Live Oak Springs Trail

[The Ghost]

Has any one attempted this trail in the last few years? Believe the trail # is 4EO3 on some maps. The National Monument Map shows it as unmaintained.

Hiked down to Live Oak Springs this past week and beyond the springs everything looks overgrown with no trail visable. Have hiked up from Palm Canyon to the Rockhouse Cabin numerous times so we are familier with the area. Just wondering if it is possible to hike from the Springs to the Cabin and beyond.

Water flow at the Sprigns was excellent and Cell Phone Reception unbelieveable in such a remote hidden spot.

[Andy]

Hi Ghost,

I don't really have much to add other than last year I hiked about a mile or so past Live Oak spring and the trail had been cleared very nicely. I honestly cant remember if we turned around when the maintained trail withered out, or if it was just late in the day. Either way, there's easy to follow trail at least a mile down canyon from Live Oak spring.

[The Ghost]

Thanks for the reply Andy.

Interesting that the trail was cleared. With all of that water flowing it was a jungle right below the facuet where we looked for the start of the trail. Is that where you found the start?

Also do you remember if there was a lot of vegatation in that mile below the spring or did things clear out quickly?

Any info helps!

[Hikin_Jim]

I can say that as of about a week ago the trail down from the PCT was well marked and obviously well used.


I think though that you just want info on the area below the spring which I don't have.

Sorry.

HJ

[The Ghost]

You are right Jim.

Need info on the trail below the spring.

The 1 mile trail to the Spring from the PCT was well used and well maintained. Obivously a lot PCT thru hikers use Live Oak as a water supply and overnite stop.

Thanks anyway and thanks for the picture.

[Andy]

If I recall, from the spring (tub) we made our way down stream, pretty much IN the running water for the first 50 feet or so....not the clearest marked trail, especially with all the cattle traffic. I'm certain though if you poked around on the other side of the fence, down stream from the tub you'd find it pretty quick. From the fresh cuts on the branches, my guess is that it was cleared around the fall of 2011. There was some pretty good brush, trees and dead-fall cleared away from the trail....and all piled along side it.

[KathyW]

I did a little bit of that trail starting at Hidden Falls last year. I was able to follow the trail pretty good for a while, but then I lost it and gave up because I didn't have time to keep going and still make it back out to Hwy 74 at a reasonable hour. I'd like to go back and try do find some more of the trail when the weather is cooler.

Here's some pics and a map showing how far I got:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California ... &k=Mf5KCw6

[The Ghost]

Kathy,

Congradulations on finding and going as far as you did on a very overgrown trail. All I can add is that in about another mile from where you stopped there are some interesting sites, including large grinding holes.

By the way the South portion of the Live Oak Canyon trail is even harder to find and follow, but still worth checking out.

Some beautiful, intriguing country up there.

The Ghost

[halhiker]

Haven't been to the cabin in maybe 20 years but love that area. I'd love to know what the trail looks like when you get out there.

I've driven to Tunnel Springs and dayhiked it before because it's a haul from Hwy. 74 to do as a dayhike.

[whitebark]

Ten years ago, I did a multi-day backpack from the upper tram station to La Quinta. As a part of the route I followed the trail below Live Oak Springs on the way to Palm Canyon and the Pinyon Pines Trail. I recall the trail was quite brushy in the canyon. The trail pretty much disappeared where the terrain opened up about a half mile below Live Oak Springs at about 4800', but cross country travel was not hard. I was trying to follow the westbound branch of the trail as shown on the topo map. At a saddle at about 4100 feet I found the faint old trail again and was able to follow it down to Palm Canyon. Fun times...