Hike #23 - Redding Loop

This weekend we aimed big, but wisely came up a bit short.  We went camping this weekend with my brother.  We had plans to camp at Redding Recreation Area Friday and Saturday, but thunderstorms Friday night delayed us.  The weather was perfect though on Saturday morning.  Redding Loop takes off directly from the campground.  The loop is somewhere around 6 miles, with a spur to Spy Rock that makes it around 8.  Our goal was to do the whole thing, including Spy Rock.  We figured that we had done almost 8 miles once before, so if we pushed ourselves, we could make it.

From the campground the trail is a level path through pine trees.  Pine needles make a nice cushioned walking surface.  However, this particular leg of the trail seems to be rarely used, and the trail was almost nonexistent in some places.  We eventually crossed highway 215, and there was a parking area for the trail by the road.  Once the trail crossed the highway the trail was much easier to see.  But, it got much steeper.

We did not bring a map of the trail with us, but we were able to get one pulled up on a smartphone with intermittent service.  One thing that we have found helpful is to compare the map to our GPS tracker.  Because our progress line on the GPS matches the trail map exactly, it makes it very easy to tell where you are.

We started hiking around 9 a.m., and soon the kids were hungry.  The pace was slow and the cooperation level was low.  We bargained with them that we would eat at the two mile mark.  Once they had some food, their spirits were much better.  Right after this two mile mark the trail leveled back off and we had the best scenery of the trail.  However, we began to realize that every step we took was another step back to camp.  At the three mile point we knew we had to make a decision. Either keep going forward and try to complete the eight miles, or turn around and be happy with six.  In order to enjoy the rest of the camp trip, we decided to turn around.  Things went much quicker down hill, and we even saw a waterfall spot we had missed on the way up.  (It hasn't rained much lately, so it was only a trickle.)  When we crossed 215 again and realized we still had another mile to go, we were happy we had turned back.  Everyone was very ready to be back at camp during that last mile, although no one more so than the baby who cried from here on.  We had turned around just past the point of everyone wanting to be finished, but not past the point of being miserable.  As I am writing this, the best trail map I can find for this trail, says that the loop plus Spy Rock would have been 10.0 miles exactly.  I am ever more glad we turned back than I was then!

One plus about this trail map I just looked up though is that it had this awesome 3D map that makes this trail look very epic!

Our campground is marked as RS-01 in this image.  We went right at the split at RS-02, and we made it to RS.07 before turning around.  We'll have to save Spy Rock for another day. 

Travel time from home: 1 hour

Today's miles: 6.00

Remaining miles: 19.35!