Serpentine Dangers on California’s Serengeti

“Always hike with caution as rattlesnakes are common on the Carrizo Plain and can be seen on any warm, sunny day,” one brochure says.

Don’t say you weren’t warned. The Bureau of Land Management goes out of its way to ensure that travelers know about snakes, sudden changes in weather and other considerations when visiting this remote, newly named national monument in eastern San Luis Obispo County.

It has no drinking water. No gas stations. No food.

And you might as well leave the cell phone at home. It doesn’t work out here.

Remember that dirt roads become muddy and impassable after rain. And watch for animals, the BLM warns, “to prevent road kills as well as possible damage to you and your vehicle.”

This austere, nearly treeless grassland--sometimes called California’s Serengeti--is not for everyone. But naturalists were thrilled when President Clinton designated the Carrizo Plain as a national monument in January 2001. The monument is managed by the BLM in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game and the Nature Conservancy, which has long been involved in the land’s preservation.

The plain is 45 miles long and 10 miles wide, bounded by the Temblor Range to the east and the Caliente Range to the west. Attractions include birds, pronghorn antelope, tule elk, wildflowers and the San Andreas fault. One attraction you can’t see: silence, which seems remarkable these days.

Begin at Guy L. Goodwin Education Center, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday from December through May, and possibly part of June. (These are the best months to visit; forget coming here in summer, when temperatures exceed 100.)

Ask the staff about self-guided auto tours and docent-led interpretive walks to Painted Rock, a sacred Native American ceremonial site nearby.

Exhibits explain San Joaquin Valley ecology, earthquake-country geology and the Native American and ranching history of the area. A stunning mural of the plain and its diverse wildlife by Santa Barbara artist John Iwerks dominates one wall. Children enjoy playing with an enormous Carrizo Plain puzzle, also created by Iwerks, that sits below his painting.

The centerpiece of the area is Soda Lake. Mapmakers matter-of-factly call it a dry lake, but more appreciative naturalists call it an alkali wetland--one of the largest and least disturbed in California. When rain fills the lake, it attracts migratory birds. The sandhill crane is the marquee migrant among the wintering waterfowl.

The lake remained dry this winter. But even without the birds, Soda Lake has a weird appeal. Heat waves rise off the surface’s shimmering salts, giving the lake bed an ethereal glow.

To reach the lake shore, follow a half-mile (round trip) trail that extends from a turnout off Soda Lake Road, opposite Carrizo Plain Overlook. Once you reach the lake bed, boardwalks run along the shore. Interpretive signs explain how wildlife has adapted to this harsh environment.

Serious hikers trek along Caliente Ridge, 14 miles round trip with a 1,100-foot elevation gain. The route is long but not too difficult because the steep, rough road (high-clearance vehicle required) to the trail head accounts for most of the ascent of Caliente Mountain, at about 5,100 feet the highest in San Luis Obispo County. During World War II, military lookouts watched for enemy aircraft from the top; on particularly clear days one can see the snowcapped peaks of the Sierra.

Even if you’re not in the mood for 14 miles, a shorter hike along the Caliente Ridge reveals grand views. For a fine family walk, check out the boulder cluster just off Selby Road on the way to Selby Camp and the Caliente Mountain trail head.

Another option is the Wallace Creek Interpretive Trail. The San Andreas fault cuts through the Temblor Range, and geologists say one of its most distinct sections can be seen at the northern edge of Carrizo Plain. Wallace Creek Interpretive Trail offers a short walk and a geology guide to the fault. An interpretive pamphlet is available at the Goodwin Education Center.

To reach the center, follow U.S. 101 to Santa Margarita, about 10 miles north of San Luis Obispo. Exit onto California 58 and drive about 50 miles east to Soda Lake Road; turn right (south). Drive eight miles to the northern boundary of Carrizo Plain National Monument, then seven miles farther to the center.

The park also is accessible from Interstate 5. At Buttonwillow, take California 58 about 40 miles west to Soda Lake Road, and follow the directions above.

Consider entering the monument from the north and exiting at the south end, where California 166 will lead east to I-5 in the Central Valley or go west toward U.S. 101 near Santa Maria.

*

For more of John McKinney’s tips, go to www.thetrailmaster.com.