Tag Archives: Creek

HAGADOR CANYON

12 Tuesday Jan 2016

Posted by in Easy Hikes, Outdoors

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Beautiful  Hagador Canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains.  This beautiful canyon really caught me by surprise. I had never hiked in the Eastern part of the range so I didn’t really know what to expect.  Well…. IT WAS AWESOME!

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The hike it’s self is is just under 4 miles roundtrip but with neighboring Tin Mine Canyon just around the way you could easily do both hikes in one day.

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Hagador Canyon

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The steepness of the eastern slopes of the range makes for awesome views.

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The canyon is well shaded and the beautiful singletrack trail gives the narrow canyon a even more cozy feel.

click for Google Maps link to trailhead

From the parking area continue down the concrete path until the the mountains become visible. Go over the guardrails on the left and follow the unnamed trail until you reach the Hagador Canyon Trail. Look for this sign and make a left.

Link to where Hagador Canyon Trail Starts

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Click for more photos

● 4 miles round trip – Out and back
● Less than 500 ft of gain
● Difficulty – Easy
● Shaded trail
● Family friendly
● Dog friendly
● FREE PARKING
● Poison Oak

LOWER DARWIN FALLS – DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

26 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Easy Hikes, Outdoors, Waterfalls

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Darwin Falls Rd.

This beautiful,and I do mean beautiful  hike starts after a bumpy 2 mile drive on Darwin Falls Rd. The marked trailhead holds about 10 cars.

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Darwin Wash

From the parking lot continue past the information board and up the wash. The dry creek bed is littered with debris  from past flash floods so check the weather before  entering the wash. 

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Entering the oasis

About three quarters of a mile up the wash the green begins to appear and the riparian habitat  reveals itself. The canyon narrows and soon enough you’ll  find yourself crossing creeks and jumping boulders.

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Riparian habitat in the desert, Darwin Creek

Darwin Creek reveals more of  itself the closer you get and the sound of the flowing creek becomes louder

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Darwin Creek

Small cascades lure you closer and gushing sounds of lower Darwin Falls motivate you to pick up the pace. After some creek crossings and a little bush whacking, you arrive to one of, if not  the best features in Death Valley National  Park.

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Beautiful Lower Darwin Falls

Beautiful  Lower Darwin Falls. Upper falls and a beautiful fern gully sit above the lower falls. To access it you have to climb up on the left of the cliff face. Use extreme  caution if you decide to do this. I saw a few people  heading up but didn’t go because  I had my daughter with me.

● Trail difficulty – Easy
● 2 Mile out and back
● 20 ft waterfall
● Riparian habitat
● Bird watching
● Wildlife viewing

Click for directions
Darwin Falls Trailhead

Heart Rock Falls (Crestline, CA)

12 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in Easy Hikes, Waterfalls

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This hike is definitely a short one. The time it will take you to drive to the trailhead will far exceed the time it takes to make this roundtrip trek, but if you’re looking for a picturesque romantic spot to take that special someone look no further.

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Heart Rock Waterfall

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The Heart Rock Falls trail is only 1.75 miles roundtrip. This is a trail that anyone can do with only a 200 foot elevation gain.

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The trail winds through the pine forest and is always within a stones throw of the creek.

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Directions:

Take the 210 and exit at Waterman Avenue. Take Waterman north for about 11 miles to Highway 138. Take 138 for 2.5 miles. This road will take you through a small town and past several cabins. It’s easy to accidentally veer off of 138 so you want to keep checking street signs along the way. You will see a sign on the left for Camp Seely. Make a left into the camp and follow the road to the left and across the small creek. You can park in the small dirt lot directly across from the camp playground. The trailhead is to the left of the lot. You will need an Adventure Pass.

SANTIAGO PEAK

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Distance hikes, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes

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Anyone who hikes in Orange County knows of or has heard of Santiago Peak. It is the hikes of all hikes in OC. 16 miles! The prize for OC hikers.

Since the Santa Ana Winds had ruined my first attempt. I had to reschedule  and find a new hiking partner to reach the 5,689 ft peak.

Trying to convince friends to climb OC’s biggest mountain proved to be harder than the hike itself.

After my cousin agreed to make the trip with me ( Thanks Gary). I planned our route and we met up the next morning to conquer the Santa Ana’s highest point.

The parking lot and trail head for this hike is the same as the one to Holy Jim Waterfall. A forest adventure pass is required. After parking and checking our gear we headed left onto the post trail that leads to the Holy Jim Trail.

From the parking lot you will head about a mile and a half into the canyon until you reach the junction.

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Make a left here and proceed onto the Holy Jim Trail towards the Main Divide Rd. Making a right will take you to the waterfall.

Once on the trail you gradually begin to ascend the mountain for the next 4 miles until reaching the Main Divide Rd.  The trail itself is a single track trail that is well shaded and in pretty good condition.

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As you gain some elevation the views to the south are amazing. Getting a glimpse of the ocean and the canyon below where you started the hike.

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Once you read the Main Divide Rd you can either go left or right, they both lead you to the peak. Upper Holy Jim Trail is to the right, which is steeper, but offers great views of Baldy and Gorgonio. After making a right the trail will be on your left after about an 1/8 of a mile (look for the sign). This is the route I took and the views were worth it.

imageAfter a mile or so on the Upper Holy Jim Trail you connect back up with the Main Divide Rd. Once here you will make a right and continue up towards the peak for the remainder 2 miles.

imageOnce at the hates to the peak you can go left for views of San Jacinto and Palomar Peak our you can go right on continue to the western must part of the summit for views of all of OC, the Pacific, Catalina and Baldy

imageimageHappy Trails,
Alex G

 

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  • Elevation Gain 4,000 ft
  • Distance – 16 miles
  • 5,689 ft above sea level
  • Highest point in OC
  • Creek crossings
  • Adventure pass required

click here for directions

Stinging Nettle Beware!

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

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The stinging nettle is one plant you don’t want to mess with. I’m not sure if I’m just extra sensitive to it or what, but my skin’s reaction to the stinging nettle was nearly identical to when I encountered poison oak. The only current being that I knew immediately that the nettle had stung me.r

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The stinging nettle is covered in fine hairs. When they come in contact with your skin you will definitely feel the sting. It feels like little needles jabbing you. The hairs can easily pierce thin layers of clothing too. When these hairs break of, like tiny splinters, they inject toxins which cause itching, redness and in my case blisters.

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I have read that most over the counter itch fighting creams can provide relief, but I guess I’m just an odd ball because nothing seems to be giving me any relief!

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Tin Mine Canyon (Corona, CA)

07 Friday Oct 2011

Posted by in Outdoors

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When most people think of Corona they think of hot weather and dusty and dry trails. At least that’s what I was thinking. The Tin Mine Trail was none of the above. The actual trail is very well maintained and marked.

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There are signs that point out the poison oak and there are information posts about the mining history of the area. The Tin Mine is all of a mile into the hike and it is right along side the trail. It is closed off to the public with metal posts of course for safety reasons.
The real fun of this hike takes place after the end of the actual trail. You can follow the creek for an additional two miles or so into the canyon. The vegetation is very dense and the canopy protects you from the sun. On the day that we ventured out here it felt more like a rain forest than the desert.

This hike is definitely only kid friendly up to where the marked trail ends. After that it becomes a hike for the more adventurous adults. For those that are extremely adventurous, you can actually make your way from this trail up to Beek’s Place on top of Blackstar Canyon Road.

Directions to Tin Mine Canyon Trail Head

STURTEVANT FALLS / HERMIT FALLS

05 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in Moderate Hikes, Outdoors, Strenuous Hikes, Waterfalls

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Sturtevant Falls is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and is accessible via the Chantry Flats Recreational Area. This is one of my favorite waterfalls for many reasons. One being that is is so easy to get to, this is a great hike for kids and adults. Another reason is the 50 ft waterfall that awaits you at the end of a 1.8 mile hike. Now you’re thinking 1.8 miles is not that bad…but there’s a catch.

The adventure begins in the parking lot which opens at 6am, and gets full really quick! Once you’ve found parking and displayed you’re Forest Adventure pass on you’re dashboard you are good to go.

Look for the sign that reads Sturtevant Falls and proceed past it to the trail that leads down into the canyon. Follow the fire road all the way down. Soon you will be hiking on a dirt trail with the sounds of the creek flowing in the background. The trail becomes very jungle like and before you know it you are walking along a cabin lined trail with the tree canopy providing shade on those warm summer months. There are a few tricky creek crossings along the way so be careful. If in doubt  just walk through the water…after all, its just water.

You will know when you are near, as the sounds of the gushing waterfall gets louder with every step. When you finally reach the waterfall you will be amazed at the size and how easy it was to reach it.

When I first did this hike earlier in the year i couldn’t believe how easy it was to reach such a natural wonder. I took some pictures and videos and had a snack enjoying the sights and sounds of Sturtevant Falls… Then I geared up and began to head out with the rest of the group. This is where the i realized that this easy hike was to good to be true. The hard part begins as soon you leave the dirt trail behind and pick up the fire road. This is about a 700 ft elevation gain in about .6 miles! On a cool day this isn’t too bad but on those hot summer days I recommend getting an early start.

After several breaks and many sips of water you will reach the halfway point back up to the parking lot. Here you will notice a trail marker that reads Hermit Falls 1.2 miles. Take this trail for an added adventure and the reward will be a beautiful hike with views of the San Gabriel Mountains and soon a up close and personal look at the creek. Hermit Falls consists of a few pools and multi tiered waterfalls. This destination is popular amongst teenagers who use this as a swimming hole, Jumping from the rocks above into the 15+ft deep pools and sliding down Natures Waterslide.

  • 700 ft elevation gain/loss
  • 50 ft waterfall
  • difficulty- Easy on the way in – moderate on way out
  • season- All year
  • Adventure Pass required
  • 3.6 miles roundtrip
  • bring plenty of water

Click here for directions

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Deer Season at Whiting Ranch

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by in Easy Hikes, Outdoors

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We decided to take a short Monday morning hike out to the red rocks of Whiting Ranch. To our surprise we came across a number of deer. I was able to catch a couple with my phone’s video camera.

The Borrego Trail when combined with the Red Rocks Trail is a 5 mile hike round-trip (2.5 miles in 2.5 miles out). This is a great beginners hike and a hike that even the youngest family member can participate in.

Directions to Whiting Ranch (Borrego Trail)

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