I came across this intriguing sign on the Purisima Creek trail. People wandering around with no purpose: totally allowed on this bridge. Bafflingly, since ATVs are not allowed in the park, ATVs: totally allowed to drive over the bridge as much as they like, although I’m thinking they’d have to be air-lifted onto it because the trailheads are gated closed to vehicles. But any vehicles attempting to save someone’s life or put out a fire? TOTALLY NOT ALLOWED!
Redwood Hikes said this part of the Purisima Creek trail is the “least scenic” part of the hike it was describing (which mostly wasn’t the hike I did). And it was probably the least scenic part of the hike I did too. I’ll take any hike this is the “least scenic” bit of!
Bay Area Hiker mostly describes the hike I took (although I wandered along unnamed trails along the creek a bit), but in reverse. Jane actually advises the reader to NOT go in the direction I went unless you “really like ascending steep grades”. I really do NOT like ascending steep grades (and also didn’t read this post before I went), but I have no regrets about going in the direction I went because first of all, I SAW A GRAY FOX, so whatever I did was exactly right, and also, as much as I dislike ascending steep grades, I think I dislike DESCENDING steep grades even more. Yes, there was about two miles of pretty steep incline in my hike, but I got it all over with at first, then the last five miles was mostly gently downhill. Plus, the Harkins Ridge trail, though steep in places, is absolutely beautiful, so I was stopping constantly to take pictures. That’s a trick of mine: if I get tired, I can just pretend I’ve stopped to take pictures. 🙂
This park was great and I intend to return often.
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