Santa Paula Canyon at the Punch Bowl
If you’ve done any hiking in Ventura County, chances are that you’ve been to the Punch Bowl. This natural swimming hole at the base of an impressive waterfall is a favorite spot for swimming, cliff-jumping, getting drunk and painting rocks. It’s also as good a way as any to get quick access into the Los Padres National Forest without an Adventure Pass.
The big thing about lower Santa Paula Canyon is the riparian habitat thick with Red Alder. There are some impressive (and dangerous) canyoneering opportunities above the Punch Bowl where the creek has cut deep slots through sandstone. For the casual hiker there are many fine views of not-very-good graffiti. For instance one young lady took it upon herself to spray paint every log, rock and boulder within a half mile radius with the purple slogan “Jesus (hearts) you! (smiley face). Where is Shepherd Fairey when you need him?
If you’re new to this area or haven’t been since the 2005 floods removed vast swaths of trail and changed the course of the streambed, you should pay careful attention to these directions. The lower part of the main trail was washed out and the new trail is ambiguous in places. A quaint local custom – uprooting and moving the NFS trail markers to unhelpful locations – makes wayfinding just that much harder. Directional arrows painted on boulders can also be misleading, particularly when high water makes the creek uncrossable in places where the trail takes you.
How to Avoid Wandering Around for Hours
Do your best to stay on the old East Fork Trail. From the gate at Thomas Aquinas College the trail markings are visible and reliable. At 1.7 miles (N34 26.354 W119 05.024) cross the creek and head straight north into the avocado orchard. Take a right on the first road and follow it as far as you can. Continue for about a mile and there will be another crossing (N34 26.682 W119 03.908). Make sure you pick up the East Fork Trail here. You’ll find it at the top of an escarpment due south. You might see waymarks pointing East along the creekbed…don’t follow these unless you want to scramble and hop, and during high water, wet-foot it across the creek in several places.
From this point onward the East Fork Trail is wide and easy…except for two places where it is washed out and where you’ll need to scramble a little.
How to Handle Big Water
The Trail Is Perilous in Places
I love hiking in a misty drizzle. It keeps the riff-raff at bay and makes the ferns and flora stand out. There’s no mud to speak of on this trail, except for a small patch around the oil well just north of the campus.
The main issue with hiking this trail in the rainy season is that the creek comes up fairly quickly. Following the traditional route means boulder-hopping…unless the boulders you want to hop are under water. I took off my boots and forded several times. The water was above my knees and fast, but not enough to push me over. A word of caution – a stiff rain could easily change that. Camp overnight during a rainfall and you could easily find yourself having a Jon Krakauer experience on your return.
If the creek level makes crossing unsafe you can make your way all the way along the south bank of the creek. It is tough river bottom walking with rocks and logs and periodic snatches of poison oak infested trail.
There is one section where the water comes right up to the canyon wall and the only path is to scamper over some good sized boulders. If the water is really high this point might be inaccessible and you’d be better off finding another place to play.
Pick Your Poison: Wade Fast Water Or Scamper Over Boulders
Campsites have wandered somewhat from their marked locations on the USFS maps. Designated sites have fireboxes or rings. People tend to use the fire rings as trash cans instead of packing it out like good scouts. Animals then scatter the detritus all over. NOTE TO SELF: Must bring some Hefty Bags on next trip and clear some of this crap outta there.
Campsites Have Been Urbanized with Graffiti
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Havent been to this place in a few years. Last time we went we just followed the creek. Does the trail lead all the way up to where that photo of the falls is taken?
White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia), not Red Alder. Red Alder does not grow in southern California.