BRT Insights - WW Kayaking & Hiking

JimH & I met in Winters, CA and got deli sandwiches at Town & Country Market. We drove to Guinda, CA in Capay Valley and then to the Pierce Canyon Falls Trailhead (A). We parked along the road just outside of the no parking zone.

Pierce Canyon Falls Trail Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• Click on the spinning globe to minimize the green box.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Pierce Canyon Falls Trail.



Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.82142 W 122.20865 - Pierce Canyon Falls trailhead (A) (elevation 440 ft)
N 38.81122 W 122.22462 - Bridge over the creek (B)
N 38.80085 W 122.23123 - Pierce Canyon Falls viewpoint (C)
N 38.78942 W 122.24144 - End of County Road 53 (D) (elevation 1800 ft)

Hiking/Biking the Pierce Canyon Falls Trail

The trail (County Road 53) climbs steadily upward from Capay Valley up into the hills to the west. This gravel road is closed to traffic except for the local landowners and is really a nice place for a bike/hike. The ranch at the trailhead has some longhorn cattle that are very cool. Our mountain bikes got us through the first part of the trail just beyond the bridge over the creek (B). As the trail got steeper biking uphill became slower and harder than walking, so we parked the bikes and hiked the rest of the way.

Click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.



In some places the road is nicely shaded by overhanging trees, but it is exposed for most of the way. We saw a succession of many different types of wildflowers as we climbed to higher elevations. The trail also provided some excellent landscape views back down to the Capay Valley and the Capay Hills to the east. Along the way I ate my homemade cranberry walnut granola bars and drank my PowerT hydration energy drink. We had a nice cool day with intermittent light drizzle that provided soft light and interesting skies that were great for photography. Although there was also a little rain there the day before we found almost no flow in the creek and nothing much to see at Pierce Canyon Falls (C).

We stopped for lunch on the tiny bridge at the end of County Road 53 (D) and ate our deli sandwiches. On the way back the rain stopped and we had nice sunny skies. At the beginning of the day I started thinking that bringing the bikes might have been a mistake, but at the end of the day biking downhill through the last section back to the trailhead was really great.

More photos:
• BRT photos - Pierce Canyon Falls April 1, 2013
• Pierce Canyon photos - JimH 01april2013


Slideshow:

Coming Home

On the way home we stopped at the Corner Store in Guinda, CA to get some chocolate milk recovery drinks.

The day after the hike I'm really glad we made it all the way to the end of the road, but my aching feet are saying that we should have turned back at the falls. Clearly I didn't do enough homework on the topographic map before going on this hike. I walked way too many miles in my flimsy shoes that I thought would be used mostly for biking.


Additional information:
• Hiking Trails in Yolo County - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, Pierce Canyon Falls, Yolo County, California, Guinda CA.

Labels: biking, hiking, map, waterfall

After a big rainstorm JimH and I hiked the trail to Sonoma Creek Falls at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Trail Maps.

• PDF map: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park map pdf.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online map - Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.



Double-click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

Trip Report

We hiked the Canyon Trail down to Sonoma Creek Falls. This trail goes through a shady green forest filled with mosses, ferns, fungi and lichens. Sonoma Creek Falls were filled with water from the rainstorms of the past few days.



Then we climbed up the Pony Gate Trail. This part of the trail has shady sections and some sunny sections with some good views from higher elevation.


Then we hiked down the Stern Trail to loop back to the trailhead. (Stern Trail is also part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.) This gravel road is entirely in the sun and provides lots of long distance views of the landscape.

More photos:
• Sonoma Creek Falls - JimH photos
• Sugarloaf Ridge State Park - BRT photos

Sonoma Creek Falls video

Coming Home

On the way home we made our traditional stop at Betty Lou's Bar and Grill in Vacaville, CA. The daily special of turkey soup, salad, dark beer and persimmon pudding with lemon sauce was just what we needed after a brisk day of hiking.

Additional information:
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports and Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and Pixtra PanoStitcher software.

Tags: hiking, trail, waterfalls, Sonoma Creek Falls, Sonoma County, California.

Labels: hiking, map, waterfall

Hiking the trails to see wildflowers and waterfalls !!

JimH & I drove to Clayton, CA and entered Mount Diablo State Park at the Regency Gate trailhead.

Donner Canyon Waterfalls Trail Maps.

• PDF map: Mount Diablo State Park map pdf.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online map - Donner Canyon Waterfalls Trail.



Coordinates - landmark (marker).
N 37.92199 W 121.92696 - Regency Gate Trailhead elevation 520 ft (A)
N 37.90276 W 121.91872 - Cardinet Oaks Rd. elevation 1080 ft (B)
N 37.89951 W 121.91528 - Wild Oat Canyon. elevation 1240 ft (C)

See full-screen: JimH trip report - Donner Canyon Waterfall Trail gps track & photos.

Donner Canyon Waterfalls Loop

Mount Diablo State Park has a web of well marked trails, but none of the signs point to the waterfalls. Jim had the EveryTrail app on his iPhone and had downloaded a gps track from a previous hiker to guide our trip. Without some kind of electronic or paper map it would be easy to hike around and miss the trail that goes to the waterfalls.

Doubleclick on the photos to see the large size image - use the back button to return.

Wildflowers and Scenic Views

We saw lots of different types of wildflowers throughout the hike. Hiking the waterfall loop in a clockwise direction we were on sunny slopes on the way out and shady north-facing slopes on the way back. This took us through a variety of different vegetation zones. I used my homemade sports drink recipe made from diluted fruit juice to stay hydrated while hiking.



More photos: 2012-04-01 Donner Canyon Waterfalls, Mount Diablo State Park.

Going There and Coming Home

Betty Lou's Bar & Grill in Vacaville, CA was again open for both breakfast and dinner. The breakfast special of fried eggs, chili beans and coffee filled us up for the long, hard hike. After hiking we got the soft taco and dark beer meal deal #1.

Additional information:
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and GIMP software. Video edited with Windows Movie Maker and YouTube tools.

Tags: hiking, trail, Donner Canyon Waterfalls, Contra Costa County, California, waterfalls.

Labels: hiking, waterfall

Waterfalls and redwood forest make a great place for hiking !!

JimH & I drove through Fairfax, CA and took the scenic Bolinas Fairfax Road to the trailhead at Alpine Lake Reservoir.

Cataract Falls Trail - Road map, topographic map, satellite map and pdf map.

• PDF map: Watershed Visitor Maps - Marin Municipal Water District.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online map - Cataract Falls Trail.



Coordinates - landmark (marker).
N 37.93651 W 122.63785 - Trailhead elevation 680 ft (A)
N 37.92362 W 122.62738 - Rio Dell elevation 1660 ft (B)

Cataract Falls trail to Laurel Dell is delightful on the first sunny day after a rainstorm !!

The Cataract Falls Trail starts along the placid shores of Alpine Lake Reservoir then rises steeply for 1.6 mi to Laurel Dell on the north slope of Mount Tamalpais. After a bit of hiking we started to hear the sounds of the waterfalls on Cataract Creek. There are multiple waterfalls and lots of whitewater in between them. The incredible sparkle and energy of the creek are with you the entire way up the trail to Laurel Dell.

Doubleclick on the photos to see the large size image - use the back button to return.



The canyon has a lush, beautiful, second growth redwood forest with lots of interesting ferns, mosses and the occasional spring flower on the forest floor.




More photos: 2012-03-18 Cataract Falls, Marin County.

Going There and Coming Home

On this trip we had a rare opportunity to get both breakfast and dinner at Betty Lou's Bar & Grill in Vacaville, CA. Scrambled eggs, home fried potatoes and coffee fortified us for the hike. Then on the way home we stopped there again for corned beef & cabbage, some dark beer and a Harry Potter movie.


Additional information:
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and GIMP software. Video edited with Windows Movie Maker and YouTube tools.

Tags: hiking, trail, Cataract Falls, Mount Tamalpais, Marin County, California, waterfalls.

Labels: hiking, waterfall

Driving to Palomarin Trailhead at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Point Reyes National Seashore is a great place to hike for coastal scenery and brisk coastal fresh air. (Map, driving directions, driving time.) (Hiking map.) Bolinas, CA is hiding in plain sight in a vortex of the time-space continuum. Its a hard place to find unless you know exactly where to look. The nice lady's voice in the dashboard gps directed us unerringly through Bolinas, CA and on to the trailhead. Driving along Mesa Road we passed the trailhead for the Ridge Trail and the Point Reyes Bird Observatory on our way to the Palomarin Trailhead. Considering it was a Friday, I was quite surprised to see about a dozen cars parked at the trailhead when we got there.

Hiking & Driving Map - Point Reyes National Seashore.

• Click and drag to reposition this interactive map. Map user instructions.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Hiking Map: Palomarin Trailhead, Point Reyes National Seashore.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 37.93416 W 122.74727 - Palomarin Trailhead (A)
N 37.95259 W 122.76441 - Bass Lake (B)
N 37.95435 W 122.78372 - Alamere Falls (C)

N 37.92942 W 122.73330 - Ridge Trailhead
N 37.92998 W 122.73548 - Point Reyes Bird Observatory

Hiking the Coast Trail from the Palomarin Trailhead to see wildflowers and waterfalls.

Palomarin Trailhead is the starting point for hiking an excellent section of the Coast Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore. The trail starts along the coast, cuts inland and passes through the Lake Ranch area and beautiful Bass Lake. This trail goes through a delightful variety of terrain. There are sunny sections and long distant views of the scenery interspersed with many sections in deep dark forests of eucalyptus, conifers, etc. Along the trail we passed various people including some horseback riders and a nudist, possibly hiking out to skinny dip at Bass Lake. The trail is wide enough for 2 or 3 people to walk side-by-side most of the way. Beware of poison oak which is common all along the trail.

• Southerly view to Bolinas Point.

• More BRT photos from Point Reyes National Seashore, Coast Trail & Alamere Falls.

• Point Reyes Coast Trail to Alamere Falls - map, photos & trip report by ElRemaro.


Click on Statistics Mode to see our hiking speed, elevation and distance traveled.

We had ideal hiking weather that was brisk and breezy with temperatures in the 50s. See below for the current weather and forecast:

Alamere Falls is a beauty spot !!

Then we turned off the Coast Trail and followed the official sign pointing us to an "unmaintained trail" down to the coast at Alamere Falls. The final rocky scramble to get down to the beach has a couple of tricky spots. Good shoes and careful climbing technique will be sufficient to enable most people to reach the beach to get the best views of the waterfall. At high tide there will be little or no beach for walking below the falls. If possible plan your hike to arrive at Alamere Falls at or near a period of low tide. (Tides at Bolinas Lagoon.)

• Upper cascades on Alamere Creek.

• Alamere Falls.

Food & Drink.

To stay hydrated while hiking I drank my homemade sports drink recipe made with Northlands Superfruits juice. We tested competing brands of granola bars (FiberPlus vs. Fiber One) and found them both quite good.

On the way home we had some lowfat chocolate milk muscle recovery drink. What a fine excuse to drink something that tastes pretty great! We stopped at Betty Lou's, our favorite sports bar in Vacaville, CA. We got the daily special which was an excellent baked chicken with rosemary garlic potatoes. We also sampled some handcrafted microbrews and watched the basketball playoffs on the big screen HDTV.

For more information:
• Hiking trails in Marin County - Marin Wiki
• Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
• Hiking Trails in California - Statewide Information.
• Hiking Trails Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
• Join the Point Reyes 2012 Trails Challenge.

IceRocket Tags: Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, Bolinas CA, California, northern California, hiking, trail.
Tags: topographic map, wildflowers, waterfalls, photography, landscape photography.

Labels: hiking, waterfall, wildflowers

Multiuse trails near Auburn, CA for hiking, mountainbiking, horseback riding and dog walking.

Jim & I went hiking at Hidden Falls Regional Park to see what this little local park has to offer. (Map, driving directions, driving time.) (Hiking map.) The trails were well designed and well maintained except for a few mushy spots that need some regrading to drain water off the trail more efficiently. The trails are multiuse and on this weekday we saw one horse and a few dogs taking their owners out for walks, but no mountainbikers. The trail system winds and loops throughout the property with signs and maps posted at every junction. There are enough ups and downs to make the trails interesting, but nothing was more than moderately strenuous.

Hiking & Driving Map - Hidden Falls Regional Park.

• The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user FAQ.
• Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Hiking Map: Hidden Falls Regional Park.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 38.95826 W 121.16620 - Trailhead (elevation 1080 ft)
N 38.96438 W 121.16871 - Dead Man Creek bridge (elevation 690 ft)
N 38.96602 W 121.17804 - Hidden Falls (elevation 580 ft)
N 38.96919 W 121.16549 - Seven Pools vista point (elevation 740 ft)

After a period of rain the plants were green with new growth, wildflowers were blooming and the creeks were flowing nicely. We found edible plants such as miner's lettuce and manzanita blossoms.

Doubleclick on the photos to see the large version; use the back button to return.


• Wildflowers along the trail.

Hidden Falls waterfall on Dead Man Creek is the main attraction !!

• Hiking along Coon Creek near the Seven Pools Area was also very nice.

More photos:
• 2011-03-29 Hidden Falls Regional Park photos by BRT & JH.
• GPS track, photos and trip report from Hidden Falls Regional Park by JH.

My new hiking boots were cheap on sale at Big 5 Sporting Goods. They passed the day 1 test, but only time will tell if they last long enough to make the cheap price really a bargain.

On the way home we stopped for some good food & drink at Auburn Alehouse in the old town section of Auburn, CA. We got glasses of Imperial IPA and Irish Dry Stout, both excellent and unique beers!


For more information:
• Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
• Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

IceRocket Tags: Hidden Falls Regional Park, Placer County, Auburn CA, California, northern California, hiking, mountainbiking, dog walking, horseback riding.
Tags: photography, landscape photography, wildflowers, waterfalls.

Labels: hiking, waterfall, wildflowers

Coal Canyon is gorgeous and the waterfall is breathtaking!!

(27feb2011) It was necessary to go right back! We were on a mission because our previous hike to Table Mountain was cut short by the shocking failure of my not-so-old hiking boots.

Hiking Map - North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, near Oroville, California.

• Map user instructions. The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map.
• Point on the red markers to see their names. Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Map: North Table Mountain access road and hiking area.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 39.52409 W 121.55865 - Cherokee Rd, Oroville, California (elevation 342 ft) (A)
N 39.59555 W 121.54164 - DFG Public Parking (elevation 1320 ft) (B)
N 39.60379 W 121.55756 - Ravine Twin Falls (C)
N 39.61055 W 121.56067 - Coal Canyon Fall (D)
N 39.60870 W 121.56115 - Little Coal Canyon Falls (E)

N 39.20582 W 121.82057 - Sutter Buttes (elevation 2117 ft) (F)
N 39.38334 W 122.75213 - Snow Mountain (elevation 7056 ft) (G)
N 39.43447 W 122.69347 - St John Mountain (elevation 6746 ft) (H)
N 40.18611 W 121.37556 - Ruffa Ridge (elevation 7000 ft) (I)

There were noticeably more wildflowers blooming than we had seen at
Table Mountain the previous week.

• JimH at Coal Canyon. View of Snow Mountain and St John Mountain to the west.

Coal Canyon Falls is the star attraction !!

• To better appreciate the size of the waterfall notice the hikers on the rim to the right of the falls. (DoubleClick on the photo to see the large version - use the back button to return.)



More photos, map and video:
• Table Mountain 2 - Hiking trip - EveryTrail - ElRemaro 27feb2011.
• 2011-02-27 Table Mountain photos by BRT.
• Coal Canyon Falls, Table Mountain video.

The high-top gym shoes that I wore as temporary replacements for hiking boots felt fine at the start of the day, but my feet were suffering long before the end of our hike on this rocky, rugged terrain.

On the way home we stopped in Marysville, CA to eat. The dashboard navigation failed to hook us up with any good looking restaurants. We ended up making a quick stop at Jimboy's Tacos. The food there was pretty good, pretty fast and we got back on the road.

For more information:
• Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California - book report.
• Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, CA.
• North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 20feb2011.
• Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
• Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

IceRocket Tags: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, hiking, Butte County, Oroville CA, California, northern California.
Tags: wildflowers, waterfalls, photography, landscape photography.

Labels: hiking, waterfall, wildflowers

Samantha Mackey and Albin Bills describe the wildflowers and waterfalls that make North Table Mountain such a special place!

"Table Mountain is a prominent landmark in Butte County, located on the eastern margin of the Sacramento Valley between the towns of Oroville to the south, and Chico to the north. Its distinctive form catches the eye - and elevated tabletop with steep cliffs, set against the rounded hills of the northern Sierra Nevada". "To the uninitiated, a flower walk on Table Mountain can be an overwhelming experience. There are so many flowers! We seek to ease the burden by profiling approximately 60 of the common, showy species in bloom during the popular springtime viewing season. To broaden your view, we also describe the mountain's geologic and cultural history, ecology, and wildlife you might encounter along the way."

Wildflowers of Table Mountain is a great little book to increase your enjoyment of any trip to North Table Mountain (near Oroville, CA). Brief descriptions of the geology and ecology help explain why North Table Mountain is so great for viewing waterfalls and wildflowers. The wildflower identification main section of the is divided by blossom color, but the illustrations are in black and white. This keeps down the cost of the book, but I'll have to see if the b-w drawings are sufficient for flower identification on my next trip there. The book shows locations of three main waterfalls at Table Mountain. Coal Canyon Falls is especially awesome, so be sure to see it!!

There are no trails, so bring your map, compass and cross-country hiking skills. The rolling hills and valleys that cut into the top of Table Mountain provide lots of opportunites to get temporarily lost and bewildered if you don't pay attention to where you are and where you are going.

• Wildflowers of Table Mountain book - csuchico.edu. Order the book directly from Herbarium, California State University, Chico or from local booksellers.

• North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 23feb2011.
• Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve 26feb2011.

See also:
• Return to North Table Mountain to see Coal Canyon Falls 27feb2011.
• Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, CA.
• North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers 20feb2011.
• Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
• Hiking to Waterfalls in California - books.
• Waterfall Trails in Northern California USA.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, northern California, hiking, trail, wildflowers, waterfall, Oroville CA, Butte County, California.
Tags: travel, walking, hiking, photography, landscape photography.

Labels: book, waterfall, wildflowers

Plot your own cross-country hiking route to see the waterfalls.

North Table Mountain Waterfall Map (near Oroville, CA).

• The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user instructions.
• Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Waterfall Map: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name (marker on map).
N 39.59555 W 121.54164 - DFG Public Parking (A)
N 39.61056 W 121.56067 - Phantom Falls (aka Coal Canyon Falls) (B)
N 39.60858 W 121.56145 - Little Phantom Falls (C)
N 39.60379 W 121.55756 - Ravine Twin Falls (D)
N 39.60367 W 121.55810 - Ravine Falls (aka Fern Falls) (E)
N 39.59469 W 121.55271 - Hollow Falls (F)
N 39.59081 W 121.58136 - Beatson Falls (G)
N 39.58100 W 121.58310 - Crevice Falls (H)
N 39.57711 W 121.58559 - Ranch Falls (I)
N 39.57711 W 121.56368 - Coon Falls (J)

References:
• Phantom Falls hike - Chico Hiking Assoc.
• Many Waterfalls hike - Chico Hiking Assoc.
• North Table Mountain Summit - mountainzone.
• North Table Mountain : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

For more information:
• Return to North Table Mountain to see Coal Canyon Falls 27feb2011.
• Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California - book report.
• Hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve 20feb2011.
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites.
• California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

IceRocket Tags: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Oroville CA, Butte County, California,northern California.
Tags: hiking, waterfalls.

Labels: hiking, map, waterfall

Cross-country hiking on not-so-flat Table Mountain in Butte County, California USA.

(20feb2011) North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is a great place for hiking to see waterfalls and wildflowers. We drove to Oroville, CA and drove north on Cherokee Rd to the Dept. Fish & Game public access parking. There are no official trails here. Jim's portable gps (Garmin GPSMap 76S) was a handy tool for this kind of cross-country hiking. The rolling hills and limited visual landmarks make it a tricky place to hike cross-country. If you wander around on top of Table Mountain you will eventually get where you are going and see lots of interesting things along the way. Under these conditions a portable gps is helpful to know where you are and to plot an efficient route to your desired hiking destinations.

Hiking Map - North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, near Oroville, California.

• The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user instructions.
• Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Hiking Map: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve.



Geographic coordinates - landmark name.
N 39.52409 W 121.55865 - Cherokee Rd, Oroville, California (elevation 342 ft) (A)
N 39.59555 W 121.54164 - DFG Public Parking (elevation 1320 ft) (B)
N 39.59081 W 121.58136 - Beatson Falls (C)
N 39.60379 W 121.55756 - Ravine Twin Falls (D)

N 39.20582 W 121.82057 - Sutter Buttes (elevation 2117 ft) (E)
N 39.38334 W 122.75213 - Snow Mountain (elevation 7056 ft) (F)
N 39.43447 W 122.69347 - St John Mountain (elevation 6746 ft) (G)
N 40.18611 W 121.37556 - Ruffa Ridge (elevation 7000 ft) (H)

Beatson Falls and Twin Ravine Falls - Waterfalls at Table Mountain.

We hiked cross-country to Beatson Falls and Twin Ravine Falls. Along the way we got distant views of Sutter Buttes to the south-west, snowy mountaintops like Snow Mountain & St John Mountain to the west, and possibly Ruffa Ridge to the north.



More BRT videos:
• BRT hiking and kayaking videos.
• Video taken with Pentax Optio W10 waterproof camera, edited with Windows Movie Maker.

• Twin Ravine Falls.

More BRT & JH waterfall and wildflower photos from Table Mountain:
• BRT & JH Table Mountain photos 20feb2011.
• Olympus Stylus 720SW camera. Photos edited with IrfanView software.

• Table Mountain photos - ElRemaro 20feb2011. Linked to gps track and topo map.
• Pentax Optio W10 waterproof camera.

Wildflower season begins at Table Mountain.

We saw some of the first few wildflowers blooming at Table Mountain this year. Hopefully we can go back there later in the spring to see additional types of flowers that bloom later in the season.

• Owl's Clover and California Poppy wildflowers.

Unfortunately our hiking was interrupted by equipment malfunction. The rubber sole came off one of my hiking boots came off as we were hiking away from Beatson Falls. All of the spare rope and string we could find in our backpacks could not secure that rubber sole on my boot despite repeated attempts to retie and rearrange the strings. After Ravine Twin Falls I reluctantly agreed to hike out. This was a remarkably good decision because shortly after the rubber sole on the other boot started separating from the shoe. Fortunately we got back to the car before either of my boots completely disintegrated.

We stopped at Taco Bell in Oroville on the way home. I was disappointed that their Cantina Tacos have been rotated out of the menu. I really like their new Smoke Flavored Taco Sauce.

For more information:
• Return to North Table Mountain to see Coal Canyon Falls 27feb2011.
• Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California - book report.
• Waterfalls of North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, CA.
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites.
• Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

IceRocket Tags: hiking, North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Butte County, California, northern California, Oroville CA.
Tags: photography, landscape photography, wildflowers, waterfalls.

Labels: hiking, waterfall, wildflowers

Map locations and hiking trails to some favorite cascades.

7x7.com published this list of Favorite Waterfalls in Northern California. "Who doesn't love waterfalls? There are a bunch of places within driving distance where you can get your feet wet. Here are our favorites."

Here is some additional information about where these waterfalls are located and the trails you can hike to see them.

Waterfalls in Northern California - Road Map, Terrain Map, Topographic Map.

• Interactive map. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user instructions.
• Point on the red markers to see their names. Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out.
• Map=road map. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Trail Map: Waterfalls in Northern California.



Geographic coordinates - Waterfall, Location. (Marker on map)
N 37.16969 W 122.26470 - Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin State Park, Santa Cruz County. (A)
N 38.30718 W 119.61914 - Sardine Falls, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Mono County. (B)
N 39.41657 W 122.79445 - Stony Creek Falls, Waterfall Loop Trail, Lake County. (C)
N 37.92436 W 122.62944 - Cataract Falls, Marin County. (D)
N 40.62640 W 122.66922 - Whiskeytown Falls, Whiskeytown NRA, Shasta County. (E)
N 39.64312 W 121.27441 - Feather Falls, Plumas National Forest, Butte County. (F)
N 36.15860 W 121.67165 - McWay Fall, Julia Pfeiffer State Park, Monterey County. (G)
N 37.08418 W 121.79250 - Basin Falls, Uvas Canyon Park, Santa Clara County. (H)
N 37.89782 W 121.91627 - Donner Creek Falls, Mt. Diablo State Park, Contra Costa County. (I)
N 37.17783 W 122.27783 - Golden Cascade Fall, Big Basin State Park, Santa Cruz County. (J)

See more about:
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites.
• Hiking to Waterfalls in California - Books.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: waterfall, hiking, trail, California, northern California.
Tags: travel, photography, landscape photography, hiking, walking.

Labels: waterfall, website

• Map of California Waterfalls - geology.com PR4. Map coordinates for 174 waterfalls in California.

• Bay Area Waterfall Hikes - everytrail. PR4. Map and trail information. Berry Creek Falls, Cataract Trail Loop, Waterfall Tour of Uvas Canyon County Park.

• San Gabriel Mountain Waterfalls - TChester.org PR3 Information on 65 waterfalls in southern California.

• California Waterfalls - world-of-waterfalls.com PR3 Maps, directions and photos for 75 waterfalls.

• Waterfalls in the San Gabriels - SimpsonCity.com PR2 Information on 14 waterfalls in southern California.

• Beautiful California Waterfalls - trifter. PR2. Nice pictures, but little or no information about how to get to 60 waterfalls.

• Waterfalls of California - waterfallswest. PR2. Requires paid subscription. Map and trail information for 500 waterfalls in California.

• Waterfalls of Northern California photos - SummitPost. PRN. Pictures only - no information about how to get to 22 wateralls.

See also:
• Hiking to Waterfalls in California - Books.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: waterfall, hiking, trail, California.
Tags: photography, landscape photography, travel, hiking, walking, southern California, northern California, socal.

Labels: waterfall, website

Waterfalls are popular destinations for hiking and landscape photography during California's rainy winter and spring snow melt seasons.

Books about California Waterfall hiking trails.

             

• Book: Foghorn Outdoors California Waterfalls: More Than 200 Falls You Can Reach by Foot, Car, or Bike.

• Book: Waterfall Lovers Guide Northern California: More than 300 Waterfalls from the North Coast to the Southern Sierra.

• Book: The Definitive Guide to the Waterfalls of Southern and Central California.

Waterfall trails that I have hiked recently:

• Fairy Falls Trail, Spenceville Wildlife Area 29dec2010.
• Zim Zim Falls Trail - Napa County 03feb2010.
• Stairstep Falls Hiking at Samuel P. Taylor State Park 04jan2010.
• Cache Creek Redbud Trail & The Jams Waterfall 20dec2009.
• Devils Washbowl - waterfall videos from Kings Canyon National Park 30june2009.

See also:
• Waterfall Hiking Trails in California - websites.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.

IceRocket Tags: hiking, trail, waterfall, California.
Tags: photography, landscape photography, travel, walking, hiking.

Labels: book, waterfall

(29dec2010) A sunny day immediately after a rainstorm is a great time to go hiking. And even more so if your hiking destination is a waterfall. We debated going to another more famous falls along the coast, but I think we made the right choice.

Spenceville Wildlife Area hiking trails.

We hiked out to the falls on the Fairy Falls Trail. See the trails map from Friends of Spenceville. (Use the back button to return.) Fall, winter & spring are great times for hiking at Spenceville Wildlife Area in the Sacramento Valley. The oak woodland habitat is excellent for hiking. Elevation at the trailhead is 280 feet. On a cool day the hiking trails that are mostly or entirely exposed to the sun are delightful, but I can imagine that it would be brutal to hike there on a hot summer day. I used grape juice & black tea in my homemade energy-sports drink recipe for hydration while hiking. Even with a favorite tasty mixture to drink I unfortunately fell back into my bad old habit of not drinking enough during the hike.

Double-click on the photos to see the large version, then use the back button to return.

• Fairy Falls Trail at Spenceville Wildlife Area.

Fairy Falls (a.k.a. Shingle Falls, Dry Creek Falls, Beale Falls).

Our main objective for the day was to hike to Fairy Falls on Dry Creek. The headwaters for Dry Creek are in eastern Nevada County on the north-west side of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Flowing west out of the Sierra foothills, the Dry Creek watershed is north of the Bear River and south of the Yuba River. The USGS flow gauge on Dry Creek is more than 10 miles downstream from Fairy Falls. Checking this flow level before you hike is a good way to predict the kind of flow you'll see at the falls. Dry Creek joins the Bear River just upstream from the Bear River confluence with the Feather River south-west of Wheatland, CA. The last stretch of road on the drive to the trailhead is on Spenceville Road which runs along Dry Creek. The flow you see there is another way to judge the kind of flow you'll see when you hike upstream to Fairy Falls.

• Upper Fairy Falls at Spenceville Wildlife Area.

• More BRT photos: Spenceville Wildlife Area hiking photos 2010-12-29.
• Fairy Falls, Spenceville Wildlife Area photos with map locations - brthomas.
• Olympus Stylus 720SW camera. Photos edited with IrfanView software.

• Fairy Falls (a.k.a. Shingle Falls) photos - JimH.
• Fairy Falls (a.k.a. Shingle Falls) photos with map locations - EveryTrail - ElRemaro
• Pentax Optio W10 waterproof camera.
• Mapping Methods and GPS Equipment for Travel Photography.

Whoever named this place Fairy Falls must have been there in the summertime, perhaps when minimal creek flows might provide delicate little trickling waterfalls. After a big winter rainstorm there is nothing delicate about these roaring mighty waterfalls! The USGS gage height on Dry Creek was at 11 feet on the day when we hiked there.


• BRT video taken with Olympus Stylus 850SW waterproof camera.

Returning from the falls we climbed up the hill and hiked back on the Upper Loop Trail. From there we got some good views of Sutter Buttes. Then on the drive home we took a scenic detour to get a close-up look at the south side of Sutter Buttes.

Road Map and Topographic Map - Spenceville Wildlife Area.

• Map user FAQ. The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map.
• Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out. Point on the red markers to see their names.
• Map button = road map. Terrain = 3D shaded topo map. Topo = topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Topographic Map: Fairy Falls and Spenceville Wildlife Area.



N 39.11395 W 121.27104- Trailhead (A)
N 39.11498 W 121.24293 - Fairy Falls (B)
N 39.02638 W 121.43611 - USGS Dry Creek flow gauge (C)
N 39.20572 W 121.82027 - Sutter Buttes (D)

For more information:
• Spenceville Wildlife Area Hiking Trails Map - Sierra Outdoor Recreation.
• Fairy Falls - Yuba-Sutter Wiki.
• Friends of Spenceville Wildlife Area.
• Spenceville Wildlife Area - CA Dept Fish and Game.
• Hiking, Camping and Biking Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

IceRocket Tags: hiking, Fairy Falls, Spenceville Wildlife Area, Nevada County, California.
Tags: waterfalls, photography, landscape photography.

Labels: hiking, waterfall