Big Falls

May 7, 2016

Big Falls Trail in the Los Padres National forest 

San Luis Obispo Co.

Jim , Myself  and my dog Sierra hiked the big Falls Trail . The weather was cool in the early afternoon making for an easy hike of five miles round trip via the High Mountain road . . We were disappointed in the low water flow on the falls but there was plenty of water in the drainage that supplies the falls and Sierra had a ball playing in and out of all the approximately three miles of pools . Good stuff . As you can see the grasses were very deep with many animal trails . with the increased rain fall this year I am sure the wild life are loving the feed and the water . 

For you first timers at this trail , access can be made from upper Lopez canyon road via Arroyo Grande , making  the hike to the falls a short half mile hike , but you miss all the beautiful views . the better hike is from High Mountain road via Pozo Ca. . This makes for a 2 1/2 mile hike down to the falls and of course a 2 aned 1/2 mile back up with a 900 ft . elevation gain , well worth the extra effort . For those of you needing a longer more challenging hike , start at the park area of the Rinconada trail up to High Mountain Road and then n/w 2 miles to the end of same where you will find the Falls trail head on the right side of the road  ( not marked until you travel 1/8 mile down the road .   Note worthy is the sign in book indicates only 6  or 8 hikers visited this trail since the first of the year , the last entry was 24 th of April .

below a celamander under water .

Lake Lopez below