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22.25 miles of hiking • 3750' elevation gain • 2 nights

Did the loop from lower trailhead, with 2 mile hike on the road after bottoming my car on a rock and breaking some steering (?) part. The car drives well, but I didn't want to risk more. Also explored ATV road that goes up the other side of the canyon (thought about finding a better public road access from S side, but soon run into property boundary).

Got rained Sat/Sun night, but other than that weather held well. It was very nice, long hike with not much elevation (only one serious hill). Parts of the trail are really different - from rain forest near the creek to semi-desert meadows and ponderosa pine groves on the ridges. First mile of the trail goes through awesome oak woodlands, the next 2-3 miles has more vine maple I even seen on one trail (not obstructing the trail - yet!). Really worth coming back in October to see fall colors. Also, as the trail is popular with mountain bikers, it's been cleared of blowdown really well (only 1 down tree in ~15 miles of trail).

Next time I'll start from upper end.