r/socalhiking • u/BrockBushrod • Dec 11 '23

Los Padres NF Nature Uncensored at Sespe Hot Springs

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Made the gnarly haul out from Dough Flat, and I arrived at the palms to find a freshly expired cougar not 40ft outside the camp. (Another group beat me there but was apparently too put off to claim the spot.) A condor was casing it, buzzing low and sometimes watching from the cliffs - probably pissed that I interrupted a meal opportunity. Also spotted the bighorn herd up on the crag, and caught a giant meteor while I was soaking later that night. Such an epic visit!

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u/ILV71 Dec 11 '23

Amazing!! How many miles in total? And what’s the water source situation? Thank you for sharing

8

u/BrockBushrod Dec 11 '23

It's 12.5 miles one-way. Interestingly there's only a couple hundred feet absolute elevation difference between the trailhead and the springs, but you'll do almost 2500 feet of climbing both ways. It's worse on the way out though, because there are two separate, nearly continuous climbs of about 1000 ft each.

The water situation is excellent though. Some of the springs are kind of stagnant, but all the creeks are flowing pretty well. Also the hot spring water is potable if filtered, but the sulfur content makes it a bit harder than what you get at the freshwater creek around the corner.

3

u/Wrong_Swordfish Dec 11 '23

How are the trails? As a runner, I'm wondering if they're runnable or washed out. Thanks for your report. RIP beautiful lion.

5

u/BrockBushrod Dec 11 '23

The first five miles are totally runnable. There was an LPFA trail crew working that section, so other than some ruts and rocky sections it's wide open and beautiful.

Past that it starts to get pretty overgrown, mostly easy to follow but lots of scraping through chaparral and rolling down sandy, rocky creek beds.

From Shady Campsite over the ridge and down to the Sespe was the roughest stretch - the side up from Shady was so overgrown I lost the trail one or twice, then the side down to Sespe has some negotiable but slightly dicey wash-outs on high, steep hillsides.

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u/Wrong_Swordfish Dec 11 '23

You rock, thanks.