Paradise Creek

Overview

Aptly named Paradise Creek and its attendant canyon offers a glimpse at the unexpected side of Sequoia National Park. Although you won’t find the towering cinnamon-colored pillars so common throughout Giant Forest, this lower elevation jewel features numerous cascading waterfalls, lush riparian vegetation, seasonal wildflowers, and a surprising degree of solitude despite its proximity to a hub of foothill activity. Like most routes in the Sequoia foothills, seasons determine how much enjoyment you’ll get out of the hike. Summer temperatures in the foothills often reach brick-oven levels, making hiking here tedious and even dangerous. Fall and winter offer milder temperatures, but you are less likely to witness impressive water flow or wildflower displays. The optimal time for visiting this canyon and any other foothill hike is during spring, especially March and April at the peak of the wildflower bloom and beginning of the snowpack melt. Another consideration to bear in mind: The park closes the road to Buckeye Flat Campground (this route’s starting point) between October and March. If you plan on visiting during these times, you will have to walk in from the Hospital Rock parking area. Likewise, there is no day-use parking in Buckeye Flat, so unless you are camping there, you will have to walk in. I reflect this extra road walking in the trip distance. If you are able to start directly from Buckeye Flat because you are camping there, you can shave off 1.2 miles of road walking (round-trip). Starting from Hospital Rock, be sure to take a few pre-hike diversions that showcase the region’s early history. This area once served as a major Monache village. The flat, resource rich area adjacent to river provided an ideal dwelling place, and historical records indicate the presence of an ancient trail running from this area up the ridge to Moro Rock. For the semi-nomadic Monache, this route allowed for hunting and gathering in the Giant Forest, and the path was likely the route that Hale Tharp – the first European to

Trail Stats

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