Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 04/07/2009 07:32 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 04/08/2009 12:06 AM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
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The Springtime Glory of Glory Hole...Poppy-lation: billions!~By the PineTree Pedaler, Brett Loring
Beholding the golden glory of Glory Hole at this time of year is an incredible sight! Although my previous trail times on this path have been via mountain bike, it was a whole new perspective to casually hike along and be able to stop and smell the flowers so to speak. From poppies to lupine, butterflies to bumblebees, the palate of colors and contrasts is a sight to see, but just for a short time. Likely, Glory Hole was named for the metallic mother lode sought there in Gold Rush times, but the floral bounty is just as rich. The.....
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accompanying photos are from last Sunday, March 29. So get out soon on the next sunny occasion with some sunscreen, a water bottle and snack. Once the grasses grow taller take a stick to “sweep” the path and watch for snakes, I skidded to a stop before I almost “fat-tired” a sun-basking rattler a few years ago here. Take a camera and capture some shots of the glory of Glory Hole.
Classified “moderate,” the hike from the Buck Brush Day Use Area parking lot at Glory Hole takes you on a round-trip loop through fields of gold and views to behold in about an hour at a casual pace. Enter the Glory Hole Recreation Area at Glory Hole Road just south of Angels Camp on the west side of Highway 49 at New Melones Reservoir. You can grab a last-minute snack or fishing gear at the convenience store right there on the highway. Drive in past the ranger booth, staying to the right. Follow the signs to Buck Brush where you can park, picnic and use the restroom. The trailhead is at the north end of the lot. You’ll make the full 2-plus mile circuit hiking back to your starting point along the road you drove in on.
On a bike you will be able to cover more territory in less time and will thus be able to explore more of the unique area, venturing out toward Carson Creek and the peninsulas whose length vary with the level of New Melones Reservoir. You’ll find some “ridge riding” and will encounter some technical switchbacks that prompt the average rider to hop off rather than try to navigate hair-pin turns and risk a nose-dive over the edge or into the abundant poison oak on the trailside. In any season, even from the saddle, you’ll notice subtle signs of the diverse flora and fauna. I have come across “big cat” scat, owl pellets, and some cool geological features and tree formations worthy of snapshots.
Glory Hole offers fishing, biking, camping, boating, and group activity areas. For specifics about facilities and camping, see the website: www.recreation.gov/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=74080
by Columnist, ThePineTree Pedaler, Brett Loring
If you have ride thoughts, suggestions, ideas, feel free to e-mail me at brett@thepinetree.net
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