Guides and guests hike the 2.5 miles to put-in carrying their own gear. 21.3 km Hiking and fishing the Forks of The Kern trail near Johnsondale, CA. Trail Number: 33E20. 1110.11 m Up Yucca Point Trail – Sequoia National Forest October 15-17, 2020 I have been on a quest since the SQF complex fire burnt the Forks of the Kern trail and burnt ~30 miles up the upper Kern river. White water kayakers use this trail to bring their kayaks to the put in point on the Kern River. This is a pretty easy trail that leads to great fly fishing in the Golden Trout Wilderness. The Forks of the Kern Trailhead is one of the primary gateways for hiking countless miles in Golden Trout Wilderness. The Main Kern and the Little Kern combine to make what boaters now refer to as the Forks of the Kern. Pros: Beautiful Scenery, water present, good campsites. 99 across from Ant Canyon, and proceeds north following the Rincon fault to the Forks of the Kern River. I really like privacy and off the beaten path type stuff so id go again and again and again. Good campsites that I saw. I look forward to doing that hike again! Lots of mosquitos and military jets flying overhead at camp which sounded like a loud boom every now and then. Do not overload yourself with unnecessary weight. Little tough on way out but great trail to continue to kern flat. The Fork of the Kerns Trail leaves from Forks of the Kern Trailhead in Lloyd Meadow. In the summer and fall time you can cross the Small Kern. I wish I could give this trail a better review. This featured hike is basically a 30+ mile out-and-back from the Johnsondale Bridge to the "Forks of the Kern" -- 15+ miles each way. Steep trail leads down to the granite gorge where Little Kern River meets the main Kern River; Rattlesnake Creek & Ninemile Creek also join the Kern River in this 10 mile stretch. Kern County mountain bike trail map. The Forks is part of the federally protected Wild and Scenic Rivers system and it is most definitely wild, scenic, and remote. 34,187' Down Trail. 1,659' Up Forks of the Kern Trail [CLOSED] is a 5.6 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Springville, California that features a river and is rated as moderate. GETTING EQUIPMENT TO RIVER: For most whitewater enthusiasts,getting equipment down the 3-mile trail to the Forks put-in will require the useof pack horses or mules. There are great fishing and swimming holes about 3.6-3.7 miles in along the Kern River. Pretty trail with a nice river as the reward. Big Meadow, S. Kern Plateau, Domelands. Your FREE account works with all Adventure Projects sites. The Kern Sierra Unit celebrated National Trail Day by meeting up at the Forks of the Kern Trailhead on June 4th for a four day work project. This river is no joke. Found a campsite along the Kern 3.5 miles from TH, decided that was enough hiking with packs for today! The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. It was a bit of a challenge to keep horses, cook food, and all the other required activities for four days at a dry trail head, but a we found some tanks to haul water up there and we had water left over. Write them down. It gets pretty packed in the summer with kayakers, but nothing like some of the other trails I've been on. I'm going to come back to stay a few nights to explore much more of it. The flow of the Little Kern is slow at this time of the year so the crossing is simple. • Views were amazing and worth the 5 hour drive from south county. Little Kern River Bridge Hike. Summit to Bear Creek Trail (biking) Camp Nelson Trail. At the bottom, the confluence of the Little Kern and Kern Rivers was flowing pretty strong. The "Forks" represents the confluence of the Little Kern River with the North Fork of the Kern. • Updated April 27, 2020: An extensive and detailed guidance and directions document on how to successfully find & Hike and fly fish the Upper Kern River by way of The Forks of the Kern Trail. The Trip Leader gives a Safety Talk, and the guides each give their own Paddling Talk. Shade is fairly minimal throughout the ascent so it's easier to come out in the early morning or later in the day when the sun has less impact. There is no bridge crossing the Little Kern, and extreme caution should be used. 13597 m Up I donate all proceeds from the downloads of this guidance to CalTrout. Even experienced rafters should consider hiring a professional outfitter for their first trip down. It can get hot here in the summer, so bring plenty of water! Whitney that begin the Kern River trickle. Remember those numbers. The initial descent and final ascent are not for the faint of heart. And research these trails online before you go. 41.3 km 8.0 km NOT OKAY! 558.05 m Up As of September 2020, trails in this area are closed due to wildfire. Forks of the Kern trailhead gets you on this trail, which winds along her banks as the Kern carves canyons and meadows on her way to being dammed at Lake Isabella. We spent most of the 3rd day fishing and hiking all along the river - about a 12.5 mile hike. The Upper Kern has had a reputation for holding many large trout over 20". Drive almost .7 miles and park … 2) With 140+ pounds gone, I had previously been thinking awfully small. 505.69 m Up 06 September 2014. 2773.89 m Up Leave early in the morning or later in the evening. In describing our Forks of the Kern trip, Outside Magazine said, "The serious heart in throat moments come mid-run at the back-to-back Class V Vortex/Gauntlet doubleheader: a ten-foot slide followed by … we have gotten the river from Kernville to Johnsondale bridge free of trash. Please explain. A river trail follows the banks of the N. Fork of the Kern River for dozens, maybe hundreds, of miles deep into the north sierra. Great trail to get to some wild trout. • The way down is pretty easy, the way up is some work. If you like camping off the grid and backwoods backpacking, you'll love this trail. A fairly easy hike on the way in but expect a moderate adventure on the way back out. The river was flowing pretty fast and it was high when we went in June and it was freezing. Here, we passed several day hikers and rafters getting ready for a super low flow 4-day trip down the Kern River to the Johnsondale bridge. 339.5 km 3,642' Up Privately, the vast majority of users opt for shorter trips, typically a day trip, commonly referred to as a “bullet run.” With a put-in that requires a 2 mile hike and no road support for 15 miles, the Forks is not for the faint of heart. At the forks there are many signs of litter and junk leftover from recent others. Sirretta Peak Hike & Sirretta High Route. Slate Mountain & Summit Trail. 505.67 m Down, 5.0 mi 1.62 m Down, 13.4 mi Lloyd Meadows sits roughly two miles above the launching point for the Forks of the Kern. • See park page for more information. Multiple groups that exceeded the 15 person limit were encountered. Human excrement littered the trail, the closest to the trail was 18 inches away. My quest is to find an alternative to the Forks of the Kern Trail and the Upper Kern River. It just makes it that much tougher to see the neglect. A day hike into the Forks of the Kern on August 24, 2015. A very beautiful area worth the time. It also allows for relatively quick access to both the upper Wild & Scenic Kern River and the Wild & Scenic Little Kern River. 21.5 km The Fork of the Kern is a reverse hike; meaning you go downhill when you are heavy (full with food) and back up the 800 feet of the canyon when you hike out. The trail is in perfect condition. We did the roughly 2 mile hike and 1000 foot climb out in just under one hour. At the fork in the road take a right onto Lloyd Meadows Road (22S82). 5' Down Lots and lots of bugs, plenty of back country campsites. It's disturbing to me that people go to a beautiful place like the Forks and have to leave their trash. The hike back up took about an hour at a medium pace. You will see the trailhead at the eastern end of the parking lot. 557.44 m Down, 25.6 mi Pictures, sketches, and descriptions of my hiking adventures. There is a small developed campground called “Forks of the Kern”. Going in is a breeze, but the hike out is a challenge. The trail descends roughly 1000 feet with a handful of switchbacks. From Keyesville: The Keyesville entrance is located just north of the town of Lake Isabella. After completing the evaluation, we board the bus and drive to the Forks of the Kern trailhead. Land Manager: USFS - Sequoia National Forest Office, 9.9 mi Commercially, the only way to see the Forks of the Kern trip is a Two Day. Aside from the negligent human impact, the scenery was great, the rivers are beautiful. Redrock Meadows / Templeton Mountain Loop, Lewis Camp Trail to the Little Kern River [CLOSED], Quaking Aspen Campground Loop Trail [CLOSED], Jordan Hot Springs Via Casa Vieja Trail [CLOSED], Slate Mountain via Windy Gap Trail [CLOSED], Forks of the Kern Trail to Painters Camp [CLOSED], Dome Rock View via Forest Route 21S63 [CLOSED], Lewis Camp Trail to Trout Meadows [CLOSED]. 10420.2 m Down. There is plenty of parking in the parking area and there are restrooms. In the spring and fall the temperature can vary 60° from night to day so bring appropriate gear. Please Add Your Thoughts! The trail ascends and descends in elevation, in and out of drainages, passing through flats of Jeffrey and digger pine, cedar and chaparral. Forks of the Kern Trail [CLOSED] is a 5.6 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Springville, California that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until October. There are many places to relax by the river and enjoy the wildlife. 5. • 3,802' Up Was great for a day trip. Taking Road 22S82, one can reach the trailheads that have access to the Little Kern River. I have backpacked all over the country. This is about an injury or accident You'll want to be surrounded with competent people and carry the right safety equipment. There was evidence of motorcycle traffic on the far side of the river on an old trail system. From Kernville take Sierra Way/ Mountain Route 99 to Johnsondale. Wishon Trail. • The headwaters of the Kern is fed by snowmelt from Mt. From Hwy 155, go west on Keyesville Road. Taking other people's content (text, photos, etc) without permission is a copyright violation and Just wanted to add that Kern River Conservancy and Keepers of the Kern are putting more effort in keeping that part of the river clean. Being a jerk / offensive? An Adventure Projects staff member will review this and take an appropriate action, but we generally don't reply. We camped at Limestone which I don't really recommend. This is a beautiful trail from start to finish. Locals describe the Forks of the Kern in two ways: It’s either 80 rapids in quick succession or one really, really long one. 2771.03 m Down, 13.3 mi This trail provides a lovely out-and-back day hike to the confluence of the Kern River and the Little Kern or to venture deeper up the west bank of the Kern. Cons: Hot in summer, garbage everywhere. About 7 miles down, we reached the Forks of the Kern, where the Little Kern meets the North Fork. 9,091' Down And it’s physical….very physical. We arrive on a Wednesday and hardly saw a soul. The Forks of the Kern, that is what. We were the only two people down there so it was a really nice place to get away from it all and purely relax. A joy downhill but never forget gravity, because it will never forget you! Lucky for us, most of those Memorial Day revelers are way to drunk and or lazy to hike in to any part of the Forks of the Kern, leaving the unspoiled grandeur only to those who boat their way in. At the trailhead, we hike 3 miles down to The Island and meet the rest of the guides. 3.5mi, Create Recommended Route or The hike offers great views of the back side of the Needles and the Kern River Valley. The drive out there can be a pain as it is tucked away. Like a shorter version of the Grand Canyon. We couldnt of asked for a better fishing spot. The designation of the North and South Forks Kern, the Kings, and the Merced by Congress that year represents the single largest expansion of the federal system in California since 1981. This well established trail switchbacks its way to the river, offering new perspectives on the impressive landscape you will be immersed in. This trail is awsome its an easy hike going down to the river it can have quite a few people there but you can get to a place where you can be by yourself if you dont mind doing a little cross country and on a hot day if the river is low enough go for a swim. We saw many species of birds and a few small harmless reptiles. See Forks of the Kern for details. It includes the "Kern River Upper Trail" 33E30 and the "Rincon Trail" 33E23. Great place to go back packing. Beautiful hike along the river. Spam? This trail provides a lovely out-and-back day hike to the confluence of the Kern River and the Little Kern or to venture deeper up the west bank of the Kern. 1158.82 m Up Hot and arid with little shade in the summer months but the views and river is amazing. 9,101' Up Jordan Peak Lookout Loop. Good moderate trail. Freeman Creek Sequoias Hike. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. This trail provides a lovely out-and-back day run to the confluence of the Kern River and the Little Kern or to venture deeper up the west bank of the Kern. Left on Saturday morning and saw heaps of groups, fishers, campers, scouts etc. Kern Canyon Trail is close to Lake Isabella and about 15 minutes south of Kernville. You wil take this road almost all the way to the end which is Jerkey Trailhead Campground. Not many people fishing this far up the Kern because of its isolated location. 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