where they made a cut through the hillside in order to maintain the gentle slope for the railroad.  That’s a lot of dirt to have moved!

Overgrown Stretch

In another three tenths of a mile, just a little over 2 miles from the start, we come to a section of the track that is pretty densely overgrown.  It’s quite beautiful anytime but even more so when the dogwoods are blooming in the spring or changing color in the fall.  As beautiful as it is, remember that it is not maintained and there are lots of poked eye and tripped foot opportunities.

In this general vicinity keep your eyes open for redwoods.  We’re near the Bradley Grove here and you should see quite a few young Redwoods in the area.

Locked Gate At Park Boundary

In another seven tenths of a mile, at about 2.9 miles from the start, we come to what I suppose is the edge of the park, and a locked gate.  There’s no barbed wire, and no signs suggesting otherwise, so it’s easy to walk around the side of the gate.

Barbwire Cattle Guard / Gate

About a quarter mile down the road we run into a cattle gate which includes a ramshackle barbwire gate across a steel cattle guard.  If you walk around to the right side of the gate you’ll see that it is held in place by a wire loop at the top.  Lift the wire loop off the top and you can get through.  Just make sure you put it back so cattle don’t get into the park!!!

Now, you are in a different environment!  The path we’re taking is now accessible by us as well as range cattle, Jeeps, Motorcycles, and… Logging Trucks!  Keep your eyes and ears open and stay out of the middle of the road.

Clearcut Area

About 0.3 miles from the barbwire cattle gate you’ll come around a bend to the left and clear evidence that you’re outside of the park.  This is one of several clear cut areas that we’ll pass over the next few miles.  If you take a look at the map above with the satellite option, you’ll be able to see the patchwork of clear cut sections all over Sierra Pacific Industries land.

In another 0.3 miles further down the road, and 3.74 miles from the parking area, we come across a forest road that branches off to the left, and appears to be headed down toward Beaver Creek.  We’ll stay keep going on 5N05X, the railroad grade.  We come to another junction in a bit less than a quarter mile, this time with a road leading off to the right.  Here again, we continue on the railroad grade, which itself bends to the right at this point, though more gently… like a railroad grade would do.  This junction is also not shown on some topo maps.

Old Track

In a little less than a quarter mile from the last junction and about 4.2 miles from the parking area, we come to where there must have been a small trestle crossing Grizzly creek.  If you make your way over toward Beaver Creek at this point you may catch a glimpse of an piece of the old track sticking out of the bank on the other side of the creek.  I could see no other remnants of the train crossing.

Grizzly Creek Crossing

Our track takes us off the railroad grade for a short distance to a walk-across crossing of Grizzly creek.  After crossing the creek, we double back and find ourselves near the other side of the old railroad crossing where we rejoin the grade.  Here again, if you make your way down near the bank of Beaver Creek, you may be able to get a closer look at the piece of old railroad track sticking out of the bank.

Railroad Grade Cut

It’s pretty obvious when we rejoin the the old railroad grade.  One of the clues is how the road was cut through small rises in the terrain in order to maintain the shallow grade.  Whenever we leave the grade the track tends to follow the terrain more closely.

A little less than a half mile from the Grizzly Creek crossing, and about 4.7 miles from the parking area we pass through an old, abandoned cattle guard.  The fence is down and the grate is completely filled with dirt so it’s not going to stop many cows… or us.

A little less than four tenths of a mile from the abandoned cattle guard, the slope of the road becomes noticeably steeper.  I didn’t notice where the grade took off from 5N05X, but from here on, we’re no longer on the old railroad grade.

Sign Pointing Where We've Come From

About a 6 tenths of a mile from the old cattle guard, we come across a junction with an unmarked road off to the right.  We’ll keep going on 5N05X for just another tenth of a mile, where we’ve come to a junction with forest route 5N03.  There is a sign at this junction indicating that we’ve been on 5N05X.

O. K. Corral

We’re going to continue in a Northeasterly direction on 5N03, and go past, of all things, what is indicated to be the O. K. Corral.  It’s an unexpected site out here in the middle of nowhere!

We’re now about 5.4 miles from the parking area.

Just a bit further down the road, we come across a sign indicating that we’re now on forest route 5N03.

About 0.28 miles from the O.K. Corral, where we joined 5N03, we come to a signed junction with 5N02.  5N02 is a major forest road that goes all the way from Boards Crossing Road in Dorrington, over to Beardsley Lake near Highway 108.  We’ll cover this rather long, bumpy, dusty road trip in another article soon.  5N02 is also known as Hell’s Half Acre Road.

Bridge Across Beaver Creek Outside Park

We’re going to go left on 5N02.  In about a tenth of a mile, at a little over 5.8 miles from the parking area, we’re going to cross a good, solid bridge to the west side of Beaver Creek.  There is relatively easy access to the creek on the west side of the bridge both up and down stream.  It looks like a great fishing spot to me.

Beaver Creeek Near Bridge

Once we cross the bridge, we’re going to bear left, leaving 5N02 almost immediately after the bridge , until we’re headed generally Southwest, following the course of Beaver Creek.  On the East side of the creek we had been fairly close to the level of the creek bed.  On the West side we find ourselves rising above it as it cuts lower as it goes downstream and we gain a bit of altitude.

About a half mile from the Bridge, and 6.34 miles from the parking area, we come to a left hand turn which we’ll take onto Forest Route 5N78.  This forest road descends gradually, at about the same rate as Beaver Creek in a generally Southwest direction.  We descend steadily for a little over a mile where we come to a junction with a road that goes off to the left.  At this point we’ll continue on, now starting to go up hill.  We’ve now gone a little over 7.4 miles from the parking area.

We continue going up hill for another 3/4 mile where we’ll come to a more level stretch and a fork in the road.  We’re going to bear left, following the stream bed although we are now quite a ways above it.  The next four tenths of a mile is fairly level.  After the fairly level section we’re going to be headed down hill all the way back to the parking area.  On the way down, you may notice a couple roads that take off from our track that have had ridges bulldozed into them to discourage vehicle traffic.  Don’t take any of these, stay on the main course.

More Down Trees

About 3.2 miles from the bridge over Beaver Creek, and  9 miles from the beginning of our trek, you should come to a locked gate marking the boundary back into Calaveras Big Trees State Park.  On the positive side… no more vehicles, no more cows.  On the negative side… no more maintenance!  When I took the path, I came across a section here with lots of down trees.

Slightly less than a mile from the gate back into the park, we come to a fork in the road where we’ll bear right.  At this point, either fork will take is back to the trail near where we started, but going right here is just a little quicker.  In about a quarter mile we’ll rejoin the trail we started on within sight of the parking area.

I have taken this path now by foot and mountain bike.  I have to say that it is much more fun on the mountain bike.  Other than dealing with down trees, gates, and a few overgrown areas, the path is clear, well graded fire trails and the assents are not too steep.  For a walking trail it’s a bit long, a bit exposed and dusty, and not as scenic as many other hiking trails in the vicinity.

As I said at the beginning, this is not a marked or maintained trail.  You should have a map and/or GPS and have figured out where the track goes if you want to try it.  Use at your own risk!

Enjoy the outdoors!

joe

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The Lava Bluffs Trail in Calaveras Big Trees State Park gives you a taste of the ancient and recent history of the area.  Its course take you around a loop on the south east facing slope above the Stanislaus River and below the namesake Lava Bluffs.

Trailhead

Along the South Grove road in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, about 4.7 miles from the entrance gate, you’ll see a small sign on the right hand side of the road pointing to the Lava Bluffs trail head.  The trail head parking lot is right off the road.  On the west side of the parking lot you’ll see a large information sign, and the trail starts right behind the sign.

There is a trail guide available at the trail head and I’d highly recommend that you pick one up.  They’re only 50 cents, but well worth the dollar I spent for lack of change.

Before you start this trail, you should be aware of a few things…

1. The trail stays entirely on a Southeast facing slope and there are sections of the trail that are completely exposed.  So, be prepared for the heat and bring extra water.
2. There are sections of the trail that are steep and covered with loose gravel so footing can be sketchy.  This is not a trail for flip-flops!
3. The exposed trail can be a very attractive sunning location for our cold blooded neighbors like rattle snakes.  So, keep your eyes and ears open.
4. There are a couple sections of the trail where Poison Oak seems very happy to live.
5. There are several places where Mosquitoes can be pretty annoying.

That said, it’s a nice trail, not too long, and there’s some great history along the way.

Trail Sign at Beginning of Loop

The trail starts with a bit of a climb but the footing is good at the start.  A little less than 0.2 miles in you come to your first of several of the somewhat steeper climbs.  After climbing from 3900 feet at the trail head to a little over 4100 feet in just a little over a quarter mile, you drop back down to the beginning of the  Lava Bluffs Loop Trail.

At the beginning of the loop there is a small trail sign with an arrow pointing to the right.  However, I don’t see what harm it would do if you wanted to go straight here and do the loop backwards.  It would be really surprising if there were enough people on the trail to cause a traffic jam but I suppose stranger things have happened.

A Steep Section

Soon after starting on the loop you’ll start climbing again for a little less than a quarter mile to an elevation of about 4200 feet.  This section of the trail has some coverage and is quite pretty.

Along the way keep your eyes out for wildflowers. Along this section of trail, when I hiked it, there were quite a few Hartweg’s Iris in bloom.

Hartweg's Iris

First Stream Crossing

After you reach the peak of this climb at 4200 feet, you come back down to a small annual stream crossing at a little over 4100 feet and about 0.7 miles from the trail head.

When I got here, in mid June, the crossing was an easy walk across.  You can’t see it in the picture here, but on the other side of the logs shown crossing the steam bed there were some rocks that were easy to walk across.

After crossing the steam, you start back up hill again.  Now, though, the trail is more exposed and you start getting into the gravel that has washed down from up around the lava bluffs.  Watch your footing.

In this stretch, you often find yourself walking across ancient lava ash covered with a layer of gravel.   This layer of ash was laid down before the Sierra Nevada mountains that we know were pushed up to their current elevation.

Tuff

It looks almost like water swept sand but this formation called tuff, is about 3o million years old and is quite… well, tough.

As you look up the slope next to you to the Northwest, you will begin to see layers of different sorts of rock including this tuff, layers of what appear to be a conglomerate of river rock and lava, and finally a solid lava top layer.

This was created by a series of events including lava flowing down ancient stream beds, mud flows, more lava, etc, etc over millions of years.

Ancient River Bed And Lava

Later, after new steam beds were cut into this deep layered formation, more lava flowed and filled them.  After the ancient volcanoes in the area became inactive, erosion gradually ate away at the landscape.  First at the top layer of lava, and once through that, it gradually washed away layer after layer of the rocks below.

When you reach the next peak, at a little more than 4200 feet, and about 0.9 miles from the trail head, you’ll have a good view of the bluffs above you.  To the South, down the Stanislaus River valley you should be able to also see the McKay Reservoir.

The Lava Bluffs

What make lava bluffs you see today are the remnants of the later lava flows that filled what were then stream and river beds.  Because the lava was deeper there, than in surrounding areas, it has taken longer to erode and expose the softer material below.  You can see the same sort of formations in many nearby locations, like Table Top Mountain.

A little further down the trail there is a spur trail that you can take to get a better view of the Lava Bluffs.

We’ve reached the tallest point of the hike now.  For the next half mile or so we’ll be scrambling down over gravel strewn trail.  Here again, watch you footing.  We’re making our way down to a piece of history that is quite a bit more recent than the Lava Bluffs.

Trail In 1850's Ditch

At a little over 1.4 miles from the trail head we will have worked our way down to a little under 4000 feet.

Here, we’ll take a sharp left turn onto a trail that looks like it’s going down the middle of a ditch.  In fact, that’s exactly what it’s doing!

During the Gold Rush, the area in and around Murphys was a thriving placer gold mining location.  The problem was that there were no reliable, year around water sources to use for washing the tertiary gravels that were being mined for gold.  So, a few enterprising individuals formed the Union Water Company and bought or built a series of ditches and flumes that brought water from the Sourgrass on the Stanislaus  River, all the way to Murphys and Angels Camp.  It’s amazing to realize that they put all this in using picks, shovels, and mules back in the early 185os.

Flume on Murphys Grade Road

By the way, I’ve read that their undertaking was so successful that they managed to inundate Murphys and ended up blasting a gorge almost a mile long in order to drain it.  You can still see parts of the old flume system used today to supply Angels Camp with water along Murphys Grade Road.  This flume system has been burnt in forest fires and replaced several times over the years.  The last time was in 2001.

The Lava Bluffs trail follows one of the ditch sections upstream for about a half mile.  This is the most level section of the trail for obvious reasons.

At about 1.9 miles from the trail head, we’ll leave the ditch and start uphill again.  In three tenths of a mile we’ll reach the next crest at about 4100 feet.  About half way up the hill we’ll come to another small annual stream crossing.  This is actually the same stream we crossed earlier, just a little further downstream.  Here again, when I crossed it was a simple walk-across.

Sierra Dome Spider Web

One of the marvels of the forest that I had never seen before hiking n Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a natural engineering wonder.  This picture does not do it justice.  The Sierra Dome Spider builds its web along with a complex set of tension lines such that it forms an inverted dome.  It really is amazing when you look at it closely.  Keep your eyes open for them.

From the last crest at 4100 feet there’s about six tenths of a mile to go back to the trail head.  There’s some up and down but it’s generally down hill back to about 4000 feet.

Remember the rules of the park… no dogs or bicycles on the hiking trails.  Don’t remove anything from the park.

Hope you get a chance to come out to the park and enjoy the hike!

For more information about the Union Water Company and history of the area you might want to pick up a copy of this book:

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