Huckleberry Mountain via Boulder Ridge Trail #783A

Naomi and I have been waiting for the right day, as in having an available full day, in which to do a longer hike. Longer for us is 10+ miles. This Monday, Memorial Day, was go time and I found the perfect trail to explore within 45 minutes of our home.

It is called the Huckleberry Mountain via Boulder Ridge Trail #783A and I found that Alltrails & Gaia GPS have good info, but an alternate listing from Alltrails is not accurate when it comes to the directions. So to set the record straight, head to Wildwood Recreation Site near Welches. You’ll need to pay $5 upon entry, credit cards accepted at the gate so no need for cash. We parked in the only lot available and started the trail next to the bathrooms. Immediately we found ourselves in a lush magical world with boardwalks and swamps complete with rushing river and picturesque bridges.

The trail itself was straightforward: pretty much five miles at a steady uphill, single track most of the way, with varying terrain. We couldn’t see any vistas due to the fog, but beauty was never in short supply. Sign posts kept us easily on the right track though the rocky mass at the end of the trail appeared to be the summit, as near as we could tell, as we didn’t see any further trail.

This was our first long hike of the season and we were sporting our new backpacks. While we were definitely exhausted by the end, it all felt like a success!