Sawmill via North Fork Lockwood Trail

[David R]

There aren't too many trails near where I live that I haven't hiked. The Los Padres is really the area that I can still say that I can explore. The problem is most of it is lower elevation and it gets really hot for much of the year. The only area that allows you to escape the heat is the Mt. Pinos area and even that can get warm. I go up here regularly and hike the ridge and the four peaks Pinos, Sawmill, Grouse and Cerro Noroeste aka Abel. This route has become a bit tiresome so I looked for another route. The North Fork looked like the right option as it allows another way to access the ridge and is a more traditional trail, in it starts from the valley and from there you need to ascend to the ridge versus the more commonly used trail that starts on the ridge itself.

The trail begins in front of a Boy Scout Camp in the Lockwood Valley. You follow a paved road into the camp and learn all about Boy Scouts qualities as they have signs showing those adjectives. If the gate is closed you can enter on the side. As the paved road ends, continue up canyon on a dirt road. This section last for a little over two miles and is kind of boring but there are some interesting rock formations. There is no longer a sign telling you where the trail begins. Fortunately if you pass the junction which makes a sharp right off the road, the road only goes another 50 yards or so before it ends. You can continue up a narrow canyon for another 50 yards and see a nice waterfall in the spring. The waterfall was flowing nicely when we were there. We missed the trail turnoff and retraced our steps and found the obscure turn. The trail climbs very steeply to get over the waterfall with some nice drop-offs and minimal vegetation. Once over the falls, you drop back down into a narrow canyon which is quite delightful when it is flowing like it was yesterday. After about a half mile, the canyon begins widening and you come to Lily Meadows which is a camping site and there was one person there with his doggo. He enthused how nobody had come up the whole weekend other than two backpackers who camped further up.

The area from Lily Meadows to the top is delightful with a park like feel similar to Mt. Waterman. The trail continues to follow the creek upstream at a very moderate incline. There was tons of flowers blooming making the ground cover colorful. You reach a fork and continue up the right tributary as the canyon tightens up. Finally the moment of reckoning comes and you switchback up to the ridge and start a no nonsense climb up the ridge to Sheep Camp. The trail reminds me of Baldy from the Village as the trail just goes straight up the ridge. Fortunately it is only about two miles of this and then you drop back down into the top of the tributary where Sheep Camp is located on the other side. This camp has massive trees and a water spring that was flowing nicely. We met a dude who had hiked along the ridge trail who was just sitting on a stump and staring.

We continued up and finally connected to the ridge trail coming from Pinos. I elected to go to Sawmill as it has the most expansive views. We made a right and climbed up the remainder of Sawmill's flank and were finally at the top with the massive duck that is there. The views were a bit hazy but still impressive into the Central Valley. We headed back down met two other hikers on the main trail. We started back down the North Fork trail and dang it if that guy was still sitting in the same place just looking out at things. A full hour had elapsed so I assume he must still be there to today. You meet a lot of interesting people when hiking. The hike back down was steep and you appreciated the ascent even more. By the time we got back to Lily Springs it was hot and you felt it. The final two miles along the dirt road were unpleasant but manageable. The season for doing this hike unless you start very early is already closing unfortunately but in the right season it is a great hike. We were the only day hikers that day on the trail, in the San Gabes this trail would've been overrun and the tree cover is delightful and so healthy which nowadays is a notable occurrence with all the fires.

The hike was about 14 miles with 3,800 elevation gain in 6 hours. No I did not take any pictures other then the waterfall which doesn't do it justice. Also kudos to the Boy Scouts who regularly maintain this rarely used trail and keep it in such good shape. There was one section of trail that had completely been wiped out with the most recent rains and they repaired this section very nicely.

[Girl Hiker]

No pictures? Then it didn't happen.

[dima]

Thanks for doing that, David. I've hiked the ridge before, which felt out there. And the little trail coming in from the South looked like it would be even more out there, and I was wondering what it was like, and who was maintaining it. You answered all my questions, and I want to go check it out for myself now.

[Uncle Rico]

I've been wanting to do this route for a while now. Sounds cool.

I've heard there are some illegal grow sites south-westish of Lilly Meadows. ?