Please review our hiker info page to familiarize yourself with hiker safety rules and our hike ratings so that you can select hikes that meet your level of fitness. Unless specified otherwise in the activity descriptions below, hikes have a 15 person limit, and they begin in the ABDNHA parking lot.
Hike: California Riding and Hiking Trail Part 2 (Strenuous)
Leader: Rachel Rench, ABDNHA Volunteer
Meet at the ABDNHA parking lot at 8:00 am to arrange our car shuttle. We’ll drive up to mile 11.2 on Hwy. S22 and leave a set of cars at the Big Spring parking area. We’ll take the rest of the cars down to Hellhole Canyon and start our hike up to Culp Valley Camp. There will be a $10 parking fee for any vehicle parked at Hellhole Canyon if participants don’t have a State Park pass. From here, we hike up the California Riding and Hiking Trail to the Culp Valley Campground Trail, over a small pass, and descend into Dry Canyon, where we’ll pick up a faint social trail. The group will follow Rachel up a hill out of Dry Canyon and eventually pick up a trail that will take us back to the parking area on S22. This hike is approximately six miles with 2500′ of elevation gain, and some steep sections to navigate. Long pants, long sleeves, and hiking poles are strongly recommended. Max. 12 people. Call the Nature Center to reserve.
