Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hikers must climb a steep yet scenic private road before meeting the remote and lightly
traveled DeAngulo Trail.
Continue climbing the steep, shady canyon to more open slopes and cross a junc-
tion with a dirt road. The trail switchbacks up a grassy ravine, climbing toward a large
ponderosa pine draped with vine-like poison oak (2.3 miles, 2080'). Follow a trail
sign left past a private road and stroll beneath a canopy of madrones, live oaks, bays,
tanoaks, and pines to a
junction
(2.4 miles, 2170') marked by a conspicuous pine.
Avoid the abandoned road, which leads to a gully lined in poison oak. Instead,
switchback right into a small grove of young pines. A minute farther the trail turns
left and merges with an
old tractor path
(2.5 miles, 2240'). Head north 60 yards, then
follow the next trail sign uphill to the right.
Leaving the roadbed, you'll climb past arid yuccas, which sport brilliant cream
flowers on large stalks in early summer, and toyons, which produce vibrant red berries
in winter. In spring, lupines, poppies, owl's clover, and baby blue eyes blanket these
steep slopes. The trail climbs steadily along switchbacks to an oak-clad knoll (3 miles,
279') between
Torre
and
Partington Canyons
. Take a break and enjoy the views, as
the trail continues on an extremely steep grade (about 30%) along bulldozer tracks
forged during the 1985 Rat Creek Fire.
On loose rubble, you'll climb a dry wash straight up
Partington Ridge
past
drought-tolerant ceanothus, scrub oaks, and yuccas. The trail passes an abandoned
road (3.2 miles, 3140') on your left and continues a minute farther to a trail junction.
Turn left here for a moderate, quarter-mile climb along grasslands past scattered pine
and oak woodlands to
Coast Ridge Road
(3.5 miles, 3520'). If you miss the spur trail,
the bulldozed wash also reaches the road along a shorter albeit more strenuous route.
From here you can either head back the way you came or continue along the road.
If you turn right and hike 0.7 mile to
Cold Spring Road,
then turn left and hike 0.6
mile, you'll reach
Cold Spring Camp.
If you turn left, the road leads 8.8 miles to
the
Ventana Inn
on Highway 1 (see
TRIP 60 Highway 1 to Terrace Creek Camp
)
.
Whatever you decide, enjoy the solitude and spectacular views along this lonely rid-
getop.
