March 4, 2014 - Dinasour Lake and Pig Pond Trails

Title: March 4, 2014 - Dinosaur Lake and Pig Pond Trails

Trail head: Pacheco State Park Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Dinosaur Lake and Pig Pond Trails

Destination: Salt Creek

Distance: 5.70 miles

Start Time: 11:47

End Time:    2:41

Travel Time: 2.53 (1.98 mph)

Moving Time: 2.25 (2.36  mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,140'

Maximum Elevation: 1,541'

Description:
We are on our way to our parents in the Bay Area. So we stop at Pacheco State Park on the way. I had hiked this trail last week and it was a very pleasant after the rain. So Sherri wanted to do it as well. We will go in the opposite direction of the hike I did last week.

Green Hills, east ward

San Luis Reservoir

We start with the Dinosaur Lake Trail. The first little bit is not promising-we walk about a quarter mile across a cow pasture, till we get to the gate. Then we walk the old road which used to go down to San Luis Reservoir. The asphalt still shows up, making for easy walking, but there is an annoying click of our hiking poles. There are numbered posts along this way, but I have not been able to find out what these numbers refer to.  

The whole State Park is littered with chris-crossing trails, so it is easy to get confused between the trails and the service roads. Fortunately there is trail markers at almost each intersection, or where we walk the dirt service roads.

Walking the ridge

Fremont Peak

After following a few dirt roads, we come to a path. It climbs us to the top of a ridge where we can see east towards San Luis Reservoir and south to what I think is Fremont Peak. Since it rained this weekend, the hills are alive with greenery. The California Golden Poppy's are starting to bloom, sprinkling in the emerald grass with spots of gold. Small yellow and purple flowers pop up beside our trail. So much more refreshing today than when we have hiked this in the Summer or Fall.

Dinosaur Lake

The path drops down after a mile and three-quarters into a pond. This is Dinosaur Lake, from a height, the shape of the pond looks like a dinosaur paw-I think this is the reason for the name of the lake. Rushes surround the lake on many sides. A blackbird with a bright splotch of red on his wings tests the strength of the rush before he fly's off, only to try another rush. The pond mallards enjoy these waters with an occasional attempt at flight, only to land a hundred feet away.

The trail rises to the top of a different ridge and we see the windmills  silhouetting the skyline are no longer just distant figures, but are looming close by. As we approach them, the trail turns away from them, but there is a service road which leads up to them.  I do not see a sign restricting access, so I go on up to the closest one of them. While we know they are large, you see how they tower over you. One of them doing a slow turn, the others silently standing still. I stay only a few moments as Sherri is continuing on the way.

Windmills

From here, it is a steep downhill to Salt Creek. Partly on a dirt road, but then down a steeper path, zig-zagging across the hill side until we get to Salt Creek-which is dry. Here there is an intersection and we start our return trip via the Pig Pond Trail. We take a break here. As steep as the descent was, the ascent has us going up at about the same rate. I am  feeling the climb.  But there is enough eye-candy with the greenness of the hills and the oaks silhouetting the sky that we can fain a break to enjoy our surroundings, rather than a rest break.

Trail back

At the top before descending into Pig Pond, we are at the high point of our hike. We debate about going over to Tunnel Monument, but decide to save it for another day-the Monument is only a marker saying the e tunnel out of San Luis Reservoir lies beneath you. A picnic table is at the top, but we do not stop, even for a look at Pig Pond-mostly empty. The final gap in the hills yields one of my favorite sights of the whole loop. The sight is good not only to see the car, but the expanse of green before us, eventually spreading to highway 152.

From here it is a short mile walk back to the parking lot and our car. A pretty nice day for this walk.