Description :
This was my first hiking trip into the Los Padres National Forest and I can tell you it certainly won't be my last. This place is beautiful. Heck, even the drive there along the Maricopa Highway is amazing. As you turn into the Middle Lion Campground you'll definitely want to pull over and take a good look at the massive "Piedra Blanca" (White Stones) that this area is famous for. Drive on into the campground. Hopefully, you'll find an empty spot where you can squeeze in. If not, just park on the side of the road and make sure to have your day use pass displayed.
This hike starts in the campground at the north end of Lion Canyon and takes you all the way to an awesome waterfall at the southern end. There are a couple of water crossings with this hike, so be prepared for at least one or two that are "thigh high". I always have a couple of tall kitchen trash bags with me for this specific purpose. I don't like to get my feet wet and I’m not a fan of wasting time taking my boots and socks off. When I’ve crossed I simply shake off the water and throw them back into my pack and I’m on my way. From the campground, head south down to the creek, you'll see a trail on the opposite side and yes, this is your first water crossing. From there you'll continue to head south and start a gradual ascent up the east side canyon where you will get some fantastic views of the canyon and creek below. There will be a few technical areas "single track" along this trail and with the elevation factor; you'll want to be careful. There are signs to keep you on the right path, but definitely bring your GPS and download our GPX file for this hike. I also like to link out to Google earth and print out a satellite view of the area and trail to use as a backup. Towards the southern end of the canyon to get to the waterfall you will have to do some tricky boulder hopping up the creek, but the effort you'll spend will definitely be worth it. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself.
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