The biped bikers and hikers all had smiles and “Happy New Year’s” greetings. The plants had more colorful things to say:

Wishbone flower (Mirabilis californica) at Santiago Oaks 1.1.12

California aster along the Mountain Goat trail

To soar over the ridges of Orange County’s foothills . . .

While I may not get airborn, running barefoot along the trails sure feels like flying to me. Today I lasted over and hour and a half–I’m starting to think I might be able to enjoy a half-marathon this year. The only drawback lately has been landing a bit too often on rock chunks. Either my “radar” is down, or I’m just getting cocky and careless as I flit ecstatically along with no knee pain. Or maybe the odds just aren’t in my favor–the ratio of rocks on the trail is . . .  lots and lots.

Soaring over Barham Ridge

This next photo might not do the air temperature justice–high 70s . . . the best kind of weather for barefoot running (as opposed to the worst: chilly enough to make my toes go numb, below 50).

A warm winter afternoon

It’s been almost too warm, if there is such a thing in the middle of winter. Little December rain means the hopeful annuals sprouting along the trail–both non-native grass and native wildflowers–are already fading.

Fading early grass; waiting for rain

Running the Deer Trail at Santiago Oaks in the late afternoon made me think of the phrase “crepuscular gully.”  I’ve often seen deer here as the day fades, but not today.

Looking southeast toward the mouth of Weir Canyon

A year ago on New Year’s Day I had a long encounter with a bobcat on the trail . . . I was hoping for the same again today, but I had such a great run it was OK I didn’t.

Last week, though, I was pleased to “run into” a roadrunner and coyote one afternoon–both fairly rare sightings in the Irvine Park/Santiago Oaks trail network where I spend so many miles a week.  And, of course, my “bucket list” animal encounter is a mountain lion . . . although if I do come across one, it might be the end of my bucket list . . .

Happy Trails 2012–I’m hoping for many painfree barefoot miles.

Latin name: Heteromeles arbutifolia.

“Toyon” is the English version of the Spanish “tollon,” from the Greek “tolon.”

Some Chumashan language names:  qwe’, ch’okoko, chmishi.

Native people eat the fruits raw, cooked, or cooked-and-dried. The very hard wood works well to make arrows for bow hunting.

This shrub is found only in California (although it has been known to transgress map lines.) Besides the above names, legend has it that a common name, California holly, was the origin of the place name “Hollywood.”

More local lore: in the 1920s, so many people were cutting so many branches of this plant to decorate for the Christmas holidays that Los Angeles had to pass a law to limit the deforestation. Here’s a shot from a recent twilight hike at Santiago Oaks Regional Park, where many of the toyon shrubs are heavy with fruit right now.

Toyon berries (actually pomes) at Santiago Oaks Regional Park

After a recent rain, the toyon in my yard were shining like Christmas ornaments:

Toyon fruit after rain

Also still in bloom in my backyard native plant paradise . . . California fuchsia (Epilobium canum).

California fuchsia after rain

And one more November red photo from Santiago Oaks:

Poison oak in its crimson fall glory

The last November red from a recent hike at Santiago Oaks:

Santiago Creek warning sign

But how else am I supposed to get across?

Crossing Santiago Creek

(The last two photos are a bit blurry–a reminder to remember to change the camera’s macro setting when not shooting close-ups. . . )

Ascending the Windes Trail, Santiago Oaks Regional Park

View from the top of the Pacifica Trail

Windes and Pacifica Loop Trails (Santiago Oaks Regional Park)

• Location: Northeastern Orange County, east of the city of Orange.  From route 55, take Katella east (it becomes Villa Park Road and then Santiago Canyon Road) for three miles to Windes Drive.  Go left on Windes and follow it for about 3/4 of a mile into the park (the road is narrow and has a lot of sharp turns, so be careful).  The parking fee is $3 for the day, or $5 on weekends and $7 on holidays.
• Agency: Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Distance:  0.8 miles
• Elevation gain:  350 feet
• Difficulty Rating: G
• Suggested time:  30 minutes
• Best season: All year
• USGS topo maps: Orange
• More information: here; park map here; Everytrail report here
• Rating: 5

Last week's barefoot dustprints

Today's barefoot mudprints

Lately I’ve come across more than one mountain biker or hiker who has told me, “Oh, so you’re the one making the bare-foot-prints.”

Yep. I am: the perpetrator of shoeless tracks in the hills of East Orange.

Or, as I learned from a group of students I met this morning on the trail outside of Irvine Regional Park . . . I’m leaving signs that a “wild human” was in the area.

After this morning’s fun 90-minute walk/run–a loop from Irvine Park, up and over Barham Ridge, down through Santiago Oaks Regional Park, and back to Irvine Park again–I had been cooling down, was almost to my car, just walking . . .

Walking, that is, until I came to a group of young people and two adults who were all staring into a twenty-foot long puddle along the side of the trail. Immediately my walking morphed into my best showing-off-barefoot trot–straight through the puddle.

I think I yelled out some kind of barefoot propaganda like, “Lose the shoes, kids,” as I splashed past–before I heard a voice say, “Is that you, Thea?”

It was Mark Hay of Coast Live Oak School–we’d met a few weeks ago at a remarkable demonstration of native Tongva ways by Craig Torres of Santa Ana (and sponsored by the city of Santa Ana and Back to Natives Restoration).

Busted.

Mark told me how, when he and his students came across shoeless tracks on the trails, they noted this as a sign that a “wild human” had been through the area . . . I only hope I can live up to this title.

What really made my day, though: I heard a young voice behind me, as I headed off down the trail, asking, “Can I take my shoes off and run through the mud?”

I hope the answer was “yes!”

The rewards of trail running barefoot: spa time

The latest in barefoot running shoes

In other news: I came across this still-twitching (but almost dead) lizard today on the way up Barham Ridge. I’m pretty sure it was not squashed by someone out hiking without shoes on . . .

A casualty on the trail

I would also like to give a shout out to the wedding coordinator, my dear friend Regina Bunye, for her amazing work pulling the day together. She did a great job organizing and keeping the day running smoothly!

The gorgeous flowers were done by the talented Roger’s Gardens. From the gazebo decor to the bouquet and boutonnieres, everything was beautiful and impeccably detailed.

Usually tarantulas are pretty docile creatures . . . but this one was big, with an attitude to match, and he even went a little Charlie Sheen on me, jumping at my big toe. Get outta my face, human!

I had another beautiful critter run-in in early July, on the ridges of Santiago Oaks Regional Park, with this silver ribbon of kingsnake shining in the late slanting light:

Would you like to pose with my toes, Mr. Kingsnake?

Guess not.

He made snake tracks out of there . . . leaving behind swoopy snake cursive as beautiful as the muscled artist who wrote these lines.

So I made tracks too . . .

Around this time last year, June 19 to be exact, the hubby and I were hitched!  Here’s a peak at our wedding and some of the DIY details that made our day special, courtesy of the wonderful (newly wedds) Christian and Kelly over at Kaysen Photography:

You can also check out the amazing video our friend made for us below or at Vimeo here.

Tiffany + Ryan from Maicol Chavez on Vimeo.

Plus, take a look at this drool-worthy vintage-rustic DIY wedding that took place here in Southern California at the private field of Parker Ranch in Trabuco Canyon.   It just so happens to be the wedding of an acquaintance of mine and I really wish I had gotten married a few months after her (not a few months before) so I could have used her wedding as my inspiration!  Check out all the photos and the whole story from Style Me Pretty here.

Are you getting married this summer and need or have some great tips? What is your dream wedding?

Two coast horned lizards crossed our path on the Sand Trap Trail . . . one stuck around for a photo op.

Hmmm . . . when does a hobby (photographing my bare feet with wild critters) cross the line into an obsession?

Moving along . . . there were fabulous patches of Splendid Mariposa Lily (Calochortus splendens) all over Limestone Canyon–hundreds of them swaying in the late spring breeze, with a frequent dance partner being Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum).

Other spring displays included prickly pear–this one home to some kind of assassin bug?

Destination: Dripping Springs–full of peace and quiet and poison oak.

Any feelings of solitude and being-away-from-it-all evaporated under the fierce gaze of the satellite’s eye in the sky that knew exactly where we were:

That was yesterday. Today’s treat: back to my favorite spot, Santiago Oaks Regional Park, for the million-and-tenth time, but for for the first time with my granddaughters (who proved it’s possible to connect to nature wearing adorable dresses).

We practiced identifying poison oak–there was plenty of it along the trail to the historic dam. And Ranger Henry did a great job helping them make plaster casts of cougar and bobcat tracks in the Nature Center–now open weekends, and full of taxidermied wildlife, pelts, feathers . . . all available for little hands to touch and little minds to marvel at . . .

(The above background is a stump blackened back in the March 2007 Windy Ridge Fire.)

Growing in, with, and under the delicate pink cup-blossoms: glowing golden yarrow.

Other notable blooms today: an intermediate mariposa lily (these are rare and endangered) on the Hawk Trail . . .

And papery California everlasting on Bumblebee Trail (west side) . . .

These soft white blossoms show a tiny yellow center when they are further along in their bloom cycle; if you brush them lightly with your hands, you will either smell maple syrup or lemon or ??? (I’ve noticed over the years that different flower clusters have different smells, and even the same flower cluster can evoke a different “smell-metaphor” in the various members of a hiking group.)

The best blooms spotted today on the Mountain Goat switchbacks . . .

a bunch of lively kids clutching water bottles and smiling as they trekked along.

I had passed them down under the oaks, where one little guy offered me a drink, and another asked why I was out running without my shoes. I gave my standard answer: “Because it’s more fun to go barefoot.” This seemed to be a revelation to him, and I heard him start to ask one of the grown-ups in the group if he could remove his shoes . . . of course this made my day . . .

“On the Trail” — my favorite place to be, and now the title of an award-winning painting by Susan Jarecky. OC Parks and SOCALPAPA sponsored a plein air contest called “Paint the Parks” this year, and “On the Trail”  won both the judge’s first place award and the artist’s choice award at the opening reception last night.

Susan Jarecky’s scene is from Irvine Park; many other compelling paintings made at other Orange County parks were on display last night as well, including a couple that were made when I was one of the volunteers assisting with access to Irvine Ranch Conservancy lands.

Here’s one that intrigued me: an interesting interpretation of the mouth of Fremont Canyon by Ron Hill . . .

I love his creative vision of one of my favorite places to wander and write . . . June 2 is my next scheduled writing hike there. It’s free to the public, but registration is required at the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks web site.

A freakish and fabulous late spring downpour this morning made the trails damp and scented like my favorite dirt perfume.  Since I’m only half-running still (recalcitrant back pain, nagging ankle and knee issues–I guess barefoot hiking/running is not a miracle cure after all), the other half of my outings is spent walking and stalking with my trusty little pocket camera (Canon PowerShot SD960 IS).

I almost missed this Coast Patch-nosed Snake paused in the dappled shade of deer weed on the edge of western Bumblebee Trail at Santiago Oaks Regional Park. After I did my “snake double-take” — which usually happens a few steps past– I went back and shot a few photos and a little video (which will one day be spliced into a Cannes-worthy montage of local reptiles).

Then I headed up the trail. Just a few steps. Looked back. Mr. Patch-nose was still there, calmly testing the air with his tongue to see which way his next meal lay. “Picture time!” I thought. Mr. P-N was OK with it.

My mud manicure still looks fresh in the photo…ah, mud…wandering the hills today, I thought more than once of ee cummings’ line: “The world is mud-luscious and puddle wonderful.” It really is…

Along with the trail smooshies, this morning’s rain-burst brought out the sparkle in the wildflowers.

Pink bush mallow.

Yellow and red-orange deer weed.

Web diamonds in the dry grass.

My first intermediate mariposa lily sighting this year…along Barham Ridge.

Like the Coast Patch-nosed Snake, this lily is rare and getting rarer . . . but you can find them right here in Orange County on Barham Ridge, 15 minutes from downtown Orange, one of my favorite places to explore . . .

Then, on my way to the parking lot: this late afternoon view of the cloud-darkened Santa Ana Mountains with the foothills shining green across the Saddleback Valley.

By the time I drove over, the last evening glow was fading  over Santiago Creek at Irvine Park . . .

Since it was the first day of spring, it seemed necessary to make at least one wildflower image before all the light was gone. How convenient: a glowing California Encelia along the creekside trail.

(Actually, the flower is lit by my camera’s flash, somewhat muted with a white handkerchief.)

So much rain this morning at 4:30–along with an intense 15 minutes of close-by lightning strikes and drumming hail. Hours later the garden lettuce was still shielding a secret crop of hail peas in its leaf sheaves.

What a wonderful, wet winter it has been . . . and wildflowers are beginning to respond by scattering color in hidden pockets all over the near hills. Yesterday (out without a camera) I saw a vivid congregation of yellow tidy tips and purple chia bowing in the stiff pre-storm breeze on a ridge at Santiago Oaks Regional Park. A few delicate pink mariposa lilies nodded nearby. Another spot lower down the trail had a handful of goldfields next to popping-red paintbrush.  These flowers seemed all the more wonderful because of their lack of numbers.  And all the more sad, because of their lack of numbers.

There are many reports of the earlier grasslands of California being an absolute carpet of flowers. Now it’s more like a throw rug. Or potholder. Which, I suppose, is better than pavement.

Cue the tune “They Paved Paradise, Put Up A Parking Lot.”

(It seems much of my musing begins in appreciation of what there is, ends in angst at what there isn’t. The same cup, half-full of red diamondback rattlesnakes, or half-empty? That’s still a hissing, squirming cup o’ rattlers . . . cheers . . .)

Of course I had to angle for a shot with my bare hiking feet...

Since the creature never fluttered the whole time I was taking photos, and because its left wing seemed pretty tattered, I started to wonder if it this creature’s breeze-riding days were over. I approached for a closer shot.

That was enough. The handsome Admiral set sail, but then landed a few feet down the trail in the same position: wings open, back to the warm setting sun.

When I got home, it was easy to identify it using Peter Bryant’s amazing web site, Natural History of Orange County. A few clicks and I had Peter’s photos of 71 local Southern California butterfly species to compare with my photos…and I discovered I had come across a Red Admiral.

You’ll have to go to his site to read for yourself about how “friendly” this species is. Pretty cool…

First a shot from July of 2005, for comparison–low water, a green jungle of riparian lushness:

Now yesterday’s view–Santiago Creek rolling a good 20+ feet across still:

The first photo is looking west; the second one east…but my point is–a LOT of water must have ripped, raced, and roared through here last month. The Santiago Creek streambed is scoured of much of its formerly thick riparian growth of mulefat, willow, cottonwood, and sycamore. Check back in a year, a decade, a lifetime–change glides along like a Pacific-storm-swollen stream.

The volume of water right now, weeks after the most recent rain, was still impressive (especially if you’re easily impressed). After an hour of trotting up and down the trails (Mountain Goat to Barham Ridge to Bumblebee to Oak ) barefoot, to be able to soak not just my toes, but almost to my knees, in therapeutically chilly water was fabulous.

What made yesterday’s outing truly memorable, though, was a small herd of four fleet-footed creatures flying shirtlessly up and the down the same trails where I was picking my way through post-rain exposed gravel. I felt inspired, maybe not exactly in a Walt Whitman sort of way–but two of them were “almost” barefoot…

We ran into each other again at the stream crossing by the parking lot–the less-shod ones didn’t seem too flummoxed by my request to take a picture of their feet (and that they ran so fast and free in these expensive-imitation-barefoot-thingies almost made me want to try some too…).

Does 2011 hold a pair of Vibram Five Fingers for me as well?

(I can still see these gazelles in my mind’s eye, floating down the rough downhill trail like it was the plushest of plushy, formaldehyde-out-gassing carpets…was it the shoes?)

On the Barham Ridge Trail in Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Fall colors on the Anaheim Hills trail

Text and photography copyright 2010 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities. The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

ABCD Loop  (Santiago Oaks Regional Park)

• Location: Near Anaheim Hills in northeast Orange County.  From the 91 freeway, take the Weir Canyon exit and drive 0.7 miles south to Serrano.  Take a right on Serrano and drive 2 miles and take a left on Hidden Canyon.  Park at the corner of Overlook.  Alternately, take the Imperial Highway (route 90) exit, head south (right if you are coming from the west, left if from the east), drive about a mile to Nohl Ranch Road, take a left and go to about 3 miles to the end of Nohl Ranch Road, take a left on Serrano and a right on Hidden Canyon.
• Agency: Santiago Oaks Regional Park; Weir Canyon Wilderness Park
• Distance: 3.8 miles
• Elevation gain: 900 feet
• Difficulty Rating: PG
• Suggested time: 2 hours
• Best season: September – June
• USGS topo map:  Orange; Black Star Canyon
• Recommended gear: hiking poles; sun hat
• More information: here;  park map here
• Rating: 5

The ABCD Loop is my nickname for this hike in Santiago Oaks Regional Park.  It’s an acronym for the trails that make up the trip: Anaheim Hills, Barham Ridge, Cactus Canyon and Coachwhip, and Deer.

This route starts from the same location as the Weir Canyon Loop and offers a similar hiking trip in terms of distance, difficulty and scenery.  Head toward Weir Canyon, but instead of left, take a right at the first junction and head downhill.  After passing under some oaks, a short but steep climb brings you to a junction.  Stay straight (following the signs for Santiago Oaks Regional Park) and soon you come to a junction.  The Anaheim Hills trail continues straight (your return route); here you take a left onto the Deer Trail.

The Deer Trail descends into the canyon and then climbs up the other side to meet the Barham Ridge Trail.  Head left, along a ridgeline, with nice views to the southwest, and after half a mile, descend on the Cactus Canyon trail.  This brings you to a four-way junction with the Bumblebee, Yucca Ridge and Coachwhip Trails.  The other Santiago Oaks Regional Park hike I’ve posted (see here for more information) arrives at this exact same point via the Yucca Ridge and Bumblebee Trails.

On this route, however, you take a hard right on the Coachwhip Trail.  This trail briefly explores the bottom of the canyon, with some welcome shade, before beginning a steep and exposed ascent.  This is the most challenging part of the whole route – especially since the trail is prone to erosion and can be difficult to navigate – but it’s over with shortly and you soon arrive back at Barham Ridge.  Take a left, and then head right on the Anaheim Hills trail (the Barham Ridge trail goes straight, toward Robber’s Peak.)  Follow the Anaheim Hills trail half a mile to the junction and continue by retracing your steps back to your starting point.

This is what the berries (technically pomes) look like after passing through a coyote’s digestive tract:

Coyote, as always, knows a good thing when he sees it . . . the first people of California, as well as those who came after, used toyon berries in a variety of ways: fresh, mashed and diluted as a beverage, dried and cooked, or with sugar added for jelly or wine.

The leaves and berries are also useful for dye, and the very hard wood (I have a toyon weed-digging stick that I tried to whittle a chisel end on last week…tough to carve, for sure) was useful to natives for a variety of purposes, including arrows.

How to distinguish toyon from other local native shrubs? The leaves are longer than lemonade berry, and not as sharp/pointed at the end as sugar bush or laurel sumac. (It took me a while to figure this out…I’m not the brightest botanist on the block…)

I took these photos on a hike out of Santiago Oaks Regional Park today…there are more bright berries this year than I’ve ever seen! Merry Christmas, Orange County foothills!

Here’s some lighting up the hillside adjacent to the old ox-cart road through Weir Canyon…Canada de los Bueyes. I’m a ways away, on the Barham Ridge trail, with a tiny camera (Canon PowerShot SD960 IS) trying its best to zoom:

What a fine afternoon for a barefoot hike…the air as warm as skin and perfectly still, like the whole hillside was holding its breath, waiting…

Hills in the El Modena Open Space

Wildflower in the El Modena Open Space

El Modena Open Space

• Location: East end of the city of Orange.  From the 55 freeway, take the Chapman exit and go east for 2 miles.  Take a left on Cannon St. and go 1.3 miles.  Take a left on Patria Court and park on the side of the street.  Alternately, take the 91 freeway to Imperial Highway and drive south for 3.9 miles (Imperial becomes Cannon along the way) and turn right onto Patria Court.
• Agency: Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Distance: 2.4 miles
• Elevation gain: 700 feet
• Difficulty Rating: PG
• Suggested time: 1 1/2 hours
• Best season: All year (hot during the summer)
• USGS topo map: “Orange”
• Recommended guidebook: Afoot and Afield: Orange County
• More information: here
• Rating: 4

The El Modena Open Space is a compact little park where there are trails that offer both good workouts and good views.  As is often the case with hikes that are conveniently located, this trip suffers from the noise of nearby roads (the last mile of the loop is on Cannon Street), but there are a good variety of views, including most of northwest Orange County and the Santa Anas, and on clear days, Catalina, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, downtown L.A., the San Gabriels and even a little bit of the Santa Monica Mountains.

From Patria Court, look for a trail leading south alongside Cannon.  This trail quickly climbs, gaining about 400 feet in less than half a mile.  Along the way, you turn left and climb to the top of the ridge.  Here, you head south, past two trails that branch off toward the left and head down to Cannon.  After descending and climbing up two smaller hills, you reach a clearing, where you get a nice aerial view of the neighborhood below.  This makes a good turnaround point if you don’t want to loop back on the street.

To complete the loop, look for a trail descending steeply on the right, toward a school.  The trail curves around to meet a dirt road that leads back to Cannon St.  Walk the last mile on Cannon, climbing a little and then descending back to your starting point.

While not necessarily a “must do” Orange County hike, the El Modena loop is well worth visiting if you’re in the area.  It’s quick enough that it can be done either before or after work–and both sunsets and sunrises here are very enjoyable.

Text and photography copyright 2012 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities.  By reading this, you agree not to hold the author or publisher of the content on this web site responsible for any injuries or inconveniences that may result from hiking on this trail.  Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

The recent October rains have summoned forth new growth in the hills of Orange County; this image is from the intersection of Mountain Goat and Bumblebee trails in Santiago Oaks Regional Park last week.

OC Parks has a Facebook page, and when I checked in on Oct. 22, I found out that the trails at Santiago Oaks were dry enough for the park to re-open (wet trails are susceptible to damage, so the parks close after rain).

I did find a puddle or two, though.

One of the many pleasures of barefooting on trails is the constant change in texture–right now there’s a wonderful dampness to the clay sections that makes running an earth-scented, spongy delight.

Greater Roadrunner on the appropriately named Roadrunner Trail

On the way back to Irvine Regional Park

Text and photography copyright 2010 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities. The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

Barham Ridge in Irvine Regional Park

• Location: Santa Ana Foothills east of Orange.  From the 55 freeway, take the Chapman Avenue exit and head east for 4.2 miles until you get to Jamboree Road.  Take a left on Jamboree and a right into the park.  From the north, take the Katella Avenue exit from the 55 freeway, head east and drive 4.6 miles to Jamboree and take a left (Katella becomes Villa Park and then Santiago Canyon Road on the way).  Parking is $3 per car on weekdays, $5 on weekends and $7 on holidays.  For access to this hike, park in lot #3.
• Agency: Irvine Regional Park
• Distance: 3.2 miles
• Elevation gain: 500 feet
• Difficulty Rating: PG
• Suggested time: 1.5 hours
• Best season:  All year (hot during the summer)
• USGS topo map:  Orange
• More information:  here
• Rating: 6

Irvine Regional Park, which is home of the Orange County Zoo and the Irvine Railroad, might not look like it has any significant hiking trails.  However, the oldest (1897) park in the Orange County system not only has some nice trails within its borders, but thanks to the Barham Ridge Trail, hikers can access Santiago Oaks Regional Park as well.  It’s kind of like the hiker’s version of Disneyland’s Park Hopper pass.

The mileage and elevation gain listed here is derived from parking in Lot 3, across from the Santiago Creek trailhead, and following the Roadrunner Trail and the Barham Ridge Trail to the top of the ridge dividing the two parks.  (The Barham Ridge trail continues deeper into Santiago Oaks Regional Park, so if you have the time and energy to do so, it’s easy to extend your hike.)

Head up the paved road toward the outdoor education center and take a left on a dirt road.  Almost immediately, you come to a split.  Take the left trail (the right trail gets you to the same location but the left route is more scenic.)   Soon after, look for the Roadrunner Loop Trail branching off to the right.

Follow this single-track for a little over half a mile, through some groves of thick chaparral.  Several smaller trails branch off, but stick with the main route.  Just before you get to the continuation of the dirt road that takes you back to the parking lot (the remaining half of the Roadrunner Loop), look for another dirt road branching off to the left, which passes by an information board.  From the board, follow the signs to the Barham Ridge Trail.

Carefully cross a creek bed and head up toward the ridge.  The trail winds in and out of the canyon, passing some interesting geology and taking in nice views of Irvine Regional Park as it climbs (the first significant up-hill stretch of the trail).

Soon, you come to a split.  The left trail is the true Barham Ridge Trail, but the right path is more interesting.  It continues the ascent, passing by some more geology on clay-red dirt.  The views now are to the north, deeper into the Santa Anas, and before long you arrive at the ridge.  Here you can take in a nice aerial view of Santiago Oaks Regional Park before either heading back or extending your hike as you see fit.

So I thought . . . wouldn’t it be cool to see a deer right now, like in the poem . . . and . . . there they were:  a mama deer and two youngsters, watching me intently from the shelter of a laurel sumac.

Coincidence? Pre-emptive answer to unarticulated prayer? More questions than answers, as always . . .

Here’s a photo, followed by the poem.

Born in the Land

I was born in the land of promiscuous wildflowers

thick between oaks, lichen-bright chaparral

home of the cougar and grizzly bear

plenty for condors to scavenge there

plenty of stories for sisters to tell

grinding bitter acorns up in the canyons

But I was born too late for all of that

the grizzlies are gone, like Tom Thumb Hill

erased to make room for people like me

suckers for crumbs of the golden dream

I was born in the land of vaquero and rancho

and the missions that swallowed so many, so much

home of the Mexican, Spaniard, and gringo

on the lookout for land and more room for their cattle

plenty of stories for sisters to tell

shaping gritty masa for the next fiesta

But I was born too late for all of that

the cattle are gone, though the barbed wire remains

protecting habitat, gnatcatcher, arroyo toad

and the flame-ready fuel of someone’s golden dream

I was born in the land of citrus and promise

Go West for your share of the gold and the sun

and the land advertisements made people crazy

Chicago to L.A. for a buck-and-a-half

plenty of stories for sisters to tell

sorting Valencias on endless conveyor belts

But I was born just in time to discover the hills

or what’s left: camera traps to keep tabs on the cougars

who with me might be watching these curious mule deer

in such warm evening light, like a golden dream

This fuzzy critter was out hiking in the heat yesterday evening also. . . on the “new” lower Barham Ridge Trail between Irvine Park and Santiago Oaks. It’s called a “velvet ant” –and it does indeed look velvety and ant-like — but it’s not an ant at all. As Maxwell Smart would say, “Would you believe . . .  it’s a wingless female wasp of the Multillidae family, Dasymutilla species?”

According to Charles Hogue, in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, “the female stings unhesitatingly.”  (Insert your own punchline here . . . )

Velvet ants come in a variety of colors, too. Look for ones with a red or orange “vestiture of long fine hairs.”

Here’s how it looks in context on the trail:

And of course I had to aim for a photo op . . .

They’ve been draining the considerable amount of water behind the Villa Park Dam for weeks…so, lately, at the end of a hike through Santiago Oaks Regional Park, this is the reward for dusty bare feet: a nice soak in the cool current of Santiago Creek. (I was attempting to do a self-portrait with timer when a friendly family of hikers offered to help out.)

And a poem about these recent photos (shot on late afternoon hikes out of Santiago Oaks . . . )

Another Wholesome Hobby

Instead of posing with celebrities

my bare and dusty hiking feet seek out

photo ops with lizards, shiny beetles

and the hairiest of local tarantulas.

Why I am obsessed with sidling up

to creature stunned (now I’m imagining)

by the smooth pink tootsies looming in their path

is a topic for my shrink. In the meantime

I’ll tote my camera, persistent paparazza

always on the lookout for a rattler.

As seen in the Nobody Hikes in L.A. Guidebook!

Flower on the Bumblebee Trail

Prickly pear cacti on the Bumblebee Trail

Text and photography copyright 2010 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities. The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

Santiago Oaks Regional Park/Robber’s Peak

• Location: Northeastern Orange County, east of the city of Orange.  From route 55, take Katella east (it becomes Villa Park Road and then Santiago Canyon Road) for three miles to Windes Drive.  Go left on Windes and follow it for about 3/4 of a mile into the park (the road is narrow and has a lot of sharp turns, so be careful).  The parking fee is $3 for the day, or $5 on weekends and $7 on holidays (special shout-out to the ranger who let me park for free last Friday when I didn’t have exact change and the machine wouldn’t take my debit card).
• Agency: Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Distance:  4 miles
• Elevation gain:  850 feet
• Difficulty Rating: PG
• Suggested time:  2 hours
• Best season: All year
• USGS topo maps: Orange
• Recommended gear: sun hat; sunblock; hiking poles
• More information: here; park map here.
• Rating: 6

Santiago Oaks Regional Park is an important part of Orange County’s network of hiking trails.  Located almost literally in the center of the county, this park not only has a nice little network of short trails within its boundaries, but longer ones that extend to Irvine Regional Park to the southeast and Weir Canyon to the north.

While some parks have only one or two hiking routes, you can come to SORP many times and never do the exact same trip twice.  On hot days, it’s best to stay in the park’s shaded lower regions, perhaps making a visit to the historic dam or Rinker’s Grove, but on days when you want a little more of an adventure, try the following route out for size.  On paper, it would look a little bit like a figure 8 drawn by someone using their weaker hand.

From the nature center, pick up the Santiago Creek trail and follow it for about half a mile, where the Pony Trail splits off to the right.  Follow the Santiago Creek trail to the left, up a hill, and then pickup the Bobcat Meadow trail.  Take a quick left on the Sage Ridge trail, and then a quick right onto the Grasshopper Trail.

You’ll stay on this trail for a while; it climbs steeply at first but soon gains a ridge, where it provides nice views of the Santa Ana Mountains to the east, and on clear days, Baldy and the Ontario/Cucamonga ridge to the north.  You pass by a shade structure where you can sit, cool off and enjoy views of northern Orange County; on some days the ocean is visible.

After another half mile or so, you arrive at a four-way junction.  Go straight to pick up the Oak Trail, and head right toward Robber’s Peak.   The outcrop is named in “honor” of 19th century bandits Joaquin Murrieta and “Three Finger Jack.”   Unfortunately, the peak has been inundated with graffiti.  It can be reached from the other side, but this route will go just underneath the top, taking in similar views, without as much vandalism.

Just before the summit, head right on the fire road and look for the Yucca Ridge trail.  The trail dips back into the canyon, and as you descend, the signs of outside life disappear.  At the bottom of the hill, pick up the Bumblebee Trail to the right, which climbs out of the canyon.  There is some interesting geology on this part of the hike.   The trail switchbacks up to the intersection you passed earlier.  This time, continue straight ahead on the Bumblebee Trail until it meets the Oak Trail.  Turn left and descend the ridge, returning to the lower section of the park.

After about a quarter mile, head right on the Wilderness Trail, and bear left on the Sourgrass Trail and then make a quick right on the Rinker Grove trail, which takes you through a nice wooded area.  Finally, bear left on the Tohwee Trail, which merges with the Santiago Creek Trail, near the parking lot.

While the above route admittedly sounds a little convoluted, one doesn’t have to follow it to the letter to enjoy the varied scenery of Santiago Oaks Regional Park.  The park’s signage is pretty good, and with a map, you shouldn’t have any problems figuring out where you want to go.

In the photo is one of the five deer I saw on my late afternoon hike today at Santiago Oaks Regional Park. (That’s five more than I usually see.)

This made me remember an earlier mule deer sighting (back in October of 2007, which was the year the Windy Ridge Fire burned through 90 percent of Santiago Oaks in the previous March). I didn’t have a camera with me that day, but I wrote about it:

Mule Deer at Santiago Oaks

“I met her, as one meets a ghost . . .”

from “Old Trails”  by E.A. Robinson

Such labor of breathing

mechanical running . . .

how is my eye caught

by just an ear twitch:

stillness her camouflage

stillness and leaf shadow.

I pause my stopwatch

make my breath slow

swivel my head—

no owl, unwise

to share the dusk

with predators.

My destination

less urgent, flies light

on my wrist

and I twitch—

still—the deer.

Back to my plodding

blessed by red dirt

live oaks and the scorched

hills now resprouting

soothed by fall rain

home to this mule deer

home again.

As seen in the Nobody Hikes in L.A. Guidebook!

Sunset in Weir Canyon

On the trial in Weir Canyon

Weir Canyon Loop

• Location: Near Anaheim Hills in northeast Orange County.  From the 91 freeway, take the Weir Canyon exit and drive 0.7 miles south to Serrano.  Take a right on Serrano and drive 2 miles and take a left on Hidden Canyon.  Park at the corner of Overlook.  Alternately, take the Imperial Highway (route 90) exit, head south (right if you are coming from the west, left if from the east), drive about a mile to Nohl Ranch Road, take a left and go to about 3 miles to the end of Nohl Ranch Road, take a left on Serrano and a right on Hidden Canyon.
• Agency:  Weir Canyon Regional Park/Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Distance: 4.1 miles
• Elevation gain: 600 feet
• Difficulty Rating: PG
• Suggested time: 2 hours
• Best season: All year but hot in the summer
• USGS topo map:  ”Black Star Canyon”
• Recommended gear: Insect Repellent; Sun Hat
• More information: here; Everytrail report here
• Rating: 7

There is a difference between L.A.’s two worst freeways.  Interstate 405 (see “Getty View Trail“) is pretty bad all of the time, while state route 91, in Santiago Canyon between Anaheim Hills and Corona, is often passable, but sometimes, it can be a complete H-E-double hockey sticks.  If you are stuck on the 91 freeway during one of those times, consider taking a break and grabbing a hike on the Weir Canyon loop.

From the corner of Overlook and Hidden Canyon, start hiking on the fire road (the single-track that heads uphill is also an option, for a shorter version of the loop).  At a junction, head left (the right fork heads into Santiago Oaks Regional Park).  Take a hard left at a fence and head uphill, the first of several short but steep climbs you’ll make on the loop.

You pass by a sandstone formation known as Eye-Socket Rock, and begin to work your way around the western side of Weir Canyon. Before long, virtually all sights and sounds of the nearby suburbs are gone.

At about two miles, head right as the Deerweed Trail heads uphill (you can take it if you want to shorten the loop). You continue toward the northern end of Weir Canyon Park, turning around just before you reach a row of houses.

On the return, you continue heading uphill, rejoining the Deerweed Trail. You reach a ridge where, given clear weather, you can see the ocean and most of the Orange County coastal plain. At 3.5 miles, you start beginning a descent, soon arriving at residential Avenida de Santiago. Follow it downhill to Hidden Canyon, head left and return to your car. Another option is to take the single-track that branches off to the left, right before you meet Avenida de Santiago, which leads back to the corner of Hidden Valley and Overlook.