Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A broad marine terrace, which gave Pacific Valley its name, rises above the rocky shoreline
and below the Prewitt Loop Trail.
The grade eases as you contour past three small dry gullies fringed with slender
redwoods, live oaks, and bays. Climbing to grassy slopes studded with mature live
oaks, the trail reaches the Prewitt Creek headwaters and crosses two small gullies 50
feet apart (2.6 miles, 1420'). Past the second gully, you'll switchback southeast to an
easily missed spur
junction
(2.7 miles, 1530'). This spur doglegs left and climbs 150
yards to a dramatic overlook.
Past the spur, the main trail meanders through oak and pine woodlands populated
by busy acorn woodpeckers, which store acorns to feed grubs they will later devour.
Cross three prominent gullies (dry in all but heavy rain) to a stand of sycamores amid
a fourth gully (3.8 miles, 1650'). Easily identified by mottled cream-and-white bark
that resembles a jigsaw puzzle, the sycamores offer a place to picnic and enjoy canyon
views. If you'd prefer a shadier spot with a picnic table, continue 0.3 mile to Stag
Camp.
LUCKY COWS OR SPACE HOGS?
Gazing across the coastal terrace and lush grasslands at Pacific Valley, you may well
wonder, “How lucky can a cow be?” Local cattle ranchers also feel pretty lucky,
since they pay nearly a tenth of the market rate to graze each head of cattle on pub-
lic vs. private lands. In 2004, the Forest Service charged allotment holders a measly
$1.43 per AUM (animal unit month) for running cattle on the public land. Market
rates on private land range from $12.50 to $15 per AUM. Cheap rent and a spectac-
ular view—something to moo about.
However, all those happy hooves inflict a toll on the land. Cows graze native
flora and fauna, trample delicate riparian zones, gouge and erode unstable slopes, and
disperse seeds of invasive nonnative plants. They also disturb complex ecosystems
by eating blooms that sustain butterflies, insects, and birds, in turn affecting predat-
ors further up the food chain.
Burger, anyone?
A minute past the sycamore-lined gully, the trail passes a piped spring where wa-
ter spills into a manmade trough. This is the most reliable water till you reach the
South Fork
headwaters, 6.8 miles from the trailhead. Many animals use this spring.
Look for the tracks and scat of such species as coyotes, bobcats, gray foxes, and the
occasional mountain lion.
Continue climbing past grassy slopes that in spring burst with decadent displays
of lupines, shooting stars, and California poppies. The trail dips through a minor gully
past ancient oaks nearly 4 feet in diameter, then bends south and leads straight to
Stag
Camp
(4.1 miles, 1760'). In the shade of sprawling tanoaks and bays, the lone site
