Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
before arriving in Buckskin Flat Camp (7.4 miles, 1580'). Marked by a sign, the
riverside site sits atop a grassy flat. There is no table or cooking grate.
In fall, leaves bearing deep hues of yellow, orange, and red blanket the forest
floor and surface pools. It's the perfect season to hike the river, as water levels remain
low and you can boulder-hop its course with ease.
AUTUMN COLORS EXPLAINED
Every autumn, brilliant hues paint the canyon floor along the Carmel River. Many
changes occur in the leaf of a deciduous tree before it falls from the branch. The pro-
cess begins in the abscission layer, where the leaf and stem connect.
In fall, plant hormones respond to diminished daylight, swelling the cells of
the abscission layer and forming a cork-like material that gradually cuts off flow
between the leaf and the tree. Deprived of water and nutrients, the leaves stop pro-
ducing green-hued chlorophyll and other colors become visible. Oranges come from
carotene, yellows from xanthophyll, bright reds and purples from anthocyanin, and
browns from tannins. As the abscission layer continues to swell, the cells disintegrate
until the leaf either falls or is blown from the tree.
The process is an energy-saving strategy. Without their leaves, trees are able to
go dormant in the winter. Other than limited root growth, their biological processes
come to a temporary halt.
SIDE TRIP
Although Round Rock Camp is not the most ideal backcountry camp, the gorge in
which it rests is among the most beautiful in the Santa Lucia Range. The 0.6-mile
Round Rock Camp Trail leads to the canyon floor, where the swift river plunges from
pool to pool, carving its deep path between massive smooth granite walls.
From the junction, descend 0.2 mile to the river and make your way down-
stream 50 feet. Be mindful of slippery boulders and poison oak, which recoils in the
fissures. The sounds of cascading water echo up from the gorge below. Enjoy the
solitude as you take a bracing dip in the headwaters of the Carmel River.
You'll cross the river to a small grassy terrace and unofficial camp-
site—actually, more picturesque than camp proper. The trail climbs 0.2 mile, then
descends south past riverside tangles of blackberry and poison oak. The overgrown
yet established trail crosses the river just downstream from an enormous boulder,
perhaps Round Rock itself, which looms over a shallow wading pool. A couple hun-
dred feet later you'll reach Round Rock Camp (10.2 miles, 1920'), with a table and
room enough for up to a dozen small tents atop a grassy terrace.
Past Buckskin Flat Camp, you'll climb 0.3 mile to a small ridge, then return to
the river's edge for a gradual ascent that at times feels more like a continual wade.
The trail launches into another series of river fords, crisscrossing through mats of
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