Читать книгу 101 Hikes in Northern California. Exploring Mountains, Valleys, and Seashore онлайн

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Today wide fire roads and clearly marked trails make navigation far easier—but the steep terrain is as taxing as ever. Wasno Ridge rises more than 1,500 feet above the trailhead, a heart-pumping obstacle that keeps hiking traffic to a minimum. Beyond it lie small Kelly Lake and larger Coit Lake, the second biggest in the park, as well as extensive views across the rumpled terrain.

In September 2007, a large wildfire scorched 40,000 acres within Henry Coe, including most of the park’s eastern half. Known as the Lick Fire, the conflagration reached as far west as Coit Lake, where you can still find evidence of the blaze. The damage was not cataclysmic—most of the park’s oak trees survived the blaze—but trails and large swaths of the landscape in the burned areas were significantly affected. Wildfires are a natural part of the park’s ecosystem, and the backcountry is rapidly recovering, a process on full display around Coit Lake.

The Hike begins from the Coyote Creek Trailhead on Coe’s southwestern edge, steeply ascends Wasno Ridge on singletrack trails, and then follows old ranch roads past Kelly Lake and over another ridge to Coit Lake. The return route follows a series of more gradual trails down the flanks of Wasno Ridge. The open terrain of oak woodland and chaparral provides excellent views throughout. Bass and crappie are abundant in both lakes for anglers. Water is usually available from Coyote Creek at the trailhead, and from several springs and ponds en route (a filter is strongly recommended). The hike can be completed year-round (Kelly and Coit lakes are reliable water sources), but the baking heat, shadeless slopes, and increasingly funky water make this a less attractive option in summer and fall.