Piedra Blanca From Rose Valley

Piedra Blanca Trailhead starting at the end of  Rose Valley Road in Ojai is one of the major corridors into the Sespe Wilderness. From here you can access multiple Trails including The Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail(22W03), Sespe River Trail(20W13), and Middle Sespe Trail(22W04). All three of these Routes share the same Trailhead. This tends to be a very popular destination for Hikers who visit the Los Padres National Forest. Also just southwest a short distance On Rose Valley provides access to Rose Valley Falls and Lion Canyon. So as you can see there are plenty of great opportunities to explore the backcountry here.

Piedra Blanca Trailhead

This Trailhead is open all year (no overnight camping ) for that you would need to go to Middle Lion or Rose Valley Campgrounds. Adventure Pass is required to Park here. Parking is first come first serve. The Trailhead has toilets, informative signs and parking is plentiful.

Trail starts straight ahead at the end of the parking lot

Trailhead Facilities

For this spot I will spare you the turn by turn directions, it can be easily found on google. Here is a quick link to access the location. (Piedra Blanca trailhead from Rose Valley).

Originally called the Piedra Blanca Trail, the trail was granted the designation National Recreation Trail in 1977 and in 1992 was renamed the Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail in recognition of the significant role Gene Marshall played in the development of the Los Padres Condor Range and River protection Act. The trail starts along Sespe Creek and Follows Piedra Blanca Creek to its headwaters on the backside of Pine Mountain eventually Terminating at Reyes Creek Campground near the Cuyama River, leading you through some Significant and historical Rock formations and into the high country where Pines and Cedars are abundant. The Reyes Ridge and surrounding high Country in my opinion affords the best scenery the Southern Los Padres has to offer. There are multiple trail camps along the route including Piedra Blanca, Twin forks, Pine Mountain Lodge, Three Mile, Haddock, Bear Trap, Upper Reyes, and Reyes Creek Campground. This area was once inhabited by the Chumash Indians and if you know where to look you can find evidence of their existence scattered about. Please treat these finds with respect should you stumble upon them.

Chumash Pictographs 

The Trail Takes off from the very eastern end of the parking lot. In .2 miles you will need to make a left between 2 rocks at an unmarked junction. Proceeding toward Middle Sespe Trail and Gene Marshal-Piedra Blanca.

Turn Left Here

Immediately after the junction you will have to cross the mighty Sespe River.(Although it was not to mighty as it was dry this time of year.) 

Dry Sespe River Crossing

After the river crossing follow the trail North on a gradual uphill grade through the chaparral zone for about .8 of a mile until reaching yet another junction. Here at this junction proceed right and on to the Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail.(A left would lead you onto Middle Sespe Trail). 

Follow the line of rocks to your right Here

In a little over 200 feet from this junction you will know your on the right path when Pass The Wooden Sespe Wilderness Sign. I like these older Wooden signs much better than the newer Plastic ones. Just seems more Authentic. 

Old Wooden Sespe Wilderness Sign

Immediately after passing the sign as your round the bend and proceed due north you get your first look at the main attraction to this area. The Piedra Blanca Rock Formations are a sight to behold. The trail takes you right through and over this magnificent collection Of rocks.

Here I spent about an hour off trail climbing the rocks and poking my head into all the little caves, cracks and crevices that I could find. I did not even begin to scratch the surface of checking out this whole area. I had it set in my head that I would make it up to Pine Mountain Lodge camp on this day so I couldn't spend near as much time as I would have liked here. I figure I will return and devote a whole day or two next time just in the Rock formations. 

 Shortly after leaving the rock formations in the distance the trail drops you into the Piedra Blanca Creek Drainage and follows the Creek on an easy uphill until reaching the Piedra Blanca Trail Camp at a little over 2 miles in.

Piedra Blanca Main Site #1

Piedra Blanca Main Site #2

Piedra Blanca Down stream Site

The camp is situated on a nice large flat area covered by massive oak trees. Water was available and flowing in the creek. I found the camp to be very nice and in good condition. My only complaint is that it was pretty much a full house. Being so close to the Trailhead makes Piedra Blanca Camp a very popular Backpacking spot, especially nice if your planning on bringing the youngsters for their first taste of backcountry fun. Watch out Poison oak was prevalent at the water's edge and surrounding areas of the camp.

Water at Piedra Blanca Camp

Given the large crowd I encountered, I eagerly high tailed it out of there and made swift time up to Twin Forks Camp.That's not saying much though as Twin Forks is less than a half mile away up the drainage from Piedra Blanca. Just like the Previous camp, Twin Forks and the trail beyond through the next few stream crossings had a good amount of poison oak.

Turn right here for Twin Forks Camp

Sitting Adjacent to the stream junction of The main fork Piedra Blanca Creek and North Fork Piedra Blanca Creek is Twin Forks Camp. When you reach the sign pictured above turn right and follow the spur trail across the creek. The Main site sits on a flat above the creek with nice sized fire pit. There is also another nice flat area above this under a big oak tree if more space is needed for tents. When I arrived I found nobody here compared to the busy Piedra Blanca Camp just downstream. 

Main site Twin Forks Camp

Another View of the main site

After leaving Twin Forks the trail follows the North Fork of Piedra blanca Creek up the canyon toward Pine Mountain Lodge Camp.This stretch is an ass kicker as you will gain around 2400 feet of elevation. The trail is exposed here and hot providing few spots with shade. This was my least favorite part, on the plus side though in about 3 grueling miles you will be at the top, out of the chaparral zone and into a beautiful setting of pines and Cedars. 

View North Toward Pine Mountain Lodge

Looking down into the North Fork Piedra Blanca Drainage you just climbed

You will notice as you get closer to the top the air starts to become cooler, with a fresh Pine scent. It is a nice motivator to keep on trekking. Once atop the ridge and on your left side before the trail sign and the Main Camp sites of PML is a wonderful clearing under thick pines. This would make a really nice spot to camp.

Nice clearing under pines just south of Pine mountain lodge

This sign marks the Main Sites Of Pine Mountain Lodge

To the left and right of the sign pictured above are what I believe to be some secondary overflow sites. The west side site is shaded under a nice tree canopy, while the eastern one sits more exposed. Water was available at the stream north of here next to the main camp off the Cedar Creek trail.

Old School Sign

Pine mountain Lodge Camp

 Old Relics 

 West Side Camp Site

exposed site adjacent to the one pictured above.

While most of the sites up here did not give as much shade as I would have preferred it is still a very pretty area with nice fire rings and would make for a great spot to stay while passing through. While up here I saw nobody, and enjoyed a nice peaceful lunch break before setting off back down the hill. Note to reach the Main site off Cedar creek trail near the stream, continue a short distance from the secondary sites once you reach the sign pictured below hang a hard right. ( It can be easy to miss if your not paying attention). 

Make a hard right here For the Site off Cedar Creek trail

For a bit of history Pine Mountain Lodge Got its name from a Cabin built in the late 1800's by the Sisquoc Rangers. Some time in the 1940's the cabin was accidentally destroyed by the United States Forest Service in an attempt remove some badly diseased trees. I found no evidence of the old Cabin. 

As mentioned earlier I did this as an out and back , so once finished at PML I returned to the car the same way I came in. My total Mileage for the day was 14.7 including all my on and off trail exploring that I did. 

Wheeler Gorge Visitors Center

Goodies I picked up at the Wheeler Gorge Visitors Center

On your way home if you have time and your headed south on Hwy 33 take a moment and visit the Wheeler Gorge Visitors center. Located directly adjacent to Wheeler Gorge Campground. They have some really nice displays and a little gift shop that helps supports our Local Forest. I dropped a few bucks in the donation bin and picked up the items pictured above. I have been wanting that Sespe Wilderness/Hike Los Padres glass for awhile. I tested it out with a cold beer as soon as I got home. As I always say I had another hell of fine day Lost In The Los Padres. 

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FishBowls to Cedar Creek Loop

Fishbowls swimming hole

Currently I'm on a mission to try to visit all or at least most of the trail camps in the Southern Los Padres I checked two more off  my never ending list this morning, Fishbowls and Cedar Creek Camps. Both were exceptionally nice and I couldn't have been more pleased with how the day turned out.

Turn Left here on Grade Valley Road

 Both camps can be reached as an out and back from separate Trailheads or combined as a 14 mile Loop trail. I choose the Loop trail starting at Fishbowls Trailhead. Winter season closures begin November 1 to access these trails so now is a good time to head out or you will be stuck waiting for  spring. To get to the Trailhead from Santa Clarita Take the 5 freeway North and exit Frazier Mountain Rd. Turn left and continue for about 7 miles to Lockwood Valley Road and turn left. In about 10.5 miles make another left onto Grade Valley Rd. From here it's another 5.7 miles to reach the Fishbowls Trailhead. Park Here.  If you choose to continue on and start from Cedar Creek Trailhead (about 2.5 miles further) just keep in mind Grade Valley is a dirt road and you would need to cross Piru Creek, this wouldn't have been a problem on my trip as Piru water flow was dry, but during the spring this might present a problem for low clearance vehicles.

Dry Piru Creek Road crossing

Fishbowls Trailhead is really nice, complete with pull in parking spaces, Pit toilets and informational signs. The Trailhead is located on the west side of Grade Valley Rd and even has a designated handicapped parking space. The Trailhead sits at an elevation of 5000 feet and is for day use only. I may be wrong but I believe this was at one time the old Grade Valley Campground now converted to this Trailhead.

Informative signs with area map

Pit toilets 

Fishbowls Trailhead

The trail takes off directly adjacent to the restrooms right in front of the handicapped parking space. Immediately you will notice scars on the pines from the 2006 Day fire. The first quarter mile is uphill after that it's about a half mile down hill into the valley floor along Piru Creek. Fishbowls Trail(21W05) is well maintained and easy to follow. As of this writing there are a few places that are overgrown, and a couple downed trees to negotiate but aside from that its smooth sailing. Same goes for the Cedar Creek Trail(21W10). You know it is a good day in the Southern Los Padres when you can fly through 14 miles of back country, unscathed and not have to really pay any attention to your map or GPS.

View South Toward Thorn Point

The first 6 miles to Fishbowls Camp is a breeze. You gently meander along the Piru Creek Drainage on a easy steady little grade. Pines, Oaks, and Incense Cedars dot the landscape in all directions. At about 2.6 miles in you cross into the Sespe Wilderness.

Sespe Wilderness Boundary sign

Here at the wilderness sign you will also pass through an old gate with the cable stung all out across the floor. This was once a jeep trail many years ago. The gate was installed to keep vehicles from going any further into the Wilderness. Along the way to Fishbowls I encountered several Creek crossings. Sadly all of them were dry as was pretty much my expectations for being so late in the season.

One of the many dry Piru Crossings 

North of Fishbowls at about 5 miles in There was a neat Rock Formation right next to the creek. Complete with small campfire ring. This little gorilla camp site was situated right next to a dry plunge pool that I'm sure makes for good times when water is flowing.

Gorilla Camp site

From here its a hop skip and a jump to Fishbowls Trail Camp at just under 6 miles in you have arrived. I loved this site. I'm 100 percent returning in spring with the kids when water is good and flowing. The site gets its name from the fish bowl like pools nearby that have been dredged out of sedimentary rock creek bed from years of rushing water created erosion. This makes for perfect little swimming holes to escape the heat and possibly a good place to nab a few trout. Note: Upper Piru Creek is a wild trout fishery, only artificial lures and barbless hooks may be used with a 2 trout limit.

Fishbowls

Surprisingly deep first pool

Shaded under a beautiful forest of pines and incense Cedar Fishbowls has 4 campsites all with fire rings. The first 2 are up against a really nice rock formation while the other 2 are southwest a short distance along the opposite side of Piru Creek. 

first campsite you come upon

Enough water to filter in the creek directly across the main campsite

Situated directly behind the first site

Campsite on the way to the pools

As I mentioned earlier water flow was scarce along the route however the fishbowl pools still had standing water and Piru Creek at the fishbowls Camp had a small flow with plenty enough to filter if needed. The first pool I came across was deeper than expected. I extended my trekking pole and submerged it and still could not feel the bottom. Finding the fishbowls can be tricky if you do not know where to look. I have included a map with way points and downloadable GPS track to follow. 

But basically you cross through the third and fourth campsite on a secondary use trail that leads you to the pools. From the Main Fishbowls trail when you first arrive in camp cross Piru Creek and take a right at the second Camp sign junction. There are 2 signs marking Fishbowls Campsite one at the beginning (north end) and one a short distance past at the opposite end (south end leads to the Pools). See photo below.

Turn right here to take use trail to the pools and secondary campsites

The hardest part of this loop trail is leaving Fishbowls. Here you climb about a 1000 feet out of the Piru watershed up along the ridge before dropping down into the Cedar Creek Drainage. This section provides amazing views of Lockwood Valley, Pine mountain and the surrounding peaks.You really feel as if your on top of the world here. As a little bonus out of nowhere I got good cell phone reception from Fishbowls Camp and throughout this whole upper section.

Left to right Tecuya Mountain, Piute Peak, Lockwood Peak and Frazier Mountain

Alamo Mountain and McDonald Peak in the distance

Fantastic View down into the Cedar Creek Drainage and beyond

The walk Along this ridge section took me a bit longer than normal. I couldn't help but to take photo after photo with frequent stops to just admire the views. I also noted multiple Sandstone outcrops that I would like to return and check out. All the elevation you just gained you give right back as you descend sharply into the Cedar Creek drainage. At about 8 miles in you come to a junction.

Take a left here to Cedar Creek Camp

Keep left at this junction to proceed onto the Cedar Creek Trail. ( A right here would lead you to Pine Mountain Lodge). From this point it is about another mile and a Half to reach Cedar Creek Camp.  (9.5 miles in if you followed my exact route.)

Cedar Creek site #1

Cedar Creek site #2

Cedar Creek site #3

Cedar Creek Camp is situated in a sublime setting. Huge Incense Cedars and Pines tower overhead. The Landscape is green and lush. The layout is perfect affording plenty of room for a good sized group. The camp has 3 fire rings and is adjacent to Cedar Creek. Water was pretty dry here, however just downstream of camp I did find a few very small pools of standing water that could be filtered if absolutely needed. Watch out poison oak is in places along the trail before making your way into the camp.

The Woodpeckers really got busy on this poor tree

From Cedar Creek Camp back to Grade valley Rd and the Cedar Creek Trailhead is a little over 2 miles along a fairly level grade. Travelling along another abandoned jeep trail. If you parked your car as I did at the Fishbowls Trailhead you will need to walk a little under 2.5 miles along Grade Valley Road to return to the car. My total mileage for the day was 14.1. This is the longest day hike my dog has been on with me and she did great. Even carried her own water in her sporty new Ruffwear Pack. As I always say another Fine day Lost in The Los Padres.

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