Spenceville Wildlife Area
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Fairy Falls Spenceville Wildlife Area |
March 17, 2009
Being anxious for the spring flowers finally to appear in the valley, I venture hopefully to this little-known area just an hour's drive north of Sacramento. After a miscue or two due to vague directions, I find what seems to be the appropriate trailhead as the road ends at a bridge over Dry Creek. Although there are posted warnings of vehicle prohibitions and closure dates on the locked gate, there are no marking indicating that this might be a good place to hike. No other humans are in evidence, either.
But my guide book says that this is a somewhat special place featuring a pair of waterfalls, so off I go, hoping not to disturb any nesting mountain lions along the way. I hear distant booming sounds behind me; doubtless they are emanating from Beale Air Force Base just west of here.
The first few hundred yards of trail utilize Old Spenceville Road; then a path veers off to the right. It soon becomes abundantly clear that livestock frequents this area.
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| Easy going at first | Heading into the thicket |
Dry Creek is not so dry
Just ahead I find a grassy area featuring three different varieties of pink flower.
Common Heronsbill
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| Longbeak Storksbill | Dovesfoot Cranesbill |
Stork's Bill, Crane's Bill, Heron's Bill — they're all geraniums at heart, which explains why they hang out together. Up ahead are several relatively rough sections of trail, including a spot where it is necessary to squeeze between the branches of a fallen tree while taking care to avoid some poison oak.
Just past that point the trail follows another old road. My appearance here sends a dozen cows scurrying to safety.
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| The roughest spot on the trail | A bovine encounter |
Next ahead is a pretty section of creek; beside it is a nice little patch of warm sand, inviting me to stop for a breather.
Rest stop
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| Tree fungus | Miner's Lettuce |
Another few minutes of walking brings me within sight of the lower falls. It is necessary to continue up the trail a ways, then scramble down among the rocks, for a full view.
Lower Shingle Falls, 29'
Some more new flower types adorn the pathway as I continue toward the next attraction.
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| Blue Dicks | I have yet to identify this guy |
The falls are beautiful! What a pleasant treat to discover in this otherwise unremarkable section of the foothills. The top of the cliff is fenced for quite a stretch, presumably in order to prevent stupid people from hurting themselves.
Fairy Falls, 47'
Most topographic maps show this as Shingle Falls; but I prefer the more colorful original name.
The trail winds ever upward through the poppy patches; our state flower finally has made its 2009 appearance. At the cliff top is a pile of old mining equipment.
California Poppies
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| Remnants of another era | Photogenic rock |
From here there is supposed to be a loop option. I head down the obvious path, ignoring several others. My route traverses the green hillsides well away from the creek, never going downhill and seemingly taking me too far north. As I consider simply heading straight down the grassy hill, Old Spenceville Road reappears. Eureka! I turn left on it back toward the creek.
This route should go straight back to the trailhead
Error! This is not the right way to go. Within ten minutes I find myself back amidst that herd of skittish cows; but I'm not about to retrace my steps now. Locating the original creekside route, within twenty minutes I am back at the trailhead. Along the way I startle a bald eagle who flies away, leaving behind a foul-smelling something or other that he must have brought here after I passed through earlier.
It is 73 degrees by now at about 3 p.m., which is plenty warm enough, especially in this humidity. I used up most of my water on this relatively short but very pleasant walk. Within a month or so it will be too hot to come here at all.
On the drive home I take time to photograph the reservoir as well as some flowers beside the road.
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| Camp Far West Reservoir | Redmaids |
§: Ted's Tip: If Dry Creek actually is dry at the trailhead, don't bother
with this hike. No water = no falls = no fun.
Spenceville Wildlife Area
Shingle Falls
Fairy Falls