| Trip Report: |
This trail is a trail is an backtracking trail in and out unless you choose to take a different trail back to the parking area. On this occasion I hiked in using the South old mac trail which was 2.75 miles long and then took the north old mac trail which was 3.3 miles long for the return trip back to the parking area and picnic shelter c where I had begun the hike. The trail starts out on what looks like and old road bed which is nice and wide, level and easy to hike but a few tenths of a mile later it turns left across a small foot bridge where the trail narrows to only wide enough for one person. The hike up the north old mac trail is easier than the old south mac trail even though it is longer but it still it manages to climb aproximately 1906 feet in elevation before reaching the top area of the mountain which is why most people consider it to have a rating of moderate to hard. Once at the top of the trail you can hike an additional mile to the look out tower or choose to backtrack, but if you want variety you can decend back down to the parking area via one of several other trails that all meet close to the tub springs campsite. There was a fair amount of traffic on this trail as I must have passed at least 12 other hikers on my way down to the bottom. Hiking down the 3.3 miles only took 1.5 hours and probably would have been less if I had not stopped to talk to some of the other hikers for a bit. There is another trail that spurs off the trail near the top and a side trail that is not marked which I think goes to a campsite but I did not explore it so I am not certain. However hiking up typically takes 2 to 3 hours because most people hike at an average pace of 1.5 miles per hour. Make sure you carry water as there are few springs for you to get water along this way up. |
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