After seeing multiple post on Idyllwild I decided to make four day trip with the better half. I got a deal from one of the discount sites and stayed at www.strawberrycreekbunkhouse.com. Didn't have a good picture of the cabin so I borrowed this from google images. Stop by Hub to get trail suggestions I was really looking forward to riding the Hurkey Creek. I had planned to spend most of Friday morning and afternoon riding but spent most of the day lost and never found the trails I was looking for. I really wish there were trail head signs. This is the Johnson Meadow A view from May Valley Rd. We rode the trails off of Tollgate Road. My Hurkey Creek ride was not what I had expected but these trails made my trip. Endless single track, short climbs and great scenery. I can't wait to go back. This is what happens when you try to show off We also did hiked Devils Slide to Saddle Junction and Summit trail. Both are great for scenic views. Tahquizt Summit Trail
Thank you for sharing such great pictures and your experience there at Idyllwild. This makes me want to take a trip there with my family too.
I hope they never put up trail signs in Idyllwild. Every area I used to ride and enjoy as getaways from the masses gets over run after the signs get put up. How are you ever going to find the hidden gems all locals build if you stay on the signed trails. I liked Sedona much more before all the trail signs now they are experiencing trail wars out there with trails I used to ride being destroyed and closed. Please don't make Idyllwild the new Aliso Woods.
Great pictures. The Hurkey Creek loop is pretty easy to locate from the campground. The way we went was out and follow the trail to Johnson Meadow, up the hill after Johnson Meadow, left at the top to the picnic area, make a right and go through the water, right at the first trail, then follow that back to the park (sorry, that's as close to a gps reading as I can supply).
Idk Wizard, Julie got Ray stupid drunk last weekend...it could end up being a very memorable, painful camp trip...lol
I think that the Hurkey Creek trails are still closed anyways, so it looks like you found the fun single tracks that I prefer over the 24 hour course anyways. Great pictures. We will be there this weekend through Monday to watch the Amgen Tour.
I think ray did just fine with that bottle scotch-all by his little ole self But just the trails up there are WAY fun... Even in the snow and mud huh Steve I'd LOVE to do a campout trip. And Dean I so agree with you on that - it's a wilderness, doesn't need signs. And besides Steve wouldn't be able to drag us UP HILL both directions...at least that's how it felt that day. Great riding and FUN stuff out there.
The couple of places I've been to with signs were excellent IMO....Mammoth and Deer Creek (park city UT). I love Idyllwild, but I've been lost there several times, could just be me but I've been with others with maps/GPS trying to navigate and still managed to get lost.
If I was a local I would be stoked with no signs. Everyone has said have a local for a guide but it was last minute and I was solo for four hours.Maybe it was just me and I'm not capable to navigate the maps that the ranger and Hub supplied. I ended up 2 miles off coures and found a house to ask directions. They couldn't figure out where I was on the map and direct me to the trails I was looking for.
I only get up there once or twice a year. I have historically only ridden the 24 hour course for years and years. THe last two years in a row, I tried exploring the other May Valley trails, using the map and directions from the Hub, and still got lost both times. I still had fun, but without signs, some of these small, narrow trails are really hard to find. Seriously, what would be the harm in providing some signage?
If I am still on a trail I don't feel lost. Wandering around the forest or brush could be a problem. So-Cal is not like heavily forested areas that all you see is trees and more trees and need to climb a tree to see landmarks...some forested areas have no landmarks. Hurkey always has mountains as a way to keep your bearings and you are never more that a few miles away from a road. Struggle in So-Cal than I suggest you stay away from the more remote rides. Yes I agree that trail signs in places like Mammoth and Deer Creek are necessary due to the crowds and they are great places to ride but we need to leave some places more raw for those of us that exploring is as important as the bike ride.
What would keep someone from exploring even if there were signs?? The problems I've had is when my time is somewhat limited and I want to maximize the fun of the "best" trails the place has to offer.
Bingo! I was worried if I stayed out much longer the wife would report me missing. She told me she had given herself another hour before calling the ranger station.
The point is that once the signs go up the masses follow, then enforcement steps up. Have we not learned anything about the way land managers work. Hurkey is a county park not a National Forest and signs will go up they have already done a trail inventory and want to close trails out there. Leave Hurkey Creek and you will hit Wilderness and no bikes. I do not go to Hurkey much because I have explored everything I could find out there, now I am more interested in the Black Mountain area I have a feeling the locals have some hidden stuff out there.
Dig through GeoLadders or ask the locals. What is best for you and not necessarily 'best' for others - but Dean is spot on. Wizard will take you up hill both ways and try to talk you into climbing more. But the gems that are hidden and found as you twist and wind up trails. I went UP and bunch that would have been more fun coming down. But if I had a map I would have taken the quickest route up (fire road) to go dow and missed SO much that was fun. Sorry for the Hi-Jack! Is that resort the one that advertised in Groupon? I really wanted to get the deal and drag my hubby up there to ride for the weekend, it just expired too soon for us.
what???? Hurkey Creek County park is pretty much just the campground and part of the 24 hour loop. Everything beyond that is national forest land and even some private land. The wilderness areas don't begin until you get much further up the mountain above the town of Idyllwild. Check a map.
