Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Bikepacking in Henry Coe State Park / Day 5: Mountain-bike ride up Red Creek Road to Upper San Antonio Valley and back from Paradise Lake 46
Red Creek Road is far away, but offers a bit of everything for the mountain-biker who can make it this far, except single-track: grasslands across Paradise Flat; dry (in summer), rocky creek riding where the trail disappears; a bit of shade around Hatch Spring; and a fire-road climb toward San Antonio Valley with awesome views.
Red Creek Road is a "cherry-stem road" into the Orestimba Wilderness. This means that the road is not in the Wilderness, but that the land on both sides of the road *is* in the Wilderness, where mechanized travel such as bicycles are not allowed.
Despite being on the brink of heat-exhaustion much of the day, today turns out to be a highlight of my trip, despite the heat. 21.3 bicycle miles.
Another blazing-hot morning at Paradise Lake, Henry Coe State Park
I've packed up the bike for a mountain-bike ride up to the top of Red Creek Road
On my way out of Paradise Lake, I stop by the dam and pump six litres of water for the day
I follow the road across the west end of Paradise Flat and then dip down into Red Creek
Red Creek Road turns out to be a lesser road than I was expecting
It's a slow bumpy ride and it's fun to try to follow old tire tracks in the grass and stay on the "road"
I take a break at the junction of Robison Creek Trail; I'm almost four miles from Paradise Lake now on another hot, sweaty day
Suddenly, the lost trail in a dry grassy creek bed becomes a well-graded fire road that rises up a hill
On the way up the hill, I reach a fallen oak that blocks the road
Looking back at part of the little climb here out of the Red Creek canyon
I stop for a map check to see if I'm getting close to Hatch Spring yet
The road drops back down to dry Red Creek
Ooo, a California fuschia in bloom!
I reach this muddy area on Red Creek Road and figure that this must be water coming down the hill from Hatch Spring
Some very healthy wild roses grow by this moist spot on Red Creek Road
Just beyond the muddy area, I come to a small puddle and stream on the road
A half-mile later, Red Creek Road switchbacks 180 degrees and quits the canyon for good
In no time at all, I find myself looking down at the lower part of Red Creek Road where I came from
The constant incline isn't all that steep
The views keep getting better as I climb up Red Creek Road
I spot an interesting feature: a little cabin, probably privately owned, on the other side of the canyon
Finally, hiding in the "shade" of a few chamise bushes, I get enough of a signal to make a call on my cell phone
The views and solitude up here on the ridge are so amazing, making the effort to get here worthwhile
The road rolls along the ridgetop for half a mile or so
I get my first view toward the north, above Upper San Antonio Valley
Red Creek Road now descends a brief downhill into the Upper San Antonio Valley
The road I can see from here is on private property outside the Park, but is a piece of County Line Road
Red Creek Road merges with a piece of County Line Road, but is then blocked shortly afterward by a private-property gate
I go for a short walk over to the middle of Upper San Antonio Valley
I check out a dry water hole in the middle of Upper San Antonio Valley and then decide to begin the trek back to Paradise Lake
I walk back to the road and and begin the short ride back up to the summit of Red Creek Road
The gentle rollers along the top of the ridge here at about 2400 feet are fun to ride, even in the heat
As I begin the big two-mile downhill, I'm reminded why I bother putting so much effort into reaching high places by human power
On the way back down to Red Creek, I come across a view of switchbacks that I will coast down in a few minutes
OK, I'm almost down at the bottom of the hill and I can see bits of dry Red Creek down in the canyon below
After a half-mile in the lower part of Red Creek Road, I pull over when I reach Hatch Spring and go for a short walk
I walk a short distance up the stream below Hatch Spring to look for the best place to filter some water
The stream coming down from Hatch Spring is small, but clean
After pumping water at the stream from Hatch Spring, I enjoy the rise of the recently graded road above dry Red Creek
Of course, what comes up must come down, and Red Creek Road drops back down to the dry stream bed
It's such a treat to have a bit of shade at the end of a really hot day
A half-mile rise out of the canyon, and then a ride across Paradise Flat back to the lake...
A fire-like reflection in the water greets me as I ride down the hill to Paradise Lake
Back at the tent, the first thing to do is wipe myself down and get rid of some of the salt and sunscreen residue on my skin
And it's definitely time to put on a clean pair of socks
Supper tonight is Mountain House Chicken and Rice, a flavourful and oily 800-calorie "meal for two"