Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Bikepacking in Henry Coe State Park / Day 3: Pacheco Camp to Paradise Lake by bicycle, Henry Coe State Park 34
Today I ride over a couple of ridges to Paradise Lake in the northeastern part of Henry Coe State Park at the Orestimba Wilderness. I'll camp there for the next three nights. The temperature reaches the high 90s. 11.1 bicycle miles.
I visited Paradise Lake briefly during a day hike on my Henry Coe 2007 trip and decided that I'd like to return one day and camp there.
I don't really want to leave Pacheco Camp, but today is the day that I ride to Paradise Lake to camp there for a few nights
Packed up, the 10-ton bike and I leave Pacheco Camp and stop near the Pacheco Spring tub on the way out
My energy is high this morning and I quickly climb the 3/4 mile up to Pacheco Ridge in about 15 minutes, without a warm-up
The next stage of Coit Road is the short drop down to Mississippi Creek; this only takes a few minutes
Coit Road crosses the dry, rocky stream bed of Mississippi Creek at the bottom of the canyon
I take on the final climb up Coit Road to County Line Road on the ridge above
I take a short break in the hot sun at the top of Coit Road where it ends at County Line Road
I wander around the junction of Coit Road and County Line Road and take in the fine views
I look down across the Orestimba Wilderness through some burned chamise skeletons from last year's brush fire
The switchbacks down County Line Road from Coit Road to Orestimba Creek make for a fun downhill
A few minutes later, the 10-ton bike and I find ourselves at the bottom of County Line Road
After a mile, I reach the old Orestimba Corral and stop at the picnic table for a Clif-bar-and-water break
During a short walk around the Orestimba Corral area, I stumble across a deflated "happy birthday" balloon
I get back on the bike and continue down Orestimba Creek Road, which often avoids the creek by winding up and down nearby hills
Accumulations of slippery, silky dust along Orestimba Creek Road at this time of year can be treacherous for bicyclists
A small stream crossing along Orestimba Creek Road
Another dry creek crossing along Orestimba Creek Road
A lot of brickellbush grows in the dry, gravelly Orestimba Creek stream bed
Orestimba Creek Road stays down in the dry creek bed after a while, as I get closer to Red Creek Road
I ride a mile up Red Creek Road across Paradise Flat, one of the only flat areas in Henry Coe State Park, and I feel hotter
Arrival at Paradise Lake
I ride across the dam to the other side of Paradise Lake, where I remember there being two campsites
I claim the campsite north of the dam right next to Paradise Lake
I saw a lot of dragonflies buzzing around the plants along the dam, and here's one resting on a plant at my campsite
After setting up camp and taking a rest inside the tent, it's time to filter some water from Paradise Lake
Since it's even hotter inside the tent than outside in the sun, I decide to go for a short loop walk around Paradise Lake
I find a comfortable spot along the lake to sit and absorb the peacefulness of the area for a few minutes
Postcard-suitable photo of the north end of Paradise Lake, Henry Coe State Park
At the north end of Paradise Lake, I cross the drainage area to get to the other side of the lake
Many stachys plants populate the moist edges of the lake and there are even a few red monkey flowers for the hummingbirds
I sit down for a few minutes in a semi-shady spot next to some squirrel holes in the side of the hill
My next break stop: I wait for the sun to stop shining on my tent by sitting in the shade of a nearby oak
Almost, almost... the sun is going down behind the hill and my tent is almost out of direct sun now
There we go, the sun dips down behind the hill, so no more hot sun baking my tent