RR: Lake San Antonio

[53-12]

It was a great, long weekend for some camping and riding up in south Monterey County. "Roaring campfire" cold nights with "no-arm-warmer-needed" days. Shared a portion of the Harris Creek Campground with some family and friends. There are miles of trails ranging from wide, well-groomed things to twisty single and double track. You go up and down hills, run along through little valleys and pop out at places for great views of the lake and surrounding country. Be sure to pick up a trail map at the entrance or the marina store. There is nothing overly challenging here, but if you have a long weekend it is a great place to spend some quality time riding, fishing, boating, hiking, wildlife viewing or just hanging out. Since there was a full moon we brought out the telescope for the kiddies and were even serenaded by a dude with a cello at a neighboring campsite. As for the trails, start at Harris Creek and take the dirt road up into the hills where there are several running along and up above the lake; take these back to the park entrance and then swing back via the Long Valley Trail. Eventually this trail gets back to the Harris Creek arm of the lake where a single track runs above the lake with a steep drop-off and you can look down on 2+ foot fish swimming along in small groups (because of submerged trees fishing boats cannot get back here. Or, to get your adreneline flowing take the singletrack trail marked on the map as "too steep for bikes" which winds sharply downhill through oak woods to the marina. I've been here a couple times now and neither time was it very crowded, the larger Redonda Vista campground is busier and noisier, and away from the lake, while Harris Creek is more isolated and quieter, right above and overlooking the lake at roads end.

The pics:

1. Moonrise
2. Sunset
3. Early Morning Fog
4. Trailside View
5. Local Wildlife
6. More Local Wildlife
7. Trailside View
8. SingleTrack Along Harris Creek
9. the same
10. the same again

[53-12]

A few more pics:

1. Camp @ Harris Creek
2. Moon & Bike
3. Fun Around the Campfire
4. More Local Wildlife
5. "Too Steep For Bikes"
6. Down Through The Oaks