Last month’s hike out of Stoney Gulch Trailhead, on the western edge of Swasey Recreation Area, revealed two brand-new-to-us trails—Igo and Ono—which we vowed to check out in the near future. Two weeks later, on Super Bowl Sunday, we did just that. From Stoney Gulch Trailhead (at the end of paved Mule Mountain Road, Redding), we hiked up to Princess Ditch Trail and then south to Ono Trail, less than 3/4 mile from the trailhead. We hiked the entirety of Ono Trail, up to the base of Mule Mountain, and then a circuitous route to Igo Trail, which reconnects with Princess Ditch about 1/4 mile south of the Ono Trail junction. In total, it was an approximately 8.2-mile hike, with just under 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
We specifically chose Super Bowl Sunday to hike Ono Trail because there is a sign at its junction with Princess Ditch Trail that warns against uphill travel. This trail appears to have been made with speed-demon mountain bikes in mind, and is strictly meant for downhill travel. Which is precisely why we wanted to hike it going uphill: we could watch better for bikes coming at us. And Super Bowl Sunday is usually a very quiet day on any trail, so we hedged our bets that we might have the trail to ourselves.
And indeed we did… thank goodness! This trail is absolutely insane. Not only is it crazy steep, but it includes enormous drops for catching air; a sheer-rock-face trail that ends in a 90-degree turn overhanging a creek; and a loose and gravelly footbed on highly exaggerated, banked turns. Only a maniac would attempt this trail on a bike.
It’s just under a mile long, and runs from Mule Mountain Loop Trail (now called Boheh Sas) to Princess Ditch Trail. We did get to see some new territory, which was fun, but it was nerve-wracking and not worth it. Our recommendation: don’t do it!
Igo Trail, on the other hand, is fabulous! Almost two miles long, it swoops down from Mule Ridge Trail to Princess Ditch Trail, with a very gentle grade. It crosses several small creeks and streams, runs over granite outcrops, and meanders through open oak-pine woodland. This lovely trail seems meant to be a more sane alternative to the much shorter and steeper Cosmos Way for anyone traveling between Mule Ridge Trail and Stoney Gulch or Oak Knoll trailhead.
We highly recommend both Princess Ditch and Igo trails for early-season wildflower viewing. Princess Ditch is about as flat and easy as one could hope for and, when the trail travels inside the actual ditch, plants along its banks are nearly at at eye level! Right now, Henderson’s shooting-stars are putting on quite the show along these berms. At the higher reaches of Igo Trail, as well as along Mule Ridge Trail, Pacific hound’s-tongue is having a heyday, along with milkmaids and a surprising abundance of manroot.
But those are only the big-display species in bloom presently. Over the course of the hike, we noted nearly four dozen plants in bloom, despite the earliness of the season. Here is a short slideshow of some of our favorite sights. All photos by Don Burk. ~Laurie & Don Burk
Snub pea, Lathyrus sulphureus.
