Plan with
Confidence
Path Type
Point to Point
This trail provides a lovely out-and-back day hike to the confluence of the Kern River and the Little Kern or to venture deeper up the west bank of the Kern.
This is an upside-down hike with the steepest sections being the first few miles of the hike: good news for the hike in but a tough hurdle on the hike out so be sure to pack plenty of water for the hike out. If you plan to continue up the Kern, this requires a crossing of the Little Kern River. There is a rope strung across to assist, but in years of heavy runoff this can still be a little challenging.
There are great campsites all along the west bank of the Kern.
All Clear
We did a three day backpacking trip. We started on Wednesday, August 6th and there was only two other trucks in the trailhead parking lot. A fire came through this area sometime ago, so there are sections of burnt trees, down in the canyon. There are quite a few downed trees that you have to hop over.
From the trailhead down to the river, there isn’t much shade, the hike down or back up should be done early in the morning or the afternoon this time of the year.
We saw a rattlesnake, just a couple minutes after starting the trail down to the river, saw various other non-venomous, snakes, a bear, and lots of bald eagles . Overall great condition of the trail, minus down trees, with this heat wave we just had, the water temperature was just right.
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