Travel, Photography, Hiking, Landscape, Adventure, California, Riverside County, Lily Rock, Pacific Crest Trail, San Bernardino National Forest, San Jacinto Mountains, Tahquitz Peak, Humber Park, Devil's Slide Trail, Saddle Junction, Caramba Trail, Reed's Meadow, Little Tahquitz Valley, Red Tahquitz, Apache Peak, South Peak, Antsell Rock, Suicide Rock, Diamond Valley Lake, Strawberry Valley, Idyllwild
Starting at Humber Park in Idyllwild, California, I hiked up Devil's Slide Trail to Saddle Junction in the San Jacinto Wilderness. The San Jacinto Wilderness is in the San Jacinto Mountain Range of the San Bernardino National Forest. You will note that my start and return near Humber Park is different. This is because I completely missed the clearly marked trail and accidently bushwacked through a "soil recovery area" that was also clearly marked. When I finally figured out my mistake, I worked my way to the nicely groomed trail.
From Saddle Junction I hiked down Caramba Trail to Reed's Meadow. From Reed's Meadow I intentionally bushwacked my way up the creek toward the Pacific Crest Trail. It likely would have been faster and certainly easier if I had taken the groomed trails, but I find it invigorating to get off the beaten path and make my own way once in awhile. I rejoined the trail at the southern end of Little Tahquitz Valley and made my way up to the Pacific Crest Trail.
On the Pacific Crest Trail, I hiked back to Saddle Junction and then returned to Humber Park by hiking down Devil's Slide Trail.
The trailhead of Devil's Slide Trail, San Jacinto Wilderness. The trailhead is at Humber Park is in Idyllwild, California. The San Jacinto Wilderness is located in the San Jacinto Mountain Range in the San Bernardino National Forest.
A Stellar's Jay is checking me out during a water break. Related to the Blue Jay, these are common in the western mountains of North American. I affectionately refer to little critters like this as "camp robbers" since they will try to steal bits of food and small shiny objects.
A California Kingsnake on Devil's Slide Trail. These nonvenomous snakes come in a wide variety of colors but this one is the most unique and vibrant. I think this type is trying to imitate the highly venomous Coral Snake as a defense mechanism. Kingsnakes get their name from the fact that they eat other snakes as well as other small critters.
Off the trail and there goes the tail. Making a speedy getaway after my nearly stepping on it hiking up the trail. I'm curious how many other snakes I probably walked by without even noticing. I just got lucky here.
Bushwacking toward the Pacific Crest Trail. You'll notice that the dense canopy caused my tracker to make a straight line from where I left the meadow to where I picked up the trail again.
Junction on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail near Little Tahquitz Valley. The Pacific Crest Trail runs from Mexico to Canada along the inland mountains parallel to the Pacific Coastline.
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