Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail - Los Padres Natl Forest

A much lesser know trail is tucked away deep in the eastern Los Padres National Forest that gives hikers a truly dynamic hiking experience. Low lying chaparral zones, Native American pictographs, tall pines forest in alpine zones & what appears to be heavy bear habitat in rolling canyons. Since the 2017/2018 Thomas Fire, one of California's largest in history, this trail has been closed, so double check before you go.

I had been trying to get a trip together to hike the entire 19-ish mile length of the Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail for some time now. There are some logistics that make the set up a bit cumbersome, but not outrageous. The car shuttle is the worst of them. Connecting the Reyes Creek Trailhead and the very popular Piedra Blanca Trailhead is about an hour drive between them, both several hours from Los Angeles proper. Another factor to consider are portions of the trail can reach elevations that will get snow in the winter & the water situation can be tricky in certain seasons. Check here for updated water reports. 

Now to the hiking. We chose to leave the first car at Reyes Creek and then drive around to Piedra Blanca trailhead. This meant one big climb mid hike on day one, with lots of rolling downhill terrain on day two. Leaving the cars behind now, turning left at the trail sign that points MOST everyone to Willet & Sespe hot springs felt good to finally get on portion of this trail I hadn't hiked before. 

Weaving through the large sandstone monoliths that can be seen from all around we kept a sharp eye for the famous pictographs that are quite accessible from what I had read previously. We lost our way a bit and missed finding these, but got to do some fun scrambling all over the boulders. Back on the trail, we headed east towards the huge cliffs that make up Pine Mountain. 

Along the trail we found a lot more water than expected in Piedra Blanca creek, passing the first two camps, Twin Forks & Piedra Blanca, ideal for those wishing for a short overnight. Getting further now into the North Fork towering canyon walls began to rise up, giving a very dramatic look. 

Rambling left and right, crossing over the river a few times we finally were at the base of our climb to the mountain pass that guarded a much anticipated pine forest. Couple miles with 2,000ft of gain were ahead of us, but we took it mellow & were on top within no time. Moments were quite steep, but steady for the most part. Best to do later in the day b/c the western ridge shaded us from the hot sun.

Now at the apex of our elevation gain for the trip we wandered around following the path looking for our camp. We had decided to use Pine Mountain Lodge Camp b/c it seemed to have the most reliable water source of all the camps. We would learn the next day a few of the camps further on the trail also had access to a bit of water. It was early December and not a time know for burgeoning creeks. 

After setting up our essentials we headed out of camp on an easy use trail for about five minutes to find the water source. Flowing, cold & serene. Upon returning to camp we had a visitor. First person we had seen since the parking lot that morning. A woman was there and proceeded to explain she had slipped and broken her wrist not more than forty minutes ago on trail?! Still quite calm, her wrist was very swollen & wouldn't move. We helped her fashion a sling, get a warmer layer on & move food from inside her pack to the front. It was 4:30pm and would be dark very soon. She had about seven miles back to her car & explained last time she was out in this area she got lost. A bit concerned we double checked the map with her to make certain she knew the direction she needed to go & all the little details of the route. Off she went and we just hoped all was going to be ok. Full disclosure, we found a Facebook post after our hike that she had safely gotten to her car & to a hospital around 2am. Good to know after the fact.

Back to our evening at Pine Mountain Lodge Camp, nothing out of the ordinary the rest of the night, but that was the only person we would see the entire trip. Just the way we like it next to the metropolis that is Los Angeles.

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The next morning we slowly packed camp and set out for the remaining 11 miles or so we had to reach the Reyes Creek trailhead. The scenery all along these first miles was some of the best of the entire trip. Canyons, pines & peaks were all around. We'd reach these low saddles that afforded wonderful views, then dropped down into lightly used canyons. 

Reaching Three Mile Camp we found water again, but it was frozen over! This would have been a very cold night if we had continued down to this location for sleep. Still continuing downhill for the most part, now through heavy burn areas. All these miles & the next portion were the most signs of bear I have ever seen in Southern California. Scat, claw marks, paw prints & fur at one point all gave proof we were not the only ones to be using this trail. 

One of the only two confusing parts of the trail was near Haddock Camp. Our trail bends around a knoll, while a peak trail crosses the creek and leads up the mountain side. Make sure you are on the right trail at this point. 

Still more downhill with punctuated climbs brought us to more saddles with outstanding views. Taking breaks from time to time just to sit in the quite beauty of this seldom traveled place was a great reward.

Finally down much lower our trail was in a new canyon that revealed an even greater bear presence. At times more sandstone walls rose high above, begging to be explored. Fall foliage littered the ground thickly while we strolled among barren forest. We took our last break at Beartrap Camp, very ideal for a quick weekend get away with water close by and just far enough from the car it takes a bit of effort to get there. 

Once leaving Bearcamp there is a water crossing that brings one to switchbacks that are seen on the map, but for some reason hard to locate the beginning of them in person. We had separated a bit and all three of us had trouble starting the climb, but once on the trail VERY easy to follow. Cresting a fairly large hill, massive pine forests climbed the mountains to the west of use, while the high desert can be seen way in the distance.

 Joining my companions again miles later at the last trail camp (Upper Reyes), we made the last ascent to a saddle & all cruised the last few miles to the trailhead. It felt great to finally see this slice of the Los Padres after so many other trips in the lowland chaparral that this National Forest is so infamous for. I highly recommend this trip once the forest service opens it up again.

Sespe Creek Loop - Los Padres Natl Forest

 

 

Leaving the trail head at sunrise on a day that would touch in the mid 90's was the best we could do to cover the 8 miles of open land before anything that resembled shade would come available. Cruising on the upper rolling hills of Los Padres National Forest the terrain was mellow with loads of plants slowly creeping onto the trail. We passed a few Scouts hiking out & two other ultralight hikers that had come from Piedra Blanca trail head. Nice work.

After several sunny hours passing fantastically shaped sandstone rock formations, we grew closer to a huge cut in the mountains. Losing altitude switchback after switchback all four of us grew anxious for the shade & water the creek held below.

Resting up at an old trail camp, complete with broken down NPS ice can stove, we all looked forward to jumping off trail soon. Fast forward an hour of pretty standard SoCal chaparral canyon walking, we came to a definitive bend in the trail & canyon we were following. Thus the fun begins...

A narrow gateway of massive boulders & towering cliffs was our entrance to what would be roughly the next two days of travel. Weaving side to side, rock shelf to the next, we finally emerged out into a wide stream bed with all that cacophony behind us.

The terrible heat of the day never really caught up to us, a strong breeze blew upstream that carried the cool surface of the water almost to your face. Everyone sort of chose their own best path forward now. After about a mile our major tributary creek merged with the longest continuously flowing river in Southern California.

 

 

Now we were traveling down a much wider & deeper canyon, mountains all around guarded any exit. After many twists in the fractured canyon walls, miles of  boulder strew riverbed we pulled up camp on a small sandy beach near the river. The usual frisbee, lounge, beer, nap & stories ensued till the stars took over our attention that night. Especially dazzling with little too no moon that eve.

The next morning coffee was brewing around 6am & things were getting packed away in the dry bags. We shouldered our living essentials & set off in the same direction, down canyon. Within minutes we came to the first bend in the river that took up the entire floor of the canyon. Slowly wading through the early morning still waters deep in this wild place was the thrill of a lifetime.

 

Moving into much more rugged & rocky sections of the gorge navigation became consistently full on climbing moves. Smooth sandstone pathways would emerge, leading to another connecting set of boulders & more scrambling. Perfectly untouched in the morning calm, our reflections passed swiftly down canyon.

Every twenty minutes a turn in the canyon would reveal huge cuts in the cliff of stacked layed rock. Geology like no other canyon I had seen up close. Other portions of the LPNF had these type of mountains/formations, but nothing I had walked right up to & touched. 

 

Moving further down the canyon we encountered larger & larger boulders that had at one time fallen from the sheer cliffs above. Pulling up to stop on a prominent flat rock, we snacked & sat in total awe of the place our feet had brought us too. Spires of sandstone just out of reach overlooked pools of pure flowing water. Morning light still sinking into deep corners of the canyon. 

Preparing our things for another dip in the water. We have come to a full on swim with our gear. Tiddying up our stuff, Sam plunges in with his cuben/dyneema pack, waterproof no problem. Three of us follow suit with our various versions of keeping our things dry, I used a 50L cheap silnylon dry sack. The sandstone spires are looming directly overhead now. I float slowly on my back in the water between the narrow canyon walls, everything is right in the world.

Still hours of rock hopping are in front of us & a few more chances to dip into the water. The record high rainfall has really done a wonder from the whole river. Large sections are waist deep or more & are a welcome temperature from the outside heat. 

During the early afternoon, we reached the largest obstructing pool yet that embodied the whole canyon floor. Some sediment remaining allowed for semi-dry travel to a point. Another swim was in order. Everything was so perfect out, it felt great to jump in. It would be easy to spend several days relaxing along the river anywhere in this lower portion. 

Still more hours of gorgeous off trail travel ensued, in the water, on the rocks, climbing the sandstone & bushwhacking river banks. The boulders somehow became larger than anything previous in the trip, taking on all shapes & textures. This place was putting on a real show for us. The path in the river had become a mix of take the plunge OR climb some serious small house sized rocks.

After navigating some of the more difficult moments around the large rock arrays, we sat exhausted high on a sandy plateau. Positioning ourselves best to take advantage of the minimal shade in the afternoon heat. All agreeing that 4pm would be our "pack up" time. 

One last full body dunk in the river & filter loads of water for the hot exit out of the canyon were the last tasks before setting out into the unknown. We started & lost what we could only know was the trail because our GPS told us so (we had other methods of navigation as well, never fear). Obliterated & non-existent come to mind when thinking of this "trail". After loosing our way for a bit less than two hours, we all had a new definition of what bushwhacking meant. Keep thinking Type 2 fun. 

Still miles from the car we thankfully re-locate the game trail. Now only a few hundred feet above the river, even with the aggressive effort we just put in. Nevertheless, several hours of busting through walls of vegetation uphill commence. Swearing, silent cursing, visual consternation are all found here. A couple well needed rest breaks later up the cliff side bring us to the upper rolling plateau that we were familiar with. The inkling of night had begun to take over when the circuitous path dropped us at our car a bit before 9pm that Sunday eve.