Anybody gone down to lupine campground lately?

[fiendishsquirrel]

We're apparently heading down to lupine with the dogs today.  Hubby wants to look for the trail head to fish fork, anybody been down there this summer? 

[Nolena]

Not me, but I'd also be interested to hear about this.
I also would like to know if there really are a lot of fish in Fish Fork, and how the trail is to get there.
And the state of the bugs in that area. It can get pretty buggy down there.

[fiendishsquirrel]

I'll let you know, since the bugs seem to love me lately. 

[RobertW]

The road down into Lupine is better than it has looked in years. It is easily passible by 2 wheel sedans, even at the point where the stream crosses the road.  (The stream is now dried up and resurfaces just past Lupine Campground).

The trail from Lupine to Fish Fork was surveyed a few weeks ago by USFS REC-34.  The trail isn't too bad until you start heading down into Fish Fork.  It is very overgrown and the trail is easily lost at the point where the trail forks.

[Nolena]

But, are there fish at Fish Fork?

[fiendishsquirrel]

O.K. we're back never made it all the way.  Stopped at Lupine and it was buggy, but not too bad.  We'll try again, found the trailhead but didn't go very far.  Would like to go back soon and make the trail.  The road was remarkable better than I've ever seen it.  No water at lupine though, all dried up for now.   

[RennMan]

OK, I'll bite (but not the bugs)

Where is Lupine Campground?

[gypsywolf]

Lupine is down Blue Ridge Road. If you keep going past Giffy campground you will eventually wind down to Lupine and then Cabin Flats. Great little campground if you like to get away from the crowds.

[Wrightwood]

If you tossed a rock off the very backside of MH Reservoir and could hit bottom - you'd be close 


ps.. The road is closed at Lupine towards Cabin Flats. (watch for bears past this point as they love the berry patches)

[Nolena]

Berries!!!!!!! 

[Wrightwood]

RobertW:
Camp Lupine from Logging Road:

[ForestGal]

Last time I was down there was 3 years ago - wow, I miss it.  It was right after I met Nolena, and we walked down from Guffy campground, where the gate was closed at the time, and the stream was roaring at the time.  She had to give me a hand across the stream, I'm not sure-footed at all, and especially not good at rock hopping.  I still say that the road is 3 miles downhill from Guffy to Lupine, and at LEAST 10 miles back uphill   

The trail from Lupine to the lower side of Pine Mtn. is really nice, about 1.5 miles, and to the lower, fairly level part of Pine Mtn. isn't difficult, in my opinion.  I've been on the trail that leads to Fish Fork from there, once, and it kinda creeped me out cuz of steep dropoffs, the trail is wide enuf to be safe, but I'm not very brave.  I've never been all the way to Fish Fork, and probably never will.  I'm basically a chicken.   

[RobertW]

The trail from Lupine to the lower side of Pine Mtn. is really nice, about 1.5 miles, and to the lower, fairly level part of Pine Mtn. isn't difficult, in my opinion.

Here we are heading down the old logging road from Camp Lupine to the top of the lower part of Pine Mountain Ridge:
 

I've been on the trail that leads to Fish Fork from there, once, and it kinda creeped me out cuz of steep dropoffs, the trail is wide enuf to be safe, but I'm not very brave.  I've never been all the way to Fish Fork, and probably never will.

The Fish Fork Trail from lower Pine Mountain Ridge. Note Mount Baldy in the background:



A few years ago we were working with the CDFG in tracking Bighorns.  We started at the Devil's Backbone trailhead behind Wright's mountain, climbed to the top of Pine Mountain, spent the night about half way down Pine Mountain Ridge and then made our way down the Ridge to the Fish Fork Trail junction, down the logging trail, ending up in Camp Lupine the next day. 

Camp Lupine is in the canyon to the right of the backpackers.  Cabin Flat (there is no "s") is in the canyon about mid picture, directly in front of the backpackers.  Baden-Powell is in the background:

I still say that the road is 3 miles downhill from Guffy to Lupine, and at LEAST 10 miles back uphill 

Thankfully we didn't have to hike back out of the canyon.  "Wrightwood" graciously met us at Camp Lupine and gave us a ride back to town.   

Almost everytime I've hiked to Cabin Flat I've encountered Bears.  They don't bother you, just keep your distance.  If there is a cub around, stay as far away as you can.   

[Domingo]

Robert, those are awesome photos.  Thanks