Hike Info:
Type: Hiking
Trail: Kings River
Destination: 3:00pm turnaround
Actual Destination: about 2½ miles in
Distance: 4.72 miles
Start Time: 1:21
End Time: 4:35
Travel Time: 3:13 (1.47 mph)
Moving Time: 2:48 (1.69 mph)
Elevation Rise: 758'
Descent: 730‘
Maximum Elevation: 1,481'
Description:
I got up a little before 7:00
and had my breakfast. Sort of just meandered around until Sherri got
up.Her water bladder gave forth some water, so she is drying out her
pack.
We get started about 10:45, a
bit late since it is a two hour drive to the trail head. We decided
to try a trail on the north side of the Kings. After filling up with
gas, we follow Google's directions. We go up 168 to Sample Rd. Then
to Pittman Hill followed by Maxon Rd. Maxon takes by the Trimmer Work
Center, where some of the firefighters and a helicopter are
stationed. Maxon brings us to Trimmer Springs . This is a long drive
over to the Bailey Bridge and Balch Camp. Actually, we turn as soon
as we cross the Bailey Bridge. This is a dirt road-Sierra Forest
Service Road 12S01 . Looks like it is somewhat used, but obviously not
enough to keep in top notch condition.
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| Kings River and Unnamed Rock |
We go past several named
places: Bear Wallow Campground and TrailHead, Hermit Hole Raft
Put-In, and Garnet
Dike Campground.
Going down this 5-6 miles of dirt road took us about 45 minutes of
travel. Something which you can be frustrated by or just say you are
going to enjoy the trip. It is this last one spot that will be the
start of our travels. About 100’ beyond the campground, there is a
turn around which could hold 3-4 cars. Also the campground could hold
another 2-3 cars. But I would not force the issue.
 |
| Unnamed Rock |
Before we get going, we have
lunch and use the pit toilet at the campground. Then it is off up the
trail to see what we could find. The first quarter of a mile is along
the remnants of a dirt road. We do cross an unnamed creek. This is
not a problem-plenty of rocks so no splashing. At a gate, where a
metal sign says Special Use Permit Road/Sheridan-Bennett Use. The
road goes upwards steeply after that, but a trail branches off and is
pretty level. Nice to be walking on a wide ledge with the Kings
River below
you and
Rogers Ridge
above.
After walking a ways, mostly
level, we dip into Fox
Canyon.
In some ways an earlier stream is more interesting. But this one is
named. We can look up to the top of Rogers Ridge, way above us. The
three main things which we see in this stretch, are:
 |
| Dry Falls |
A knob across the Kings. It
seems like such a thing should have a name, but it does not, just a
number: 6-146. I do not know if this is even an official number.
A dry waterfall on Converse
Creek.
Wonder if it will be spectacular, a dud, or just plain old
mesmerizing?
The Kings River. It is
always there, but that does not do justice to it. You can tell that
the river is low right now, still formidable. At least, I would not
want to cross it unaided and without a bridge. You wonder how it was
down.
Of course, we are looking
mostly at the other side of Kings, the south side. Here we are seeing
the ends of Park
Ridge,
Hoist
and Verplank.
These faces and sides are what we do not see from Delilah
Lookout.
So it is interesting trying to line up what we see on the other side
of the ridges, if anything as all.
At the two mile mark, we come
across a nice campsite. We decide to continue on rather than stop
her. We have about 15 minutes before we need to turn around-my
turnaround time was 3:00pm, particularly in the narrowing of this
canyon. It could get dark quickly. But first we take a ten minute
break and munch on an energy bar.
We start back about 3:10. On
one level, the excitement and wonder we experience is just from
hiking an area we know about, but have not seen. On the other hand,
this is a nice looking area. Not spectacular, but one which we will
want to hike again. The trip back in is not too much different than
when we came up the trail. So we make pretty good time and got back
to the car a bit faster than I thought we would, a little after 4:30.
 |
| Delilah Lookout from the road |
Coming out, I am looking for a
place to see Delilah. There is a small patch of the River we can see
from the Lookout, so we should be able to look back. A couple of
times we stop to look, but do not see it. But then, there it is
between a saddle. We now know where we are looking when we are at
Delilah. By the time we reach Pine
Flat Reservoir,
it is dark. So I decided we will just come out following Trimmer
Springs Road.
Now the discussion is where do we eat? Why not the Red
Caboose?
It is like the Train
Depot,
but just out close to Academy. It is open and we enjoy our meal. Then
about 20 minutes later, we are home and enjoying a shower.
Background
Kings River Road Trail.
In the book California
Trails: High Sierra Region
by Peter Massey, Jeanne Wilson, Angela Titus has this road as a road
for the casual driver (the book is for four wheel and off-road tours.
It points out that for much of the road, it is a nice
beautiful short trail.
But there is a few places where a high clearance vehicle would be
required. I concur with this assessment.
Sheridan-Bennett.
In Minerals
Yearbook,
there is a reference to a Sheridan, Bennett & Kidder who mined
tungsten.
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| Kings River |
 |
| Kings River in Black and White |
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| More Kings River |
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| Still More of the Kings |
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| Gary on Trail |
 |
| Looking west down the Kings |
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| Special Permit Sign |
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| Sherri on the trail |
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| Gary on the way back |
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| Kings River with Garlic Ridge in the background |
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| Gary on the trail |
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| Reminder of the Rough Fire |
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| Kings River in the evening |
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| Unnamed peak basking in the evening glow |
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| Kings River looking west in the evening sun |
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| Sherri on the trail |
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| Garlic Ridge and the Kings |
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| Gary and Sherri |
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| Ridges |
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| Trees catching the evening sun |
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| Kings River |
Description:
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