Looking for a short day hike up a pretty canyon that terminates in a nice waterfall? Allow me to recommend an easy 3 mile walk up Potrero John Canyon.
The trail through PJ Canyon follows the creek up a narrow slot bordered by tall pines and taller cliffs. Large and colorful sandstone formations box in the early portion of this route. The path meanders upstream, weaving through a forest of maple, sycamore, and ancient oaks interspersed with an occasional pine tree. In less than a mile the canyon opens up into a small valley, brushy and open. Continuing further one eventually encounters a nice campsite under a great big oak, on the right (SE) side of the creek. This shady spot is PJ Camp. Another mile up the creek from there one encounters a couple nice waterfalls. The walk from PJ Camp to the falls can be rocky and a bit overgrown in places, but it is very straight forward. If one is given the option to stay to the left of the creek, then that's the best way to go. PJ is a pretty canyon and a mellow walk, what's not to like? Ruthie liked it and so will you.
I miss the configuration of the "old" (pre-2011 flash flood) PJ camp, but have been enjoying how much less brush there is in reaching the falls these days. Guess we can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Craig. The place just isn't the same, in part because of the creek as it is now and also the blown out camp. At least the oak made it. -DS
ReplyDeleteGreat trail. Many visits and memories over the years. I've been pondering a Reyes Peak attempt via the PJ drainage. Probably a bad idea, but it's still beckoning . . .
ReplyDelete- Jiroch
To Jiroch and others interested in going up PJ Cnyn, you may want to check out my descent of that drainage. On the sidebar of the blog is a search tab, look up "descent Potrero John"
ReplyDeleteI poked around on Google Earth and saw a gully headed towards Reyes Peak that started a hundred or so yards downstream from Potrero John Falls. It looked kinda doable so I rounded up a few cohorts and figured we'd give it a go. As it turned out, the gully itself was a great time; it was the chaparral between the top of the gully and the end of the road below Reyes Peak that was a thrashfest. 1.5 miles of chest deep or higher brush took us a solid six hours. We alternated between crawling on our hands and knees, highstepping, and even crawling through bushes four to six feet above the deck at some points. After finally reaching the road right at nightfall with winds picking up and nearly out of water, we decided to remove Reyes Peak from the day's agenda . . . along with attempting to retrace our steps to the PJ trailhead which almost certainly would've been a catastrophe. Finally, we decided to exit via Chorro Grande and send whoever was least smoked on a late-night jog five miles to the PJ trailhead to pick up the car. As luck would have it, that individual was me. I thought certainly that some passer-by would see a poor hiker, all by himself, jogging down the 33, take pity, and offer a ride. Turns out that I didn't see even one vehicle going either direction during my run. Fortunately, we all had the presence of mind to bring headlamps. Wish I could say the same about wearing a sturdy pair of trousers. My legs look like someone took a cheese grader to them. Regardless, we all made it out safely. . . after fourteen hours. (Hey, we can't all be as fast as you. Hahaha!!!)
ReplyDelete- Jiroch
Another fine stroll in the land of the SLP Brush Ninjas!
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