Yosemite Hike - Cathedral Lakes

We try to visit Yosemite National Park at least once a year. This year we camped at Lower Pines Campground again and did some hiking as well as some trail running. On our second day at the park we made the hour plus drive up to the high country to do some hiking. We've done a couple of hikes up in the Tuolumne Meadows area but this was our first time hiking to Cathedral Lakes. This hike is eight miles long to visit both lakes with an elevation gain of 1,040 feet. The trail head is off of Tioga Pass. There aren't any designated parking lot so cars just park on either side of the road, which is what we did. There were a couple of portapotties and bear lockers at the trail head but no running water so be prepared. Hiking in Yosemite's high country is always beautiful (hiking anywhere in Yosemite is beautiful) but one thing to keep in mind is the elevation at which you are hiking and making sure you give yourself enough time to acclimate to it prior. The trail head for this hike is at around 8,600 feet. With our packs and plenty of water we headed out on the trail. It was mid morning by this time and it was a little cold so we were glad we hadn't started any earlier. The trail was fairly flat for the beginning then it climbed for about two miles. There were some switchbacks and some fairly rocky and uneven areas. We definitely felt short of breath early on from the elevation. Most of the trail was exposed but there were a few shaded areas, usually by some creeks we had to cross. There were several people on the trail including lots of backpackers since this trail is part of the John Muir trail and leads all the way down to Yosemite Valley 21 miles away. It connects with other trails as well. After about three miles we got to the turnoff for Lower Cathedral Lake. It was on this trail that we got some good views of Cathedral Peak. The trail became sandy and soon it opened up into a great big open space and we were in a meadow. More great views of the peak here. Through the meadow and after some rock scrambling we were right at the edge of the lake. Although it had gotten warmer it was windy here and had to put some layers back on that we had shed along the way. With the lake in view we took a break before heading back. Once back at the junction to the main trail we took the main trail to Upper Cathedral Lake. We were climbing again when we heard some rustling and saw a couple of deer. A trip to Yosemite is not complete until we see some deer. We could see Cathedral Peak from here too. We couldn't get too close to Upper Cathedral Lake because there was some trail maintenance going on so we took some pictures from afar and headed back. We retraced our steps back to the main trail and made our way back, glad that it was mostly downhill. There were less people on the trail now but still some were heading out. Four hours and 40 minutes after we started our hike we were back at our car. It was a short drive to the Tuolumne Meadows Grill so we headed there for early dinner, knowing that it would be over an hour back to the valley floor. It was a good way to end the day. If you are spending some time in Yosemite's high country this hike is a great one to include on your trip.

Anza Borrego Hike - Borrego Palm Canyon Trail

We were spending time in the San Diego area prior to running the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego half marathon and had a free day to do some hiking. After doing some searching online we found that a must-do hike in the area is the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We left our campsite at Carlsbad State Beach early and made the two hour drive to the park. The park website listed the visitor center hours so we expected it to be open so our plan was to go to the visitor center, get a map and suggestions on what other things there are to see there then head out on our hike. When we arrived there was a notice that the visitor center was closed on weekdays for the summer. Luckily we had brought some information with us so we headed over to the park campground where the trail head was. We placed our $5 day use fee in the designated envelope at the campground kiosk and placed the tear-off tag on our dashboard. We drove through the campground to the day use parking lot. We still had not seen a single person in the park. It was a hot day and we thought that maybe people were staying away because of the heat. Still, we thought it was unusual to not see anybody camping at all. We got to the parking lot and were relieved to see a couple of other cars there, as well as a park ranger. She was ticketing cars that did not have the paid tag displayed and made certain we knew it was going to be a hot day and to take plenty of water. We grabbed our packs and water and headed out towards the trail.
A quick stop to the bathroom ended up being a stop at a stone building without a roof, with two bathroom stalls without doors, hadn't seen one quite like this before so had to take a picture. The trail head was well marked and close to the women's restrooms. There were pamphlets there for the self-guided tour on the Borrego Palm Canyon trail so we took one. Initially the trail was flat with packed dirt and some loose rocks. It was easy to follow the trail out at first then as it became more difficult to follow there were rock cairns to lead the way. The marked numbers that matched up with the pamphlet we picked up at the trail head also reassured us that we were going the right way. We made our way on the exposed trail in the surrounding desert, making sure to hydrate along the way. The pamphlet taught us about the history of the area, about the flora and fauna of the area as well. It even mentioned Peninsular Bighorn Sheep which made us excited and hopeful that we would see some. On our way along the canyon towards the palm oasis we heard something and when we looked it was there-a bighorn sheep! It was walking in the middle of the canyon, going across the dry creek crossing that we had passed several minutes earlier. We always enjoy seeing wildlife on our hikes and with the exception of our trip to Yellowstone National Park, this was the only other time we have seen bighorn sheep. Once it was out of sight we marched on towards the palm trees.
 The trail became even rockier and a bit more uneven before it turned a corner and led us to water. On the other side of the water was the palm tree oasis. It was a refreshing sight in the desert. The air was cooler here too so we took a few minutes to cool down. We decided not to continue on to the oasis as we could not tell what the ground or trail conditions were from that point. Besides, the view from this side of the water was beautiful already. We snapped pictures then turned around and headed back on the trail. On our way back we kept hoping that we would see the sheep again but knew that we probably wouldn't. Imagine our excitement when we did see it again. There it was-right in the middle of the canyon again but this time standing on a big rock. We got as close to it as the trail allowed and took more pictures. It didn't seem to be bothered by us at all so we took our time before making our way back to the car. On our way up the trail we came across two groups of hikers and with the heat we thought we wouldn't see any on our way back but we actually saw several people heading out on the trail. The temperature was well in the high 90's when we finished our hike and we were glad we had started out in the morning. This hike was three miles round trip with about 600 feet of elevation gain. Driving out of the campground we still didn't see any people camping but realized that it's probably too hot in the summer for people to camp there in the desert. It was a nice hike and definitely a place to go if you are in the area, although it may be better to hike in the park during a cooler time of the year. The park itself is quite large, it is actually the largest state park in California. So there are lots of other trails to hike if you have more than one day in the area, just be sure to bring plenty of water!

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Website

Abbotts Lagoon - Point Reyes

We camped at Samuel Taylor and Salt Point State Parks over the weekend. Since we were passing right by Point Reyes National Seashore we decided to stop and check out the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Point Reyes National Seashore is located just north of San Francisco. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, Drakes Bay on the south and Tomales bay on the north. To get there you take the San Anselmo exit on US 101. After driving west on Sir Francis Drake for about 20 miles you turn right onto Highway 1 then make the first left onto Bear Valley Road.  Point Reyes is a popular destination for hikers, equestrians and bird watchers. After looking at maps of the various hiking trails in the park and speaking with a park employee we decided to do the short hike at Abbotts Lagoon. The hike was along a lagoon of course and heads out to the nearby beach. It is in the North District of Point Reyes. To get to the trailhead we drove out of the Bear Valley Visitor Center and headed north onto Sir Francis Drake Highway. We continued on this road until we got to Pierce Point Road past the small town of Inverness and made a right. This is also the turnoff to go to Tomales Bay State Park which we plan to visit in the future. We continued on Pierce Point Road until we got to the parking area for the hike which was on the left side of the road. There was ample parking in the dirt lot and pit toilets nearby. There was a volunteer at the trailhead letting us know about some area closures to help protect the breeding area of the Snowy Plover bird. We started on the trail heading west on a wide flat dirt path towards the lagoon. Immediately we found ourselves surrounded by many wildflowers. The area was calm and quiet with the exception of the chirping birds. We soon saw views of the lagoon to our right. There were a few people on the trail but it was not busy by any means. As the trail narrowed it also beacme more sandy.

After about one mile we came to a short bridge that took us over the narrow part of the lagoon. Just prior to this bridge there was a faint path heading left that would have taken us up a short way to views of the entire lagoon and the ocean. Since it was an overcast day we decided to skip this detour and continue on towards the ocean. We were soon on a wide unmarked path on sand. We made slow progress hiking in the loose sand with our hiking boots  but eventually made to the shore after about half a mile. There were a few people enjoying the view and the sound of the waves. It was cold and windy but we were still able to enjoy the the ocean. We hung around there for a little while before retracing our steps and heading back. On our way back we saw quail and many other birds as well as a deer. It was a nice peaceful short hike with beautiful surrounding flowers and wildlife. It would be great to do it on a day when the skies are clearer and take that short path up the hill to get good views of the coast. The fairly flat hike from the trailhead to the ocean and back was about three miles long and took us about one hour and 45 mintues. We recommend it to anyone visiting Point Reyes National Seashore.

Point Reyes 

Big Basin-Berry Creek Falls

One of the reasons we camped at Big Basin Redwoods State Park was to do the hike to Berry Creek Falls. We had done this hike once before years ago. We had thought about doing it again and since we got plenty of rain this winter we thought it would be a good time. We made the short drive from our campsite at Huckleberry Campground to the park headquarters. It was just before nine in the morning and the parking lots were already filling up. There is a day use fee of $10 which is waived for campers. We parked by the Redwood Trail sign and followed the path to the left of the Campfire Center. After passing the only restrooms we would see on our hike, we crossed on a bridge over Opal Creek. The trail split at this point with the left leading to Skyline to the Sea Trail and the right leading to Sunset Trail. Either direction would have worked for the loop hike but since there was a sign to the left warning that part of Skyline to the Sea trail was closed we went right towards Sunset Trail. The trail was broad and fairly flat at this point. After following along the creek for about half a mile we came to the junction for Sunset Trail. Aside from trails signs, we also saw signs that there was a trail race taking place that morning with distances ranging from 10k to Ultramarathon. We headed left onto Sunset Trail and followed the path as it began to climb. It wasn't long before we came upon another junction which is a connector trail to Skyline to the Sea Trail. We took this connector trail on our way back from the falls but for now we continued onto Sunset Trail. The path was mostly shaded for several miles due to the surrounding Redwood trees and there was constant elevation change from this point forward. We passed a few banana slugs and we also came across several runners headed in the opposite direction. After nearly five miles the trail headed out of the shade of the large Redwoods into an exposed rocky area. It felt like we had stepped into a completely different park. There were nice views of the trees and other foliage but with the sun directly on us we were anxious to move back into the shade.

 Luckily we were able to do so after about half a mile, when the trail became Berry Creek Falls Trail. We could hear rushing water and knew we were close to the first falls. We continued as the trail descended and soon were able to see Golden Falls. There were several places to get a good view of the falls and although there were a couple of groups there at the same time it did not feel crowded. We took our time admiring the beauty and taking several pictures before heading back on the trail to Silver Falls. Silver Falls is actually connected to Golden Falls but we weren't able to figure out exactly where one ended and the other began. The path really narrowed here as it was alongside the edge of the cliff. There was a guide wire to the right that we recommend using since the rocky path is slippery here. Back on a dirt trail we caught our first glimpse of the magnificent Berry Creek Falls. We descended until we came to a viewing platform. We were lucky that there were just a few people there when we arrived so we were able to get a good view of the beautiful falls and take some great pictures. Being about halfway through the hike we were definitely hungry and decided to take our lunch break here. There was a bench on the platform but since it was taken we sat right on the platform itself. Great place for a break if it is not too crowded. Re-energized we got back on the trail, crossed over a creek again and made our way up to another bench which also has a great view of the falls. We took a few more pictures and then made our way back onto Skyline to the Sea Trail. We were met yet again with constant elevation change but at least the rest of the hike back was shaded. At about the nine mile mark we came across the connector for Sunset Trail which we were forced to take as Skyline to the Sea Trail was closed beyond this point. Once back on Sunset Trail we retraced our steps back to the parking lot and our car. We finally were back to the full lot after about 11.5 miles. The hike took us about five hours, including breaks. With all of the water fall this year it proved to be a great time to do this hike. We definitely recommend it but keep in mind that it is a strenuous hike with constant elevation change adding up to about 2000 feet overall. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to complete it.

Sunol Regional Wilderness Hike

We took advantage of the break in wet weather and went to Sunol Regional Wilderness for a hike. This time we took some beginning hikers with us.  We have done a few hikes here in the past but we had not done the Flag Hill Trail. We parked by the Visitor Center and headed across the parking lot to the foobridge. After crossing the footbridge we headed left towards Flag Hill Trail. The dirt trail was narrow right from the beginning. After just over a quarter of a mile we hit a fork on the road, with the right leading to Shady Glen Trail, we continued towards the left. Right after this junction the trail began to climb. We didn't have to climb long before being rewarded with views of the park. We hit a few switchbacks as we continued to climb, and climb, and climb. There were a handful of shaded areas on the trail but the majority of trail was exposed.  We saw some beautiful California poppies growing along the side of the trail. We climbed nearly 1000 feet on the narrow trail for 1.26 miles before reaching Flag Hill. The trail was steep but even the beginning hikers who were with us managed well. The views of the park, Alameda Creek Watershed and Calaveras Reservoir were well worth all of the gain in elevation. We were lucky that it was such a clear day and with it being early in the year the hills were still beautiful shades of green. After some snapshots we took the short and popular detour for even more amazing views. There was a small group of people here as well. This area was rocky and along with a bench closeby it proved to be a good place to take a break. We refueled and headed back towards Flag Hill Trail. At this point we could choose to retrace our steps back down the trail to our car or take another trail back making the hike a loop. We opted to make the hike a loop. Instead of heading back down Flag Hill Trail we took the trail a little further before turning right onto High Valley Road and then another right onto Hayfield Road. Both of these trails were much wider than the trail we took on the way up. We got more good views and came fairly close to cattle at several points. Although a little longer, this route back was not as steep as Flag Hill Trail. We did come across a few people heading in the opposite direction. We also passed by the High Valley Camp which included several picnic tables. After about 2 miles on our mostly downhill trek, we made it back to the footbridge. We crossed it once more before heading to the Visitor Center to pick up our shirts for the 2011 EBPRD Trails Challenge and then onto our car. In total our hike was about 3.75 miles and took us about 2 hours and 20 minutes. The views were amazing thanks to the clear skies, it is a great spring hike.

View From Flag Hill

Natural Bridges State Beach

This weekend we headed to Santa Cruz to enjoy the perfect weather. We decided to visit Natural Bridges State Beach. The small beach is noted for its natural bridge rock formation. Its a nice place for hanging out, playing in the sand or viewing shore birds. Further north along the beach there are tidepools for viewing various sea life such as starfish and sea urchins. There are lots of  picnic tables with shade just off the sand with restrooms nearby. Natural Bridges is probably most well known for its Monarch Butterfly grove. The grove of eucalyptus trees provides a home for the monarchs during the winter months from mid October through mid February. As many as 100,000 monarchs come each winter. Across from the visitor center in the park there is a handicap accesible boardwalk that leads to an observation area for viewing the butterflies. Currently most of the butterflies are gone for the season. As we began our walk we saw several monarchs fluttering about here and there but nothing like what you would see earlier in the winter. After the boardwalk we took the Monarch Trail and looped around the eucalyptus grove and back to the visitor center. While on the trail we saw a few more butterflies and several birds. A quick walk through the visitor center and we headed to the tide pools where we were able to catch a glimpse of some crabs and sea urchins. After the tide pools we headed to the beach to hang out. The weather was amazing, best we had ever experienced in Santa Cruz. It was around 74 degrees with no wind at all. After relaxing on the beach we headed to Capitola where we ate dinner and then to New Brighton State Beach where we camped for the night. Sunday morning we awoke early and went to Wilder Ranch State Park to take advantage of the still great weather. We went for a trail run on the Old Cove Landing Trail towards the ocean and along the bluffs, where the views of the coastline are amazing.

Natural Bridges State Beach
Directions: Take Swift Avenue west from Highway 1, or follow West Cliff Drive north along the in-town bluffs until it ends at Natural Bridges. Entrance fee is $10.

Mt. Diablo Hike - Falls Trail

It had rained a bit during the week so we decided to go check out Falls Trail at Mt. Diablo State Park, hoping to get a good view of the falls. The trailhead for this hike is at the Northeastern corner of the park, on Regency Drive in Clayton. There is very limited parking here as it is basically a dead end street in a residential area.  There were quite a few cars when we got there in the morning but there was still room to park. It was a busy trailhead with people coming and going. We walked down the hill to the dirt path leading into the park. Just past a metal gate the path split into two, we took the one to the left towards Donner Canyon Road. It was a wide fire road. We got to some mud soon after but it was manageable. The trail quickly climbed and it did so for the rest of the first half of the hike. We hit several other muddy spots with some of them encompassing the whole width of the road. Still, not too bad for a January hike. As we kept climbing in the mud we couldn't help but think about the hiking poles we had left at home, would probably bring them next time. The trail followed close to Donner Creek and as we passed a few junctions on our ascent we kept on the fire road.
The fire road is also open to bikers and equestrians, although we didn't see either on our way up. As we climbed we got better and better views of Mt. Diablo summit. Looking back we also got great views of Donner Canyon on this clear sunny day. Eventually the road ended at Cardinet Junction where we turned left onto Cardinet Oaks Road. Here the trail descended a bit before we had to cross a creek. The water was several inches deep and a hiking pole would have been handy here too. After the creek crossing and a few switchbacks we made our way to Falls Trail. At this point the road narrowed significantly, just wide enough for a single person.

After a short way on this hillside path we were able to see the falls in the distance. Although small, it was good to hear and see the rushing water. As we descended a bit we got closer to the falls. After several pictures and a break we continued on.

 Crossing the creek again led us to a few more falls, although smaller than the first. The path took us uphill then downhill again and as we stopped to take a picture of a small creek we noticed we were surrounded by thousands of ladybugs. They were on the ground, in the shrubs, mossy rocks, pine cones and trees. Had we not stopped for a picture we would have easily missed them. We had never seen anything like this before. Mesmerized by the large number of them, we took our time watching and capturing shots of the ladybugs before moving on.

Again we followed the path uphill before turning right onto Middle Trail. Middle Trail was narrow as well but the vegetation was much taller than on Falls Trail so views were obscured. After about half a mile we turned right on Meridian Ridge Road which delivered us back to the wide Donner Canyon Road. Thankful to be going downhill we retraced our steps on the fire road. We noticed that the mud had dried a bit and there were several more people out enjoying the trail compared to when we had last been on the road. We did encounter a couple of bikers on our way back to the trailhead. As we got back to our car there were cars waiting for a spot to be vacated. As busy as it seemed now, we were glad we had arrived in the morning. The total hike was about 5.5 miles long and took us up (and back down) 1200 feet. It took us just over three hours, which included a lengthy stop at the waterfalls and at the ladybug area.