Located just west of Soledad, California in the eastern Ventana Wilderness,
Arroyo Seco has been one of our favorite short hike backpacking trips.
From the Arroyo Seco campsites, you follow Arroyo Seco Road for a couple
miles; pass the main gorge, where loud beer chuggers lounge all day long,
to the the Horse Bridge trailhead where you descend. Before you reach the
horse bridge, you'll see a trail break off to the left. We follow that trail
to the end where the trail will abruptly stop at the river. That's where
we break out the inflateable rafts.
We discovered several campsites further upstream that are only accessible
by swimming. Far from civilization and secluded from the drunken urbanites
who lounge by the main gorge the only people you will see are the very few
adventurers who explore upstream to an interesting deep, tight, gorge that
leads to a 20 foot waterfall; a fun day trip.
Usually we will camp at a spot we named, "Joe Hu's Emerald Beach,"
for the gorgeous green color swimming hole and a perfectly quaint crescent
shaped beach. The beach is flanked on the far side by a rock outcropping
that serves as a great raised living room area and master suite. Further
upstream, you'll find several shady campsites that provide a lot of shade
during the sweltering summer months.
Note:
As simple as Arroyo Seco Road is to hike (it's somewhat flat, very short,
and very wide,) people are always falling to their death. Nearly every time
we've been there, there has been a fatality elsewhere in the area. The high
jumping cliffs by nice deep swimming holes also make death more likely.
There are many stories of people jumping from a tall cliff and getting stuck
under some rocks in the deep gorges. So watch your ass, and always have
a hiking buddy.
back
We stop at the main gorge for a dip on our way out.
The main gorge is usually busy with beer swigging car campers who made it
out there for a day trip.
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Amy and Dana hike along Arroyo Seco Road.
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Where the trail ends, the water begins.
The inflatable rafts make perfect ferry's for all our gear. |
A couple miles upstream from the Horse Bridge, the gorge's walls tighten.
You must be a relatively strong swimmer to make it through to the other
end.
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