Carrizo Plains National Monument
It was my third day at Carrizo Plains, and since it was going to take my friend at least half an hour to pack up his stuff, I decided to go on a short hike to see what laid beyond the point in the trail we had stopped (the rest of the trail was closed to motor vehicles).
After less than a half mile, I found another camp spot that was not as good as the site that we ended up camping at (it was small and angled). I walked up the hill next to this campsite and followed the ridge back to camp. I ended up an existing trail that was probably a quail hunting trail (there were some discarded shot shells).
What I Learned:
I knew Carrizo Plain was popular with hunters, but I had forgotten what they had hunted—birds.
There was no super bloom this year due to Carrizo getting 20% of the average rainfall, but there were still patches of flower bloom in many different places.
From the hill, I spotted an amazing looking campsite that sits next to a creek (see below).
1 mile, 32 min, 173 ft of ascent
Hike Review:
Although easy, all of the 150 ft of ascent comes from a steep climb up a hill. The rocks are slippery, so I had to go slow.
I was surprised to find that the hunter’s trail was clearly worn and easy to follow. Who knew so many people hike unmarked trails at Carrizo?
There was no shade, and it was completely exposed. Thank god I didn’t hike this in the summer.