Kim_Johnson
Image a whole hike that smells like Lilac bushes….
We headed out to find an illusive waterfall. We have tried two times before to find the truck trail that is literally 150 feet away from a beautiful waterfall.
The first time my son looked it up, and said no directions needed. Its only three roads to get there, we can surely find it. Nope. We looked for hours. This was last year.
So, with the rain we just had, I thought we should try finding it again. I looked up the directions on a hiking page, then on google maps. I wrote the directions down and we headed out.
Several hours later we meet a four by four truck on a system of truck trails with no signs. He stopped us and said, “Hey, we’re looking for Tenaja Falls that is supposed to be down this road. We went to the end and couldn’t find it, and it’s not down the truck trail at the fork…. Last thing I wanted to hear….
We remembered seeing another trial marked with just a number, must be that one, if its not these two. So we backtracked and went down another truck trail. It was sketchy at times with my low clearance car, but I know how to stay high centered. We went for it. Three hours later we get to the end. No waterfall or signs for one, but we did notice a bunch of trails. The dogs needed to get out after hour several hour long 5 mph car ride, so we stopped at one.
I named it the California Lilac Trail…
I wish you could smell it too, but all I have are photos. I hope you enjoy them.
#1 The view
#2 A house
Did you ever watch Bonanza on TV? Remember the ranch they lived on called the Ponderosa? The ranch we passed by looked exactly like that. It had a huge barn and this tiny house. Of course it wasn't considered tiny at the time. It has a new roof on it, but everything else is original. I had to stop and snap one picture of it. I loved it!
#3 Fog in the valley below
#4 Snow!
#5 Loose at last….
#6 My son and I don’t really walk together..
He goes on up ahead, and finds a good place to wait for me... I take a lot of time with the camera.. See the hills? What looks like a light frosty green on the top of the sage green bushes are actually all California Lilac bushes.
And here is where we started running into the strange little round rocks. The next mile the trial is covered with them, and no dirt showing through. It was like walking on marbles and I had to put the camera away for a bit.
