Trip Report - West Side Trail, 1/6/18

True to their new year’s resolutions or simply true outdoors-lovers, 19 Trail Heads convened on a rainy morning to walk the full 6-miles of the West Side Trail near Tuolumne.  A few friends set out early to leave cars at trail’s end.  It sprinkled most of the time we were out and poured by the time we were loading up in the cars to return to the trailhead.  Along the way we were treated to views of the moody, misty mountains of the North Fork Tuolumne River canyon.  We took time to treasure brush and berries glistening gem-like with raindrops.  We dodged dismantled railroad track and ties.

Here's a link to the Tuolumne County Transit Council's West Side Trail page:

https://www.tuolumnecountytransit.com/single-post/2016/03/29/Westside-Railroad-Trail


Here's a link to Patricia Harrelson's article in the "Sierra Lodestar" about the first TCT hike of 2018:
http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/sierra_lodestar/article_95d52916-fbde-11e7-b96b-834613bb570c.html

 

 

 

 

TCT #1 -- West Side Trail, Tuolumne

The first episode of Tuolumne County Trailhead ran in December. It introduced me, Wendy, your "hiking enabler," and the concept of the monthly hikes on first Saturdays in 2018. Peter Wisniewski, Stanislaus National Forest Archaeologist, discussed the West Side Trail in Tuolumne, our first hike. The West Side Trail is a rails-to-trails conversion with a gentle grade originally intended for logging trains. It's about 6 miles long and is accessible year-round, though it's a must-do hike in the spring for its profusion of wildflowers, especially the pungent Bush Lupine.

Hello, Trail Heads!

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Trailhead blog! The blog is a companion to the Tuolumne County Trailhead radio program on Sonora CA's community radio station, KAAD-LP 103.5 FM which streams at kaad-lp.org (link via "Links We Love" to the right). The show is on 2nd & 4th Sundays at 12:30pm, and the hikes are on 1st Saturdays. I'm your host Wendy Hesse. While I like talking about hiking, I really like actually hiking. The talking portion of TCT features soundbite reviews from Trail Heads on the previous hike and an interview with someone knowledgeable about the history and/or natural features of the upcoming hike. Rangers or other experts will be joining us on the trail to offer interpretation or other real-time observations. Give us a listen then ... "meet us at the trailhead!"