Monte Arido Trail 3/22 1159. Trail in great shape; flowers are popping (esp. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Re: Best route to Sespe Hot Springs. The most accessible hike to Willett Hot Springs is the Sespe River Trail, which begins at the Piedra Blanca trailhead. 1024. PACK YOUR TRASH AND DAM SOCKS OUT!!. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The nights are cold, cold cold. Hiked the Sespe Trail from PB TH to Bear Creek with the Troop 111 Scouts on Good Friday. Camp 2nd night at alder creek and hike out the 3rd day 8 miles back to Dough Flat trailhead posted by Howard Esteban @ 6:23 AM 0 Comments But if you want to go the shortest route, the Ojai Ranger District suggests starting your hike at the Dough Flat Trailhead, north of the town of Fillmore. There was a lot of graffiti and vandalism at the trailhead. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. (805) 448-6487 or (805) 724-0079, Santa Barbara Ranger District Take 23 north through town (it changes name to Goodenough Rd) and follow it to the very end. Rain has made rocks fall like men on the trail after Bear Creek. This is a narrow, rough road that is traveled by large oil trucks. If that's too easy, try the Johnson Ridge Trail, a. Tar Creek Falls Statistics: Elevation Gain - 1800 feet. The gnats are bad! Went as far as Willet. Water everywhere, nice and green. Post by Kim_S Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:22 pm. Water crossings are about ankle to waist high. Volunteers have also been busy working on the far southern side of the Sespe with trail days focused on the Agua Blanca, an upcoming reroute of the Pothole Trail and scouting for future projects working from Dough Flat to Sespe Hot Springs. ( But if you want to go the shortest route, the Ojai Ranger District suggests starting your hike at the Dough Flat Trailhead, north of the town of Fillmore. Brutally hot out there. 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. The camp is near the former homestead of Jaklin Willett, who developed the property during the late 1800s. Trail is in great shape. Did the trail to Willet and Sespe springs during Thanksgiving weekend. Trails were pretty clearly marked but we did a few times find ourselves going a wrong way and having to backtrack. The next trail junction is 2.7 miles. The first 10 miles of trails out to the creek crossing before Willett are clearly marked and well maintained. 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. Take extra water to Sespe Springs! At Bear Creek and below, the water was over the stepping stones and I had to ford the creek. Length 32.4 miElevation gain 4,012 ftRoute type Out & back If you go North through Filmore up goodenough road it dead ends into some BLM property, looks like you can hike in there or take a dirt road to squaw flat road and go through the whole southern part of Los Padres in D13. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Its here that youll want to leave Johnson Ridge Trail and continue to the right, upstream along the creek another half-mile to the hot springs. Download the GPS track to help you find your way. Continuing along Sespe River Trail, about half-mile west of the Johnson Ridge Trail intersection, Sespe River Trail arrives at Coltrell Flat. Within the National Forest the route utilizes existing trails and roads. . Alder Creek campsite is in good condition and shows signs of light use. Water flowing entire distance, but low for late February. One can still find what looks like the fireplace left from the homestead. We couldn't find the hot spring, but maybe we just needed to look more closely at the map. King City, CA 93930 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. This broad sandy site under some Cottonwoods has several different fire rings to choose from. Devils Gate 2/21 Size 25 X 30 1030. This place is amazing, but watch out for Pan, the homeless guy in the Batman pajamas who lives at the hot springs. In contrast, going up to Willet was intense uphill but for a shorter distance. Overview United States California Los Padres National Forest Dough Flat Trailhead via Alder Creek Trail The Sheriff's Office activated the Fillmore and East Valley Search and Rescue teams to conduct a ground search. Could use a new sign or decals at the Junction with red Reef. Initially the hikers were not located. Change). No sign of Pan btw. Snow in the mountains will melt and the creek will rise somewhat. Enjoy this 37.3-km out-and-back trail near Fillmore, California. This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Open in Spring, Summer and Fall and is within the Winter Seasonal Closure between approximately December 15th April 30th. Lots of dug out pool choices at Sespe, lower pools are cooler than the upper, naturally. Sespe River Trail follows the old road bed most of the way and is in generally good shape. (831) 385-5434 ext. The crossing back to the north side of the river has no clear route. We started at around 1 pm and didnt get to camp until 7:30 (~23 min mile pace). Matthew Hengst February 14, 2020 at 3:26 PM. Follow the ridge down to the river. Expect to get knee to thigh deep depending on height. Trail in good shape and easy to follow. Suggested Time - 5 hours. We had two reports come in this week showing substantial slides on different sides of the Sespe River Trail. 34580 Lockwood Valley Rd. 1156. This section of trail is just upstream from Kerr Spring and was reworked about 5-7 years ago. It starts right at the tree you have to limbo under. Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road, the side roads will take you to oil well pads. Looking forward to do it again. 382: So, armed with Brennen's directions we headed out for six days of adventure on the Sespe. Day 3 packed up early and started hiking around 745am and got back to car around 2ish. He's been out there for years. 24 Jun . Climbing up from alder creek was relatively easy to follow, but overgrown near the saddle. Went to the first 2 creek crossings to find both completely dry.. Did this over 3 days Friday - Sunday. During wet weather, 4WD is strongly advised. To access the trail, there are three different starting points. Crossings were not too hard but did require your feet to get wet. Such knowledge is key when exploring the remote and unforgiving Sespe Wilderness, where ancient Chumash spirits flow . However, because the flow of the springs fills the creek one need only hike back downstream until they find a pool to their liking. Check out this 23.2-mile out-and-back trail near Fillmore, California. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Exploration of the canyon beyond Willet was restricted as no one was willing to attempt the third river crossing due to depth and speed. From Sespe Camp, Johnson Ridge Trail continues another half-mile before starting its climb away from the creek. 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. connected to the .gov website. Online Marketing For Your Business dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs Sespe River Trail is unshaded much of the way, so plan accordingly. and reservations. From Shady Camp to the high point of the trail at (34.5781, -118.9624) there are signs of recent brush clearing work. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure. 2.5 mi to Trailhead. 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. Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. Ill be back and will take the other trail in instead. Squaw Flat Road EASY 2.0 mi. 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. Kondado ang Ventura County (Prinanses: Comt de Ventura, Kinatsila: Condado de Ventura) sa Tinipong Bansa. 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). Expect to get wet crossing the stream. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Sespe River Trail - Length 16.8 miles one way. 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. Download the GPS track to help you find your way. Because the optimal way to walk the GMT is from north-to-south (the other direction involves a 3,000 foot ascent of the southern, sun exposed ramparts of the Pine Mountain ridge), we dropped a car Lion Campground where the Sespe Trail begins and then drove up the Maricopa Highway to the trailhead near Reyes Creek and Camp Scheideck. Water levels were still good everywhere and plenty of greenery all around. River crossings from Coltrell to Sespe Camp are difficult. The downhill side of this climb/rootball is the most dangerous part of the trail. 1190 E Ojai Ave These were found on Tequepis Trail. Good stuff ahead down along the lower Sespe. Willet Hot Spring and camp: 34.575822, -119.050937. I used permethrin on my clothes and bug spray on my legs and did not find any ticks luckily, but there were a lot of small biting gnats once we got to the Sespe Hot Springs. More rains to come this weekend, recommend to wait out til roads are cleared. Just after Coltrell Flat the third trail juntion is with the Johnston Ridge Trail (20W12). The trail will take about 5-7 hours of hiking round trip, as the elevation gain is moderate. We'll update this page if and when it reopens. From Sespe River Trail, Johnson Ridge Trail follows Hot Springs Canyon north and arrives at Sespe Camp a half-mile later. Past the junction you will findShady Camp (2440 feet) at 17.5 miles. It is overgrown and my legs did get banged up some wearing capris. Also known as Arroyo Sespe, Cespai River, Sespe River. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 16 min to complete. I know that the map says there's a bigger difference, but it's really about the same. Lots of trash and horse poop. That left nearly 10 miles of trail with no water, from the aforementioned creek until you turn up the valley towards Sespe Hot Springs. Moderately difficult hike. Coltrell, a corruption of Cottriel, is the former site of George Cottriels homestead. Alder Creek Trail - Begins from the Dough Flat Trailhead, is 7.5 miles one way and rated as moderate to difficult. Currently most of the pools in the canyon are above 106F which is too hot to soak in for long. -Sunblock, shade is not common and probably every 3 miles so make sure you bring a hat and sunscreen. Rincon Creek. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. 341: . new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, the lupine and blue dicks). fishballz 1 point 2 points 3 points 9 months ago I was there a week ago today. 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 last 6 miles from there to the Sespe Hot Springs are slightly overgrown, lots of long grass obscuring the trail in sections, a good amount of poison oak along the trail, most of it can be avoided if you are careful. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? The rain dec 10-12 has made some changes. Steady climb for the next 3.5/4 mi to peak before dropping into Alder Camp. Someone has left a large tarp in the middle of the camp. Dry January has meant creek levels are down again, though you still cant dry cross. Sespe Hot Springs - Sespe Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest; Sykes Hot Springs - Ventana Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest . Enjoy Your National Forests Safely Know Before You Go! Since this trail is in the wilderness, only hikers and equestrians are permitted. It can be seen on the USGS 1:24K topographic map Devils Heart Peak, CA . Instead of starting at Dough Flat, I wanted to start at the Piedra Blanca trailhead (Lions Camp)and then camp at Willett Hot Spring, then Sespe Hot Springs, then in the Sespe Narrows, and finally camp at the Tar Creek / Sespe confluence. From this slide to the Sespe river there are a few other small slides but none pose nearly as great a hazard as the one above. If those distances intimidate you, do not rule out a visit to Sespe Creek. Rattlesnakes are out and angry. It's 1-2 hours to the trailhead from LA. The waters are channeled by hoses to a large plastic basin. There are three different trails that lead to Sespe Hot Springs: 1. Official websites use .gov A .gov Too hot to dip, and no built out pools. I've been here many many times over the years and never had this happen to me before. Turn right into Squaw Flat Forest Rd/ 6N16 (you can't turn left anyway). Hot Springs Trail 3/22 1166. Haven't been to Sespe Hot Springs before. This is also the most difficult hike. This area is passable on foot but not with stock. I took that banking turn left toward Sespe Hot Springs too, leaving that much smaller trail. Sespe Creek starts in the mountains near Potrero Seco Camp, close to the border between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, and flows south and east joining the Santa Clara River 55 miles later near Fillmore. Hiking up to Sespe was long uphill climbing but not too intense. Rose Valley Road continues east and dead ends at the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. If you fall here it is very bad. Continue west one mile to reach Cow Spring Camp. Categories . The shortest of the three is via Alder Creek Trail, a 7.5-mile trek through the wilderness that heads at Dough Flat in the Sespe Oil Fields. First is Oak Flat Camp (2600 feet) (7.4 miles from trailhead). There was poison oak but I think lots is an exaggeration at least at the bottom. Sespe River Trail To Sespe Hot Springs [CLOSED], https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lpnf/alerts-notices/?aid=77373, https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=STELPRDB5181410&width=full. From the trailhead at Dough Flat it's about 7.5 miles along Alder Creek Trail to Sespe River Trail. Lot's of water coming out of piedra blanca creek crossing. 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. I thought perhaps quail or dove, maybe even jack rabbit. Most people cleared out, as they do on Sundays, and we heard from somebody that they saw him walking back to willet. one mile from Alder Camp. LockA locked padlock Sespe Creek is one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in our local area, the other is the Sisquoc River in the San Rafael Wilderness. Overall, still a great trip! Island View Trail 2/21 Size 26 X 21 1025. I approached the slide and decided it was too dangerous to cross. The pools were washed away, so my friend and I (mostly my friend) built one by scooping the shale and using the rocks to divert the cold river and the hot river for the perfect temperature.