Spenceville Wildlife Area
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Fairy Falls Spenceville Wildlife Area |
March 17, 2009
Being anxious for the spring flowers finally to appear in the valley, I venture hopefully to this little-known area just an hour's drive north of Sacramento. After a miscue or two due to vague directions, I find what seems to be the appropriate trailhead as the road ends at a bridge over Dry Creek. Although there are posted warnings of vehicle prohibitions and closure dates on the locked gate, there are no marking indicating that this might be a good place to hike. No other humans are in evidence, either.
My guide book, however, says that this is a somewhat special place featuring a pair of waterfalls; so off I go, hoping not to disturb any nesting mountain lions along the way. I hear distant booming sounds behind me; doubtless they are emanating from Beale Air Force Base just west of here.
The first few hundred yards of trail utilize Old Spenceville Road; then a path veers off to the right. It soon becomes abundantly clear that livestock frequents this area.
Easy going at first
Heading into the thicket
Dry Creek is not so dry
Just ahead I find a grassy area featuring three different varieties of pink flower.
Common Heronsbill
Longbeak Storksbill
Dovesfoot Cranesbill
Stork's Bill, Crane's Bill, and Heron's Bill all are geraniums at heart, which explains why they hang out together. Up ahead are several relatively rough sections of trail, including a spot where it is necessary to squeeze between the branches of a fallen tree while taking care to avoid some poison oak.
Just past that point the trail follows another old road. My appearance here sends a dozen cows scurrying to safety.
The roughest spot on the trail
A bovine encounter
Next ahead is a pretty section of creek; beside it is a nice little patch of warm sand, inviting me to stop for a breather.
Rest stop
Powder-back Lichen
Miner's Lettuce
Another few minutes of walking brings me within sight of the lower falls. It is necessary to continue up the trail a ways, then scramble down among the rocks, for a full view.
Lower Shingle Falls, 29'
Some more new flower types adorn the pathway as I continue toward the next attraction.
Blue Dicks
Kaweah River Phacelia
The falls are beautiful! What a pleasant treat to discover in this otherwise unremarkable section of the foothills. The top of the cliff is fenced for quite a stretch, presumably in order to prevent stupid people from hurting themselves.
Fairy Falls, 47'
Most topographic maps show this as Shingle Falls, but I prefer the more colorful original name.
The trail winds ever upward through the poppy patches; our state flower finally has made its 2009 appearance. At the cliff top is a pile of old mining equipment.
California Poppies
Remnants of another era
Photogenic rock
From here there is supposed to be a loop option. I head down the obvious path, ignoring several others. My route traverses the green hillsides well away from the creek, never going downhill and seemingly taking me too far north. As I consider simply heading straight down the grassy hill, Old Spenceville Road reappears. Eureka! I turn left on it back toward the creek.
This route should go straight back to the trailhead
Error! This is not the right way to go. Within ten minutes I
find myself back amidst that herd of skittish cows; but I'm not about to retrace my
steps now. Locating the original creekside route, I am back at the trailhead
twenty minutes later. Along the way I startle a bald eagle who flies away,
leaving behind a foul-smelling something-or-other that it must have
brought here after I passed through earlier.
It is 73-degrees by now at about 3 p.m., which is plenty warm enough,
especially in this humidity. I used up most of my water on this relatively
short but very pleasant walk. Within a month or so it will be too hot to
come here at all.
On the drive home I take time to photograph the reservoir as well as some flowers beside the road.
Camp Far West Reservoir
Redmaids
§: Ted's Tip: If Dry Creek actually is dry at the trailhead,
don't bother with this hike. No water = no falls = no fun.
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| Solitude |  |
