dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs

Hiked the Sespe Trail from PB TH to Bear Creek with the Troop 111 Scouts on Good Friday. I agree lots of trash out there. Im 52 so take that into consideration. Located along Sespe Creek, about two hours from Los Angeles, California, Sespe Hot Springs is one of several natural hot springs in the Los Padres National Forest. Dough Flat Trailhead does not offer reservations through Recreation.gov. Monte Arido Trail 3/22 1159. The trail will take about 5-7 hours of hiking round trip, as the elevation gain is moderate. Sespe Gorge Sespe Gorge - Christopher E 1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead Bankhead National Forest In recognition of the significant role that Mr . Bummer, this trail is closed. 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. -Despite the USFS saying the road to Dough Flat TH is closed, it is, in fact, OPEN as of 2/20/2022. The other access points are Dough Flat and Mutau Flat. Hike north 2.5 miles to the first trail junction, and then turn left toward Alder Creek. I approached the slide and decided it was too dangerous to cross. Most people cleared out, as they do on Sundays, and we heard from somebody that they saw him walking back to willet. LockA locked padlock He followed us up there in his robe and stood there for awhile as we were setting up. Open in Spring, Summer and Fall and is within the Winter Seasonal Closure between approximately December 15th April 30th. Continuing towards Hot Springs Canyon, there are several more camps before you reach Willets. Gate closed Saturday afternoon added 2.5ish miles to our hike to the hot springs (14.4 in) but gate was open when we returned Sunday- downloading this map recommended for places where trail easy to lose by river, hot springs really hot with two good size pools and a really nice palm oasis camp spot for many tents. Started at Dough Flat Gate. Its about 39.5 if you stop at Willett and climb to that pool. The water spicketts at Willett Camp were dried up as well. We only went to the second camp but the stream was beautiful. 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. Anybody been to Dough Flats Trailhead lately? Lot's of water coming out of piedra blanca creek crossing. Willett Hot Springs is 9.5 miles from the trailhead and Sespe Hot Springs is 15.5 miles away. Many Trails listed may be unmaintained, always plan ahead, check weather report, know your risks and level of ability. Overall: . If that's too easy, try the Johnson Ridge Trail, a. Tar Creek Falls Statistics: Elevation Gain - 1800 feet. ( Lots of snakes, bugs and poison oak but the hot springs are worth it! There were several vehicles up there in addition to ours. Recorded time is mostly moving. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 13 h 26 min to complete. 4. . -Sunblock, shade is not common and probably every 3 miles so make sure you bring a hat and sunscreen. Lots of trash and horse poop. Another9.4 miles down the trail is Thacher Camp (2528 feet) which is sort of an overflow camp for Willet Camp and Hot Spring (2520 feet) (9.8 miles), as you continue on you will find Hartman Camp (2489 feet) (10.9 miles), and then Coltrell Flat Camp (2312 feet) (14 miles). The trail in from Dough Flat should be good for that possible resupply although the trailhead is 3 miles further away in winter. Not a whole lot to say here that hasn't been said already. 2. All downed trees were removed from Piedra Blanca to the Hot Springs junction. 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. We started at around 1 pm and didnt get to camp until 7:30 (~23 min mile pace). Replacing my previous review with updated conditions. From the trailhead at Dough Flat its about 7.5 miles along Alder Creek Trail to Sespe River Trail. From here, it's another 5 miles to the trailhead. In contrast, going up to Willet was intense uphill but for a shorter distance. 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. Within the National Forest the route utilizes existing trails and roads. Upper Sespe River Trail. Totally worth it. Take extra water to Sespe Springs! 5.2 miles to the Sespe Hot Springs. Take 23 north through town (it changes name to Goodenough Rd) and follow it to the very end. Where the trail has obviously been cleared it is wide open but where it has not been cleared a traveler needs to push aside some light brush to continue. pascal wager: definitive edition. the lupine and blue dicks). 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. Cow Springs is the first camp along the This is the perfect time to hike this trail. (831) 385-5434 ext. Watch out for crazy Pan, & Keep your food & personal belongings with you at all times. that is a private gated community. When Dough Flat Road is dry, you can drive a 2WD vehicle on the road. Any advice would be appreciated. A camp at Coltrell Flat can be found under the oaks. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Im guessing the parks district heard about all the trash along the trail and did something because it was really clean out there this weekend. Therefore, do not follow any trails that lead north of Tar Creek. Unfortunately the rain has done little to tamp down the biting gnats, though they are only an issue at the canyon of sespe hot springs. 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. Sespe Camp and the Springs are a dream! From the Dough Flat Trailhead, you will enter the Sespe Wilderness within mile. Hike 2.5 miles north to the Bucksnort Trail Junction. Continue west one mile to reach Cow Spring Camp.Continue 3.2 miles down to Alder Creek Camp. The trail from Piedra to Sespe is about 14 miles, from Dough to Sespe is about 11 miles. Dogs are not a good idea at these flows. by siketflow in socalhiking. Danilo and Gyorgyi with Sespe Creek in the background. Some bad news to report along the Sespe. Tar Creek Falls is located in the Los Padres National Forest. Condor Trail follows Sespe River Trail from Alder Creek Trail to Gene Marshal-Piedra Blanca Trail. Wilits hot springs was the fav. Summer is brutally hot and dry. We did in 3 days staying at Sespe on the way there and Cow Springs on the way back. Be prepared to get wet because there are several (I mean several - didnt count them but around 10 each way Id guess) crossings. 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). . Alder Creek campsite is in good condition and shows signs of light use. Dry January has meant creek levels are down again, though you still cant dry cross. Another route is from Dough Flat, following Alder Creek Trail to Sespe River Trail. At about 14.75 miles from Dough Flat, and 9.5 miles from the Piedra Blanca, Sespe River Trail arrives at the junction for Red Reef Trail, which crosses Sespe Creek, and climbs south, away from the creek, passing near the Topatopa Mountains on its way toward the upper Ojai Valley. Big Narrows. We had two reports come in this week showing substantial slides on different sides of the Sespe River Trail. Then you have to bushwhack through lots of foliage at the top. Thirty-one miles (50 km) of Sespe Creek is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River and National Scenic Waterway, and is untouched by dams or concrete channels. Currently most of the pools in the canyon are above 106F which is too hot to soak in for long. Snow in the mountains will melt and the creek will rise somewhat. Road toward the Sespe Oil Fields. (661) 245-3731 ext. and there is not much shade so it can be very hot. Expect to see a lot more activity within D13 over the next month and in particular this long holiday weekend. Prepare to get thigh high wet. Trail is mostly clear until this point but upon decent and through Alder Camp, beware of poison oak. Alder Creek is flowing well in most parts. 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. 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. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Add 2.5 miles or so to the hike because the access road may be closed getting to the trailhead. Alder Creek Trail is not part of the sanctuary. The Dough Flat site is along the public access corridor of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary in the Lo Padres National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. At the worst part of the slide people have walked to the uphill side to climb over a small dead tree and root ball. Sespe was definitely more unique, much hotter (maybe 105) and lots of gnats that gave us lots of gnarly itchy bites. (LogOut/ The park's rustic environment, reminiscent of old kampungs, also holds many . Along the . Dough is. Want to report conditions for this trail? This route passes by the disappointing Willet Hot Springa rubber cistern in the ground that's filled with algaeas it follows the Sespe Creek. Very little water. we pick the challenging route to Pioneer Basin. Trail is in great shape. Cow Springs Campground, California Cow Springs Campground is a locale located in Ventura County, CA at N34.55805 W118.90899 (NAD83) and at an elevation of 3579 ft MSL. This is a narrow rough road traveled by large oil trucks so be very cautious as you continue to the parking area at Dough Flat. pigella miraculous ladybug power. Set up camp. Trail is in typical good shape with a few sections that are being rutted by the rain (I think there are already pictures of those sections here on HLP). From the Dough Flat Trailhead, you will enter the Sespe Wilderness within mile. Upper Sespe 2/22 1165. Trail use and trail camps are on a first-come, first-serve basis, no reservations. We'll update this page if and when it reopens. The creek starts at Potrero Seco in the eastern Sierra Madre Mountains, and is formed by more than thirty tributary streams of the Sierra Madre and Topatopa Mountains, before it empties into the Santa Clara River in Fillmore. I don't know why they send you that way. Steady climb for the next 3.5/4 mi to peak before dropping into Alder Camp. There was much debate surrounding how to get there after we found out the gate accessing the eastern approach via dough flats is closed (and even if open otherwise apparently unpassable unless one has a robust 4wd vehicle), so the discussion congregated upon weather to do that approach (13 mi each way) or from the west . Pinos Ranger District: 1-(661) 245-3731, Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. . We always manage to be able to walk around it. GPS is essential out here past Willett. We'll update this page if and when it reopens. Water flowing entire distance, but low for late February. dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs. A large colony of these can be found near the Gaviota Hot Springs. Hiked from Piedra Blanca Trailhead down past Bear Creek. (805) 967-3481 or (805) 724-0079, Santa Lucia Ranger District 2. We saw a number of snakes, they were mellow just walked around them cautiously. Willet was better by a long stretch! Ventura River. Suggested Time - 5 hours. Categories . Water crossings are about ankle to waist high. Naglangkob kin og 5,719 ka kilometro kwadrado. Route 84 Middle Sespe Trail 22W04. This is a narrow, rough road that is traveled by large oil trucks. He's been out there for years. Cross the riverbed and head down-stream (east) on the old road. We also headed out to fix the slide that occurs on the side of the mountain coming out of the saddle and down into the Sespe. Using a pickmatix, we worked to open up the footing and widen it to ensure safe passage. May 1, 2022 - Dough Flat Rd is open to the trailhead. Did this over 3 days Friday - Sunday. 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. The Dough Flat parking area is adjacent to the public access corridor of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary. The Mosquito Flat trailhead is at 10,000 and you have to go over Mono Pass at 12,000. At Willet, there was a moving creek with much cleaner water. Hiked to Willet's. It starts right at the tree you have to limbo under. I hiked from Piedra Blanca to Sycamore Flat. We showed up in Fillmore on Sat, and drove up Squaw Flat road. The nights are cold, cold cold. Length23.2 miElevation gain4,419 ftRoute typeOut & back 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. -Make sure to have an adventure parking pass (order online or pickup from big5/7-11) Past the palm trees, the trail arrives at the hot springs. And, since it's a parking lot/trailhead it is not a "public street" and prohibited under the general prohibition. -Shorts to willet but pants beyond. 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. No sign of Pan btw. Alder Creek Trail is easily navigable with cairns and orange tape, but long sleeves are heavily recommended since it is overgrown in many places. Water levels were still good everywhere and plenty of greenery all around. This is a steep country road. Update 1-11: Rains have washed out the entry road about 10miles out. Worst news of all is the december rains caused a lot of debris flows in the hot creek and all the pools are full of gravel. Did the trail to Willet and Sespe springs during Thanksgiving weekend. This section of trail was worked a few years back but remained narrow and scary. Just wasnt worth the risk to me. Turn north on A Street/Goodenough Road and drive 14.1 miles to Dough Flat Trailhead. Non-native: PricklyPoppy: Argemone munita From there . Enjoy this 37.3-km out-and-back trail near Fillmore, California. Sespe River is extremely low, very stagnant, & even with water filtering tasted like death. We provide tools and tips to discover Haven't been to Sespe Hot Springs before. 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. No idea except from . 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. Attempting the 2 crossings of the Sespe between PB and Willet were significant factors for a number of people that day. we make the short drive from Los Angeles to the Dough Flat trailhead in the Sespe Wilderness. Camps appeared to all be in good shape. 1156. after 0.6 miles. Santa Barbara, CA 93105 These springs also issue forth from a rock wall, but the water is in a temperature range more conducive to soaking. Day 3 packed up early and started hiking around 745am and got back to car around 2ish. Trailhead for the Sespe Hot Springs hike is way out here too. Hot Springs Trail 3/22 1166. Therefore, do not follow any trails that lead north of Tar Creek. There is one place where the trail tread has been destroyed for about 10 feet and another 20 to 30 feet of uneven rocks and debris that have fallen onto the trail tread on the uphill (north east) portion of the trail. Sespe Creek flowing well, but crossings are easy to do . Beautiful day! All but one creek crossing were completely dry. The first 10 miles of trails out to the creek crossing before Willett are clearly marked and well maintained. Beautiful hike!! For more information, please visit, No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Welcome to Sespe he said. So, armed with Brennen's directions we headed out for six days of adventure on the Sespe. He tried to get me to skinny dip with him (I'm a guy). -Have a good water filter. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. anne boleyn ghost photo We've seen backpackers have to drop crosscountry down to the Sespe here as well in years past. Be very cautious en route to trailhead. Continue 3.2 miles down to Alder Creek Camp. If you fall here it is very bad. The trail was a little hard to spot when crossing over some of the dried-out creek beds, but a trail crew was heading in as we left and I suspect they will make the route a bit easier to follow. coinbase prime pricing dough flat trailhead to sespe hot springs. kill the process running on port 1717 sfdx. It's 1-2 hours to the trailhead from LA. River crossings are knee deep to Bear Creek Camp. We picked the hottest day of a heat wave to attempt this hike, and I cant blame Sespe for that. Tar Creek forms part of the southern border of the Sespe Condor Sactuary and Dough Flat Rd forms part of its eastern boundary. There's very little legacy with regard to this trail designation, but it was for a time, anyway the label given that small bit of trail east of the Devils Gate (20W14) drop-in near Hot Springs/Sespe confluence that heads over the hump and down to Alder Creek (between Alder Creek and Shady camps). Bit of a dense brush challenge but doable. 0, Big Sur Station Multi-Agency Visitor Center December 15th - April 30 th . Rose Valley Road continues east and dead ends at the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. We couldn't find the hot spring, but maybe we just needed to look more closely at the map. Matt Kettmann. Kim_S Moderator Posts: 5102 Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:49 pm Location: San Diego. Directions to Trailhead: From Ojai, CA, follow Hwy 33 north for approximately 15 miles. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 16 min to complete. 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. North of Tar Creek and west of Dough Flat Rd is in the Condor Sactuary where public entry is not allowed. At Bear Creek and below, the water was over the stepping stones and I had to ford the creek. The trail is still in good shape but a bit hard to follow in spots but there are some trail markers. Sespe Hot Springs can be gloriously . The rangers really need to do something about him. Open daily 9am - 4pm Mutau Flat is a meadow in Ventura County and has an elevation of 4,806 feet. 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]. Plenty of big horn sheep up at the hot springs. Willet Hot Spring and camp: 34.575822, -119.050937. Want to report conditions for this trail? 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. Such knowledge is key when exploring the remote and unforgiving Sespe Wilderness, where ancient Chumash spirits flow . All in all, trail is in good shape, minus the abundance of swingin dongs at every other swimming hole. Home; Categories. Started at Dough Flat Gate. Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road, the side roads will take you to oil well pads. Truly magical & a long haul so be prepared. Hiked to Willet two weekends in a row, water flowing through most parts of the Sesepe which was good to see. Bummer, this trail is closed. When visiting the Los Padres always remember to pack extra water for any trip! This is a narrow rough It is overgrown and my legs did get banged up some wearing capris. Mountain bikes are not permitted in designated wilderness areas. Sespe is the best! It's rated as a hard hike according to AllTrails. Just two hours from Los Angeles, the Sespe Hot Springs feel worlds away. 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. At Willett Hot Spring there's a good repair near the foot of the side trail, but another hairy traverse higher up. At these levels, on a 6'3" guy, the first river crossing at Bear Creek was thigh deep and moving quickly. Sespe is amazing! Overall great trip just wish we would have started a bit earlier to avoid the bit of night hiking we had to do. Also through the Creek area, it's easy to lose the trail. Couldnt make it in. We moved down from him to chill a bit before finding a spot to camp, away from him, in case it was Pan. The Sespe River Trial proceeds down stream and is in excellent shape. Anyone ever scout around here? Sespe Hot Springs can be gloriously . Mutau Flat is situated nearby to the locality Thorn Meadows. Download the GPS track to help you find your way. Sespe River Trail To Sespe Hot Springs [CLOSED] Hard 4.6 (259) Los Padres National Forest Photos (882) Directions Print/PDF map Length 32.4 miElevation gain 4,012 ftRoute type Out & back Bummer, this trail is closed. Continuing along Sespe River Trail, about half-mile west of the Johnson Ridge Trail intersection, Sespe River Trail arrives at Coltrell Flat. Piedra Blanca Trailhead to Willet Hot Springs - Sespe Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest; . Flowing out of a large southern California wilderness, Sespe Creek is a major tributary of the Santa Clara River in Ventura County. The site has a picnic table, fire pit, and nearby outhouse, each with its own cement foundation harking back to the days of when it was a car camping destination. The first section of Condor Trail from Lake Piru to the Piedra Blanca Trailhead covers about 32 miles. 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 Map Directions Satellite Photo Map Type: Meadow Location: Ventura County, Central Coast, California, United States, North America View on OpenStreetMap Latitude 34.62831 or 34 37' 42" north Longitude It is brushy on the last drop down to Alder at Shady Camp. I've been here many many times over the years and never had this happen to me before. This is a rough dirt road that is traveled by large oil trucks. Willett Hot Springs is about 10 miles from the trailhead and Sespe Hot Springs is about 6 miles further, past Willett. Because of the distances involved, a visit to the hot springs is best done as part of a backpacking trip. Overall beautiful and the water is clean. The trail includes a number of camps along the way. The landslide at Kerr Spring wasn't a problem. He's creepy as hell. Thank you to the Ventura county sheriffs for trying to take care of this bizarre situation! Bighorn Peak is a very adventurous hike that is located between Ontario and Cucamonga Peaks. 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. Trail from the last crossing of the Sespe River to Shady Campsite in mostly good but one section by the river badly overgrown and a landslide on the uphill making things dicey. Directions: Take Highway 126 to Fillmore. 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 trail is pretty open all the way to willet but past that you get a lot of leg scratchers. Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road, the side roads will take you to oil well pads. Ventura County mopakigbahin sa usa ka utlanan sa Santa Barbara County, Kern County, ug Los . You could probably take the first ridge down as well but the upper section looked a little sketcy to me.. Alder Creek Camp - Ventura South Los Padres 2520 ft. Ventura County Ojai Ranger District Trail Camp Ant Camp South Los Padres 2700 ft. Ventura County Ojai Ranger District Trail Camp Got five blisters. The next trail junction is 2.7 miles. Unfortunately where the trail was below the high water line it is completely gone. There was stagnant water at Bear Creek, although I recommend pushing on to Kerr Springs for cleaner water (still not moving). The worst one is located here: (34.5798, -118.9647). I said hello and he said hi and proceeded to stare into my soul with his creepy empty eyes. Someone has left a large tarp in the middle of the camp. 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. Share sensitive information only SHORT TERM CLOSURE: This area is temporarily closed until March 14, 2023 due to extreme winter weather. North of Tar Creek and west of Dough Flat Rd is in the Condor Sactuary where public entry is not allowed. There are some cairns to be found but there are sections where there is no discernable path and the traveler must push through somewhat heavy, flood matted down brush. The temperature of the water from the hottest spring is in the 190 degree range and is unsuitable for soaking. Sespe River Trail - Starting from the Piedra Blanca Trailhead, this trail is 16.8 miles one way and is rated as moderate to difficult. Some of the trail is super muddy and can be frosty (slippery) in the am to early afternoon. Sespe Fire Brake 3/21 Size 26 X 21 1027. All rights reserved. I mentioned to my partner that I wondered if that was the person we had read about in all the reviews. There was minimal water on the hike in, however. Shady camp is in good condition and shows signs of light use. Despite the dry river, the terrain was beautiful. 1616 N. Carlotti Dr. 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. May 1, 2022 - Dough Flat Rd is open to the trailhead There is access to the Dough Flat Trailhead during the spring, summer and fall and is within the winter seasonal closure between approx.