Cactus Spring Trail, Santa Rosa Mountains

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN

Cactus Spring is an important source of water in the Santa Rosa Mountains. It was used by the Cahuilla Indians as an essential watering hole and is today used by hikers traveling in the Santa Rosa Mountains. It is such a major source that the only maintained trail in the Santa Rosa Wilderness is known as the Cactus Spring Trail.

Given how important of a water source the spring is, it is often a surprise to some visiting for the first time that it is little more than a shallow mud hole. Without proper filtration you wouldn't consider drinking from it even if your life depended on it. OK, you might if you were dying of thirst but only then.

The Cactus Spring Trail is a popular destination for desert hikers. It offers challenging mountains to climb, cultural resources, solitude and water. That last thing is what makes this trail unique among most desert hikes. I'd have liked to hike to Aqua Alta but time was limited by a parent conference. I'd have less than three hours to get there and back.

Despite the perfect weather today there are some hazards that I'm acutely aware of. I've slipped on this trail before and gashed my knee and this is perfect rattler weather.

A little over a mile from the start I come upon flowing water. This is a good sign. This little drainage is usually dry this time of year.

As I get to Horse Thief Creek the beautiful fall colors of the Cottonwoods greet me.

There is also plenty of water in Horse Thief. It is not only in stagnant pools either but is gently flowing.

Along the trail, you travel through Little Pinyon Flat, an area that was important to the Cahuilla Indians and that was often used as a gathering place for family gathering. In the past, I have found pottery sherds and other Indian remnants in the area.

If I were able to continue on trail I'd be able to climb Martinez Mountain. This is an excellent climb that I've done several times. Also in the area is Sheep Mountain, another excellent climb.

This is where you'll find Cactus Spring. There is no sign although there are abundant footprints, both human and animal, going into the spring.

This is it. When I said it was a mud hole I meant it.

I didn't have time to look around for an Indian artifacts although I found this Valentine.

The Cactus Spring Trail is like the route our parents used to have to walk to school: uphill both ways. This trail is like a roller coaster going up and down over its entire length. It can get very tiresome especially since I'm on a very tight schedule and have to run some sections in order to make it back in time.

Just beyond Horse Thief Creek I see this fresh blood on a rock. While it may be from an animal--my thought is a bird of prey had its lunch in a tree above this spot--it serves as a potent warning. Never sacrifice safety for speed.

The next time I come up this trail I hope I have a whole day or more to explore. There's so much to see in the area to discover it seems a shame to only come for a few hours. Although since I only had a few hours to spend somewhere I'm glad I spent it here.

Drive In

DAY SEVENTY EIGHT

Since the forecast was for a high over 90º, I decided to go up Hwy 74 today and get out of the heat. I chose the Sawmill Trail because the trailhead is only 15 miles from Palm Desert but the elevation is around 4000 feet so it'd be much cooler.

The Sawmill Trail shares the same parking area as the Cactus Spring Trail but while the Cactus Spring Trail goes down into Horse Thief Creek, the Sawmill Trail climbs up the side of Santa Rosa Mountain.

There are even a few wildflowers up here. A bee is gathering nectar from a Red Stem Filaree (Erodium Cicutanium).

It looks like the Sawmill Trail is more like the Sawmill ROAD. I drove up this thing years ago in my Jeep but I thought they closed it to vehicle traffic since then. I guess not.

Not far up the road, I come to this little waterfall with a small pool at the base.

Someone put a rope to climb it and I'm tempted but I'm not 22 and 170 lbs. anymore.

After leaving the waterfall I run into three women out on a little hike. They are surprised that I am only carrying a camera. I've been trying to carry the minimum amount of gear so I can cover more ground more quickly and it helps today because I make it up to the snow in no time. Of course, I reconsider my decision on the way down.

One of the remnants of the sawmill is this old kiln for drying timber.

There's also this old log splitter.

I didn't carry so much as a water bottle so I'm happy to come upon this spring. I'm thirsty.

I hike up about another mile and a half but turn back when the snow gets too deep and the "trail" disappears. The view from up here is spectacular looking out toward the Desert Divide and Mount San Jacinto.

Of course, my view doesn't compare to the one this Red Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis, has.

Walking down the ROAD seems to take forever. Even though I ate breakfast, it's well past lunchtime and I'm hungry. I've decided that on any hike over five miles I need to carry a pack and proper provisions. As the weather gets warmer, I'll also need to carry plenty of water. The Sawmill ROAD is a worthy outing and is a nice escape from the heat below. Although I think the next time I go up it, I'll drive. I can't finish this hike fast enough and I have one thing on my mind.

Lunch. Drive-in style.

All in a Day's Work

Day Fifty Four

Today I had a day off and was looking forward to a nice, long hike. On the way to dropping off my son at school, a friend called and asked if I could pick up her son after school because she had to go to the doctor. Not a problem, I told her.

Yes, I will be going on nice, long hike. Just not today.

I decide to hike down to Horse Thief Creek. It's a nice little hike in the Santa Rosa Mountains about fifteen miles from Palm Desert. According to John Robinson in his book, San Bernardino Mountain Trails, this area was used by horse thieves who stole horses in San Diego, brought them out to this area, rebranded them and sold them in San Bernardino. They then re-stole them and did it again in reverse.

There are a number to great places to hike to up here. I will be going up to Cactus Spring and doing a little exploring looking for Indian history. Yes, I will. Just not today.

You soon hike by this old Dolomite Mine. You cross your first creek right near this mine. With the snow in the mountains melting, there were several little creek crossings.

This sign serves as a warning to the unprepared. Let's see what I have today. I have two bottles of water although one is only half full. I have an iPod full of rocking tunes. I put sunscreen on before I left my vehicle and I have shoes on. I'm prepared!

Before arriving at Horse Thief Creek, I see this nice little waterfall. I've noticed this fall a number of times and one day I'm going to hike up to it for a closer look. Just not today.

There is a fair amount of water in Horse Thief. Upstream about a mile there's a nice little waterfall that I'll get some pictures of. Just not today.

Above the creek are the remnants of an old corral left by the horse thieves or some cattlemen or some hikers who brought their kids and wanted some peace.

On the trail out I get a good view of Sugarloaf Mountain, which rises above Pinyon Flat. I am going to be climbing this. Just not today.

Leaving, I get a picture of Martinez Mountain. I've climbed this peak several times and it's one of my favorites in the desert. I look forward to climbing it again. Just not today.

There are so many things to do and see in the Santa Rosas that it's impossible to do all of them in one day. I'm looking forward to coming back and visiting over and over and over again. But today, I have plans.