Its about protecting what sustains us. The site is more enclosed and shaded than Sespe Hot Springs, but because of the higher traffic to the area can also feel less rustic. Alder Trail to Sespe Hot Springs [CLOSED], https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=77373, Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area. Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road, the side roads will take you to oil well pads. Ventura River. During wet weather, 4WD is strongly advised. Introduced palms and cactus add to the effect, and completing the vision, if one is lucky, are bighorn sheep. Picked up as much extra as I could fit in my pack. I approached the slide and decided it was too dangerous to cross. We didn't hike up to Willet Hot Springs itself, but the creek just below it is dry. He tried to get me to skinny dip with him (I'm a guy). Sespe Hot Springs offers a difficult, but rewarding hike. 0, Big Sur Station Multi-Agency Visitor Center (805) 967-3481 or (805) 724-0079, Santa Lucia Ranger District At Shady Camp junction, ascending over the saddle is very steep. Try this 23.2-mile out-and-back trail near Fillmore, California. The road provided access to the hot springs as well as supported a number of car camping destinations before it was closed in the late 1970s. Lovely hike in with fall foliage, and the hot springs are hard to match in California. The most accessible hike to Willett Hot Springs is the Sespe River Trail, which begins at the Piedra Blanca trailhead. Tar Creek forms part of the southern border of the Sespe Condor Sactuary and Dough Flat Rd forms part of its eastern boundary. Many Trails listed may be unmaintained, always plan ahead, check weather report, know your risks and level of ability. Ocean View Trail #2 3/22 The most common way to get to Bighorn is to . This trail goes by Dough Flat Trailhead and Sespe Hot Springs. Starting from the parking lot at Piedra Blanca, the trail quickly drop down to the river crossing, after the crossingLion Creek and Sespe Creek is the Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca trail junction. In the summer months, water is normally very low and there is not much shade so it can be very hot. The Dough Flat gate is locked from approx. Get updates on conditions, surveys and more Los Padres Forest Association - 10-03-2015, Los Padres Forest Association - 02-28-2017, https://www.globosurfer.com/best-fly-fishing-rods/, https://www.globosurfer.com/best-camping-grills/, Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara & Ventura, https://christopherplord.blogspot.com/2022/01/middle-lion-to-piedra-blanca-via-little.html. The pools in the hot creek are full of gravel, mud and algae again because the rain caused a lot of debris from the surrounding hills to flow into the hot creek. Overall: . Willet Hot Spring and camp: 34.575822, -119.050937. So if you are planning a trip to that part of the Forest be sure to plan on an extra 8miles of road hiking/biking before you get to the trailhead. follow. Great hike experience. The trail from Piedra to Sespe is about 14 miles, from Dough to Sespe is about 11 miles. Be prepared to get wet because there are several (I mean several - didnt count them but around 10 each way Id guess) crossings. 406 S Mildred Ave Be sure to bring long sleeves and long pants for the overgrown sections, as well as sandals or waterproof boots to cross river sections. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? Ant Camp. A camp at Coltrell Flat can be found under the oaks. The views are worth the price of admission. It's not right that there's a shady guy lurking around out there bothering people and ruining what would otherwise be a really cool spot. SESPE WILDERNESS - More information on the Sespe Wilderness: www.wilderness.net, Maps: Tom Harrison - Sespe Wilderness Map or 7.5 minute USGS topographic maps (Devils Heart Peak). It is primarily within the southern Los Padres National Forest. Anybody been to Dough Flats Trailhead lately? . Home; Categories. This section of trail was worked a few years back but remained narrow and scary. Started at Dough Flat Gate. We have plenty of things to worry about while backpacking and a potentially schizophrenic man that harasses people shouldnt be one of them. An official website of the Be very cautious en route to trailhead. Brutally hot out there. 2. Turn right into Squaw Flat Forest Rd/ 6N16 (you can't turn left anyway). Here, the canyon opens up and reveals a more spartan and rocky terrain evocative of the Palm Springs area. We moved down from him to chill a bit before finding a spot to camp, away from him, in case it was Pan. Very quite area away from the city infrastructures . Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road, the side roads will take you to oil well pads. we pick the challenging route to Pioneer Basin. The next trail junction is 2.7 miles. It can be seen on the USGS 1:24K topographic map Devils Heart Peak, CA . . 2. Sespe Creek starts in the mountains near, At about 14.75 miles from Dough Flat, and 9.5 miles from the Piedra Blanca, Sespe River Trail arrives at the junction for, This article originally appeared section A of the March 29th, 2013 edition of the, Trail Quest: Gene Marshall-Piedra BlancaTrail, Los Padres National Forest (current conditions), USGS Online Current and Historical Topo Maps, USGS Topo Maps for Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties, Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers. 2021Outdoor Project. Trail in good shape and easy to kill the process running on port 1717 sfdx. SHORT TERM CLOSURE: This area is temporarily closed until March 14, 2023 due to extreme winter weather. 150 yards and youll reach Shady Camp, which normally Sespe River Trail follows Sespe Creek for roughly 20 of those miles as it passes through the Sespe Wilderness. If there is no water there, continue downstream See picture below: From the aforementioned high point of the trail down to where the trail meets the Sespe river there are a number of small slides that pose a challenge to navigation. The trail went along the base of a large slide and it looks like all the rain made that slide active once again. Borracho Spring. , Open daily 9am - 4pm PINOS RANGER DISTRICTS CHAPTER 3 Western Santa Ynez Mountains Gaviota Peak via Gaviota Hot Springs Broadcast Peak via Tequepis Trail Lizard''s Mouth The Playground CHAPTER 4 Santa Ynez Recreation Area Snyder Trail and Knapp''s Castle Aliso Nature Trail Upper Oso Canyon to Nineteen . This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Sharing Our Trails - A Guide To Trail Etiquette, Forest Headquarters (Supervisor's Office) Not for people with acrophobia or vertigo. There are three different trails that lead to Sespe Hot Springs: 1. 5.2 miles to the Sespe Hot Springs. Best if you're headed west since it's downhill. Most people cleared out, as they do on Sundays, and we heard from somebody that they saw him walking back to willet. We couldn't find the hot spring, but maybe we just needed to look more closely at the map. The Mosquito Flat trailhead is at 10,000 and you have to go over Mono Pass at 12,000. The trail below Dripping Springs becomes narrow and sections of the tread have been destroyed from winter flooding. There are two campsites separated by the creek crossing. Continue west along the creek .8 miles to reach the junction with Sespe River Trail (20W13). Water is usually only available here during winter and spring. coinbase prime pricing dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs. Suggested Time - 5 hours. you continue to the parking area at Dough Flat. The gate 2.4 miles away from the trailhead was closed which added 4.8 miles to the trip overall (we saw other reviews about this as well). The downhill side of this climb/rootball is the most dangerous part of the trail. Download the GPS track to help you find your way. Continue northward here until a Montecito Trails Foundation sign (0.45 mile, 850', 257415E 3815691N) directs you to the right (east) off the road to follow a small stretch of trail that then curves right to rejoin the road rather quickly and then cross Hot Springs Creek (0.5 mile, 860', 257448E 3815684N). These were found on Tequepis Trail. anne boleyn ghost photo No fee to park. The drive from Santa Barbara is roughly an hour and a half. Sometimes the gate is locked and you have to walk an extra 5 miles to the trail head. The last spot with running water was the creek a bit before Oak Flats, maybe 2.5 miles before Willet Hot Springs. Fish Canyon to Fish Canyon Narrows and Cienaga Campground, The Pianobox Prospect via Fish Canyon Trail, Devil's Gateway Via Agua Blanca Creek and Pothole Trail, Pronghorn OHV Trail from Hungry Valley Road, Santa Paula Canyon and Punch Bowls Trail [CLOSED], Punchbowls via Santa Paula and Last Chance Trail [CLOSED], Sespe Hot Springs via Johnston Ridge Trail [CLOSED]. A very tough hike. The creek is now flowing in all areas and the crossings will require you to get wet either taking off your shoes or walking through water. We provide tools and tips to discover Mountain views Wildlife Good for kids Dogs not allowed Ridges/passes Parking Pass/Entry Fee National Park Pass dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs +1 (760) 205-9936. The Dough Flat parking area is adjacent to the public access corridor of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary. 0, Ojai Ranger District North of Tar Creek and west of Dough Flat Rd is in the Condor Sactuary where public entry is not allowed. There are no downed objects or other navigation hazards. . Crossings were not too hard but did require your feet to get wet. On Saturday, April 24th, I hiked out to Sespe hot springs from Pierda and upon arrival to sespe hot springs springs I was greeted by a man in a sleeping bag under the second grove of palm trees. Tar Creek Falls is located in the Los Padres National Forest. Located off Gambas Avenue, Sembawang Hot Spring Park features new cascading pools and a water collection point, enhanced accessibility for wheelchair users, and educational panels where visitors can learn about Singapore's only hot spring park's history and geology. Welcome to Sespe he said. I wish I would have taken better pics since the attached don't show the steepness of the area below the slide. There was a small creek with fresh water just above the fork to the hot springs not a lot of volume, but enough to filter. 2.5 miles, roundtrip Elevation Gain 400 feet Highest Point 6800 feet Calculated Difficulty Easy/Moderate View from Sourdough Ridge Trail into Sunrise Valley. The south facing slope is sparsely vegetated and I never found myself on an uncomfortable slope. The name Sespe can be traced to a Chumash Indian village, called Cepsey, Sek-pe or S'eqpe' ("Kneecap") in the Chumash language in 1791. Take Highway 126 to Fillmore. The worst one is located here: (34.5798, -118.9647). Steady climb for the next 3.5/4 mi to peak before dropping into Alder Camp. Starting from the parking lot at Piedra Blanca, the trail quickly drop down to the river crossing, after the crossing Lion Creek and Sespe Creek is the Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca trail junction. 373: Route 91 Bucksnort Trail 19W18. Dough is. 2.5 mi to Trailhead. The road is a combination of dirt, gravel and pavement. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. I'd planned to go on to Hot Spring Canyon but didn't want to ford the creek four more times in each direction, and I heard Hot Spring Canyon was washed out. Expect to get wet crossing the stream. River crossings from Coltrell to Sespe Camp are difficult. The hot springs are amazing and camping spots are nicely spaced with plenty of pools. This is a steep country road. Cow Springs is the first camp along the On the way down I encountered three hikers . At Willet, there was a moving creek with much cleaner water. These folks were a bit disappointed to not make the hot springs. Take extra water to Sespe Springs! This is a narrow, rough road that is traveled by large oil trucks. However, the easiest (Piedra Blanca) has been closed due to fire damage since December of 2017. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. one mile from Alder Camp. The first 10 miles of trails out to the creek crossing before Willett are clearly marked and well maintained. Within the Los Padres, D13 covers the Mt Pinos Ranger District east of Hwy 33 and the Ojai District north and east of Sespe Creek. . Download the GPS track to help you find your way. Enjoy this 37.3-km out-and-back trail near Fillmore, California. From here, it's another 5 miles to the trailhead. next trail junction is 2.7 miles. Replacing my previous review with updated conditions. The most straightforward way is to hike 19.5 miles from the Piedra Blanca trailhead on the western side of the wilderness. Trail Description: We set out somewhat early (7:30 am) on the Sespe River Trail. Continue west one mile to reach Cow Spring Camp. I said hello and he said hi and proceeded to stare into my soul with his creepy empty eyes. You can also go down Alder Creek and take the Sespe back to Tar Creek or Devil's Gate. Thank you to the Ventura county sheriffs for trying to take care of this bizarre situation! Photo by Anna Roth. . My group accessed the Sespe Trail via the Alder Creek Trail, from Dough Flat trailhead. We brushed the trail coming up and out of the Alder Creek Drainage up through the steep uphill part of the trail. Hiked from Piedra Blanca Trailhead down past Bear Creek. 1. The trail is wide open most of the way but starts to get overgrown as you approach Alder Creek at the last crossing of the Sespe. Beware, the next week its going to warm up and the frozen parts will become muddy too. Noida, India 17 miracles snake story +91 9313127275 ; contraction de texte en ligne neeraj@enfinlegal.com Oak Flat is reached by a side trail that crosses Sespe Creek to the south. Link: Sespe River Trail : Date: 05-15-2019 : Surveyor Name: Daniel J. Overview. dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs. Continuing towards Hot Springs Canyon, there are several more camps before you reach Willets. Major tributaries include the Lion Canyon, Hot Springs Canyon, Timber, West Fork Sespe and Little Sespe Creeks, although over 30 creeks and springs nourish it. From the Shady Camp turnoff, it is From Sespe River Trail, Johnson Ridge Trail follows Hot Springs Canyon north and arrives at Sespe Camp a half-mile later. Here a side trail crosses the creek and arrives at Willet Camp. Lots of trash and horse poop. Although no longer listed on some maps, this former car camping site, still has a stove and picnic table with cement foundations, neither in use, the later now crushed under a fallen oak tree. There are three different trails that lead to Sespe Hot Springs: 1. Once on the north side it can be hard to find the trail but once found it is in good condition until the junction with the Johnston Ridge Trail. The trail then quickly ends near Alder Creek Camp (2520 feet) and turns into the Alder Creek Trail. Solvang, CA 93463 Ojai Ranger District - Phone: (805) 646-4348 or (661) 805-1057, Mon-Fri 8-430pm. When my friends who left later than us, got back to service, they said they ran into the sheriffs and found out they didnt find him. (LogOut/ We did this as an overnight, but it could definitely be split into a two night trip. From the trailhead at Dough Flat its about 7.5 miles along Alder Creek Trail to Sespe River Trail. Currently most of the pools in the canyon are above 106F which is too hot to soak in for long. There was also water at both Oak Flat and Willet. Highlights on the trail include two nearby hot springs and the scenery along Sespe Creek. road traveled by large oil trucks so be very cautious as . Did this over 3 days Friday - Sunday. I hiked from Piedra Blanca to Sycamore Flat. peter w busch why is it important to serve your family dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs. From the Dough Flat Trailhead, you will enter the Sespe Wilderness within mile. Trailhead for the Sespe Hot Springs hike is way out here too. Preview trail We parked at 7am on Friday and parking lot was 3/4 full. Set up camp. Mutau Flat is situated nearby to the locality Thorn Meadows. Ojai, CA 93023 Agua Blanca Trail 2/21 Size 15 X 23 1029. Sespe River Trail is unshaded much of the way, so plan accordingly. Trail Distance 5.95 Miles Take Highway 126 to Fillmore. (661) 245-3731 ext. There were 71 cars in the parking lot by 10 AM. We hung out all day Sunday and didnt see him around at all. There was stagnant water at Bear Creek, although I recommend pushing on to Kerr Springs for cleaner water (still not moving). This section of trail is just upstream from Kerr Spring and was reworked about 5-7 years ago. There is access to the Dough Flat Trailhead during the spring, summer and fall and is within the winter seasonal closure between approx. Be very cautious en route to trailhead. 2. Difficulty - Moderate. Creek still running, went up to Bear Creek.. Dry January has meant creek levels are down again, though you still cant dry cross. Getting from the start of Goodenough Road to the trailhead will take you about an hour. way. The NF allows firearms use/discharge. There had been rain on Friday 2/10 and off and on during the day on Saturday with some of the side creeks dying the whole Sespe a chocolaty brown. Map Information, Interactive Visitor Map: Los Padres National Forest, Forest Recreation Informational Brochures. At about 10.5 miles from Dough Flat, Sespe River Trail arrives at Johnson Ridge Trail and the turn off for Sespe Hot Springs. Continuing along Sespe River Trail, about half-mile west of the Johnson Ridge Trail intersection, Sespe River Trail arrives at Coltrell Flat. Just wasnt worth the risk to me. Went only from Piedra Blanca Trailhead downstream to Timber Creek (almost to Oak Flat), with camp at Bear Creek and check of Kerr Spring (surveys provided on those pages). Recreation.gov. Got stalked by a mountain lion who stomped around camp and grunted at us all night. Some nice campsites along creek with fire pits. The trail is amazing, but it was hot & miserable with minimal shade. SESPE WILDERNESS - More information on the Sespe Wilderness: www.wilderness.net, Maps: Tom Harrison - Sespe Wilderness Map or 7.5 minute USGS topographic maps (Devils Heart Peak), Take Highway 126 to Fillmore. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. At the worst part of the slide people have walked to the uphill side to climb over a small dead tree and root ball. Water sources were sparse with a small stream before Oak Flats Camp and then another a mile after Willet. Ventura County mopakigbahin sa usa ka utlanan sa Santa Barbara County, Kern County, ug Los . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to Songs of the Wilderness and receive notifications of new posts by email. Sespe is amazing! Reduced by hunting and diseases transmitted from livestock grazing, bighorn sheep were last seen in Los Padres National Forest in 1914. . The general deer hunting season in Zone D13 starts this weekend October 12 and lasts through November 10. There are minor rock falls here and there, and the traverse of a steep loose hillside a mile or so before Sycamore is more exciting than it used to be for a few feet. Alder Creek. This route passes by the disappointing Willet Hot Springa rubber cistern in the ground that's filled with algaeas it follows the Sespe Creek. We've seen backpackers have to drop crosscountry down to the Sespe here as well in years past. Moderately difficult hike. Sespe River Trail can be accessed several different ways, the two most common are from the trailhead at Piedra Blanca and the trailhead at Dough Flat via Alder Creek Trail. Dough Flat Trailhead via Alder Creek Trail, Cow Spring via Alder Creek Trail and Sespe River Trail, Condor Lookout via Squaw Flat Road and Alder Creek Trail. Plenty of big horn sheep up at the hot springs. The other access points are Dough Flat and Mutau Flat. Be advised, Willet is super popular and not much area to camp once you're at the spring. Very little water. There was minimal water on the hike in, however. Sespe River Trail follows the old road bed most of the way and is in generally good shape. We ended up moving up the canyon, passed the rock circle to camp under the cottonwood with two other friends we met up with there. Hiking up to Sespe was long uphill climbing but not too intense. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This is a narrow rough We broke it up in 3 days. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. Visit the One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire Website, Tread Lightly! We saw 7 snakes over the whole trip, none of them were rattlesnakes but other backpackers we saw said they did see multiple rattlesnakes. Along the way there are several forks off to the right, but all are marked as private. Plenty of camp area before you head up the climb though. December 15th April 30th. Went as far as Willet. Water everywhere, nice and green. (831) 667-2315 Along much of Sespe Creek one will find various improvised camps reflective of the amount of usage the trail sees each year. They grow in marshes and around hot springs in other parts of the county as well. I hiked from Piedra Blanca to Willet on Saturday 2/11. We saw a number of snakes, they were mellow just walked around them cautiously. It rained often and was chilly in March when I went through in the upper 40s . Off to the right (east and south) are Squaw Spring, Dough Flat, Pidgeon Flat, Cow Spring . The creek remains free from major habitat modifications and is noteworty for its lack of dams, although one was originally proposed for a site named Topa Topa near Sespe Hot Springs in the Sespe Wilderness. The hot springs were quite awesome, lots of pools to choose from, the water was flowing well so most don't have that much algae buildup. After Bear Creek Camp crossings are thigh to hip deep, There were some washed out sections of trail that need a little work, but overall the trail was in good condition. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. SESPE SADDLE: The trail heading from Alder Creek to the Sespe, just as you head West and crest at the Saddle the trail wraps around to the north with some pretty dramatic exposure. United States . Snow in the mountains will melt and the creek will rise somewhat. Continue hiking 4.3 miles from the trial head to the first camp along the trail named Bear Creek Camp (2820 feet). We started at around 1 pm and didnt get to camp until 7:30 (~23 min mile pace). How is the water level in the river, it was already fairly low in mid April wanted to get out again soon, dry and hot Sespe hot springs were so relaxing worth every step! Willet was better by a long stretch! (LogOut/ This means that UNLESS there is a specific ordinance prohibiting the discharge/carry of a weapon in the PARKING LOT at that specific trailhead, the discharge/carry of a weapon is not illegal. Camping this area is hot during the day and cold at night through the am. We found a small spring around the 6.5 mile mark, but that was the only water source we were able to find aside from the major springs. You could probably take the first ridge down as well but the upper section looked a little sketcy to me.. For Sale: 0 Old woman Spgs, Lucerne Valley, CA 92356 $30,000 MLS# HD22112651 Off paved road sits a wonderful looking property . The water spicketts at Willett Camp were dried up as well. Romero Trail 3/21 Size 21 X 18 1031. I don't know why they send you that way. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. 379: Route 93 Buck Creek 20W01 18W01 and 19W05. There was poison oak but I think lots is an exaggeration at least at the bottom. Dough Flat: 34.480807, -118.916874. Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Pit toilet was open but pretty gross. The trail in from Dough Flat should be good for that possible resupply although the trailhead is 3 miles further away in winter. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 16 min to complete. I appreciate them looking for him but they might want to send a couple people out that arent in full sheriff gear to find him and have the rest of the squad near by behind them. (Next time will be adding another day to break it up). Initially the hikers were not located. The trail includes a number of camps along the way. Bighorn Peak stands at 8441 feet above sea level and offers great views of the Inland Empire, towards Santiago Peak, and the High Desert, although, not as great views as Telegraph and Cucamonga Peaks offer. All trail campsites in the Sespe Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest A total of 29 Sespe Wilderness Camps are currently available. We also smoothed out the slide as best we could, and we left the pickmatix wedged into the tree that sits on the left side of the slide area for others to use. Fairly cold still at night and in the morning but perfect during the day. The gnats are bad! Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat. I added a pic of the man, in his purple robe, in the photos. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Its heat can be felt in the stream all the way through the foot of the canyon and the floor of the campsites that dot the trail are substantially warmer than sites located near the Sespe River Trail. 3. Not a whole lot to say here that hasn't been said already. North of Tar Creek and west of Dough Flat Rd is in the Condor Sactuary where public entry is not allowed. Hiked to Willet's. Sespe Middle Narrows 2/22 1158. Plenty of water. I recommend starting early and packing layers! Maybe an experienced individual could have found a way, but my group did not want to take the risk given the slope and apparent loose ground. Camps appeared to all be in good shape. Sespe Trail 3/21 Size 19 X 24 1026. 2nd day trip to sespe hot springs 8 miles round trip. The rangers really need to do something about him. Hall: Trail description: From Piedra Blanca Trailhead downstream to Oak Flat, the trail is easy to find and follow, but with some brushy and rutted sections. While we were hangin out he got up and walked to a hot springs where two women were soaking. From the Piedra Blanca trailhead this same intersection is about 13.75 miles, which is why some people will choose Squaw Flat Road and the overgrown trail through Alder Creek drainage in order to save a few miles. At the trailhead you enter the Sespe Wilderness. North of Tar Creek and west of Dough Flat Rd is in the Condor Sactuary where public entry is not allowed. The trail up to Bear creek was extremely well marked, and between Bear Creek and Oak Flat was reasonable but a bit overgrown and hard to follow at a few points. Sespe Hot Springs. Both were in places where there has been historical slide damage: We were attempting to access sespe creek from dough flat trail head, but got turned around just after climbing out of alder creek on the sespe river trail. Gregg from Santa Barbara thanks for the coconut water and checking on me at Willetts (was in a bad way on Sunday) thank you :) mh, Amazing but Im confused this says 15 miles when its actually more like a full 40 mile hike (in and out), For the love of solitude and hiking, PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR EXTRA FOOD TO THE GUY LIVING IN THE WILDERNESS, PAN UPDATE Following along the Sespe Creek Trail, there are several more campsites accessible a day's walk from the trailhead. Change). 378: Route 92 Agua Blanca 19W10. This broad sandy site under some Cottonwoods has several different fire rings to choose from. Upper Sespe 2/22 1165. All rights reserved. Just wondering if Pan is still out there? Did it as a 2 night backpacking route. The river is considered one of the best trout fishing streams in Ventura County. Sespe Creek flowing well, but crossings are easy to do . Please take a look at the area details below for more information about visiting this location. This is a narrow, rough road that is traveled by large oil trucks. When Dough Flat Road is dry, you can drive a 2WD vehicle on the road. There were fewer built-out pools at the hot springs than previous trips, so we dug out a spot to enjoy for most of our stay. ( Sespe Hot Springs can be gloriously . . Good luck! We fell short of making it to the Sespe Hot Springs, should have planned a 2 night trip instead of one. more details below. Bit of a dense brush challenge but doable. It's rated as a hard hike according to AllTrails. We made sure to keep our packs under our vestibules to make sure nothing could be stolen at night. Beautiful hike!! This is a difficult one way trail to Sespe Hot Springs in Sespe Wilderness. It was passable but I had a light pack and 2 poles to aid my balance. The 421-mile long through-hike route starts in the south at Lake Piru, traverses the southern and northern portions of the Los Padres National Forest, and ends at Botchers Gap in the Monterey Ranger District. Exploration of the canyon beyond Willet was restricted as no one was willing to attempt the third river crossing due to depth and speed. Round Trip - 10 miles. What needs to be done now is several pools need to be dug out along the creek to allow the hot water to cool. Overview United States California Los Padres National Forest Dough Flat Trailhead via Alder Creek Trail We got word this past weekend that the closure is 8miles before you get to Dough Flat. There were a few groups that either got to Bear creek and stayed put or decided to turn around and return to the car not willing to risk the river. To access the trail, there are three different starting points.