A Different Face of a Familiar Place: A Winter Hike to the Table Mountain Waterfalls

Phantom Falls

Date: March 1, 2024
Place: North Table Mountain Preserve, Oroville, California
Coordinates: 39.595740, -121.541589

Length: 4.5 miles
Level: mildly moderate

 

 

Last winter I was planning a camping trip to Oroville for my family hiking group. The trip itself was planned for early April, the peak time for the bloom season in that area. Although that trip has been postponed to a later time, I did get to go on the preparation trip by myself on the beginning of March. A storm was in the forecast for my trip time, but I had no alternative time to go so I went anyway.

I arrived late on Thursday night to Loafer Creek Campground and found a site. The rain hasn't started yet, at least nothing more intense than a light occasional drizzle but the wind blew very strong. Fearing the possibility of a tree falling, I refrained from pitching my tent and opted to sleep in my car, where I felt more secure from the elements. It was very windy throughout the night, but no big rain came through just yet.  I woke up early, got myself ready for the day, then set out to the North Table Mountain Preserve, which was the prime location I was hoping to take my group to on April. 

North Table Mountain Preserve Trailhead

The North Table Mountain Preserve is one of the best locations in California to see the spring super bloom. I've been there numerous times, with my family and with others, always in spring time. Now I was there late in winter. I didn't expect to see much bloom, if any, but I was hoping to see the waterfalls of the preserve at their best flow. On previous visits I only got to see the Hollow Falls and even that at a very thin, end of season flow. Now I was there after a good rainy stretch and I expected high water. From the way it looked, I was going to be more than satisfied on that account, plus, it seemed like there was more rain to come, and soon.

I set out on the trail leading to Phantom Falls - a waterfall I've only seen in photos online before. On my previous visits I were either pressed with time or have already learned that that waterfall was dry. Now I had my chance to go and see it flow. 

The North Table Mountain Preserve is under the management of the California Fish and Game Department, and is a fee area. There is a large post sign with a QR code to scan and pay, but there is no cellular reception (at least not for my carrier) to do so. I resolved to pay after my hike and moved on, hoping no one would come and check while I was there (it didn't look like any one would bother, certainly not when a storm was predicted to roll in any time soon).

My hike as captured by my GPS

 

The scenery looked very different from what I remembered from my previous visits to the preserve. The tapestry of colorful wildflowers was absent, nor were the the fields golden with dry grass. The black basalt was still there but the color offsetting it was the deep green of new annual vegetation. On previous visits I would go down the creek straight to Hollow Falls. Now I noticed a cattle fence barring the way there, and the trail leading to Phantom Falls was going around it. I followed that trail in the northwest direction.

I noticed a few brave wildflowers blooming here and there but they all seemed much under the weather. The wind was whipping powerfully and I had to hold on to my hat. A slight movement on the ground that didn't seem to be wind-induced caught my eye - it was a small bird. I managed to get a bit closer and identified the bird as a horned lark.

Horned Lark

Most of the Table Mountain is a flat basalt mesa except where creeks cut canyons into it. On their upper parts the creeks are still small and shallow. I crossed one such creek with minor wading and minimum wetting of my shoes. I had to cross it a bit more downstream to where the trail was crossing it, because a pool had formed on the trail - it was right below a mini waterfall that came down a rock step.

There were plenty of flooded areas that were not part of the creek - formed by the mist recent rains. More little birds, sparrows in this case, were active by these puddles, unhindered by the wind and the impeding storm.

Savannah Sparrow

A light drizzle started, and I pulled my rain poncho out of my backpack and donned it. The trail stretched ahead, very wet, yet not muddy and flooded in only a few spots.

Phantom Falls Trail

It looked like the predicted storm would roll in at any moment, but the drizzle ceased shortly after it begun. The wind remained strong and I pushed away the hood of my poncho because it was flapping at my ears and making too much noise. The still leafless oak trees that dotted the mountain top were swaying in the wind like the Whomping Willow from the Harry Potter books. I admired their beauty, strength and flexibility. 

Valley Oak, Quercus lobata

The table top started tapering down a bit. After some distance I got a nice view of a waterfall ahead - that was the top of Ravine Falls. The water was dropping into what looked like a narrow and deep canyon. My navigator showed that the trail would go right into that canyon, below the Ravine Falls. I was excited, and I hoped the creek crossing won't be difficult.

Distant view of Ravine Falls

I've been seeing some wildflowers at their early stages of bloom from the beginning of the hike. as I approached the Ravine Falls area I was seeing more wildflowers, including the start of larger patches of bloom. I could see the yellowing of where the California goldfield flowers were, but when I approached one of them, only a few individuals were already blooming. Most of the plants were still in the budding stage.

Goldfield, Lasthenia californica

While the small birds I saw didn't mind the weather, there were creatures there that actually loved the soggy conditions. On the way down to the Ravine Falls I shared the trail briefly with a Sierra newt that was out and about, possibly looking for a mate.

Sierra Newt

Fungi also love the wetness and on one of the logs I passed on my way I found ghost-like white and fuzzy mushrooms.

The trail down to the Ravine was pretty sleek and I had to take care not to slip. There were many more trees inside the canyon than out on the mesa. That is for being better hydrated and more protected from the direct sun of the summer.

Phantom Falls Trail

Many of the trees I saw on the way were deciduous and bare, but the evergreens looked very lively and thriving. I was happy to see the laurel trees in bloom.

California Laurel, Umbellularia californica

The drizzle hadn't resume yet, but I was soon sprayed by a shower of tiny droplets - the waterfall was nearby. Heralding its vicinity were the maiden-hair ferns on the moss-covered canyon walls.

Maiden-hair Fern, Adiantum jordanii

The beautiful Ravine Falls came into view. It is so well tucked that I found it impossible to fit it into a single frame. If I retreated far enough - the trees blocked the view.

Ravine Falls

I loitered a bit near the bottom pool of the waterfall, looking for newts in the water but saw none. I did see a narrow path leading to the side of the trail so I followed it to explore.

Bottom of Ravine Falls

The narrow path led me to a side canyon branch that had its own waterfall/cascade, where the water rushed down a bumpy basalt chute. I couldn't get too close to this one without the risk of getting all soaked.

Little Ravine Falls

I turned to go back to the Ravine Falls. On the way I saw the kind of slimy fungus called, "witch's butter".

Witch's Butter

In a nook in the rock a California buckeye seed had found a place to sprout. It would be interesting to go back there in a few years and see if the sprout took hold and thrived.

Buckeye sprout

From the side angle I had a better viewpoint of the Ravine waterfall. I was getting quite a lot of the spray though, and backed away quickly. The feeling would have been much better on a hotter day.

Ravine Falls

There was no problem with crossing the creek of the Ravine canyon - it was narrow enough to hop across. The trail continued on the other side and I ascended it back to the top of the table to continue on to the Phantom Falls.

Phantom Falls Trail

On my way up I passed a few more dead logs that served as substrate for fungi, the fan-like turkeytail mushrooms in this case.

Turkeytail Mushroom

Higher up the slope I encountered the first plant that was in full,peak bloom - the California Man-root. This is a very common vine plant, and it is one of the late winter/early spring bloomers. 

California Man-root, Marah fabacea

Up on the mesa I saw many more wildflowers in the process of following the man-root into the bloom season. Most of them were at the very beginning stages, though.

Kellogg's Monkeyflower, Diplacus kelloggii

As early as it was in the bloom season, I could already see the first multi-color tapestry makers of the spring tablecloth of the North Table Preserve - the goldfields, the blue dicks, and even California poppies, which closed their flowers for the rain.

The blue dicks were numerous on that part of my hike and I spent a good time taking photos of the best looking ones.

Blue Dicks, Dipterostemon capitatus

It didn't help that the drizzle resumed at that point. I tucked my camera under the poncho, pulling it out for quick shot when I wanted. The sky was dark and the clouds hung very low. In the thin gap between the clouds and the earth I detected a familiar sight on the southwest - the Sutter Buttes. 

View Southwest

I zoomed my camera lens to maximum magnification to get a close up shot of the buttes. The Sutter Buttes are considered the smallest mountain range in the world and all of them are private land. The only public access to the Sutter Buttes is by guided hikes of the Middle Mountain Foundation that offer interpretive hikes in some of the area. My family joined one of these hikes once and I'd love to do it again.

Sutter Buttes

From the north lip of the canyon I just ascended from there wash a nice view of the Ravine Falls. At the time I wasn't sure if I'd go back that way or take the longer route through Beatson Falls.

Ravine Falls

The drizzle lessened, then eventually ceased again, and the clouds lightened a bit. I was getting closer to the Phantom Falls canyon and there were more patches of almost bloom on the way. Only about 10 percent of the flowers in this patch were actually blooming. I was eager to see it in full bloom a month later, on my planned trip with the family hiking group.

California Goldfield, Lasthenia californica

The clouds were gathering again and I picked up my pace. My navigator showed I was getting close to the Phantom Falls. I knew that the main part of the storm was still due, and I wanted to get a look and the falls, then get out of there quickly, before the thunder hit.

Phantom Falls Trail

My resolve to be quick didn't last very long. I soon found more wildflowers to waylay me and slow me down. 

Cascade Onion, Allium cratericola

Amongst still closed budding goldfield I found one saxifrage in full bloom. The delicate inflorescence was swaying in the strong wind and I had to use the cluster setting to get a single sharp image.

Saxifrage, Micranthes fragosa

There were more blue dicks blooming all over the place. In fact, I think the blue dicks was the getting near peak bloom at the time of my visit there, very early in the season. Certainly earlier than anything else, except perhaps, the man-root. Amongst all the blue blue dicks I found one white blue dicks. That was cool to see.

Blue Dicks, Dipterostemon capitatus

I crossed another small creek on my way. It looked that this creek was heading toward the cliff's edge of the Phantom Falls canyon, but it wasn't the creek feeding into the Phantom Falls.

At first I saw the canyon. It wasn't at all like the canyon into which the Ravine Falls fell. This one was huge. I could see the gap far on the west where the canyon opened into the valley. On another day I might have followed the trail west to see the west opening of that canyon. perhaps I'll do it on my next hike there.

View west

Then I turned my attention to the Phantom Falls. The creek feeding into it wasn't a big one - Phantom Falls is one of the earliest to dry out as summer rolls in. I've seen it flowing much more forcefully than when I was there, but it was very impressive regardless.

Phantom Falls

It was clear why it was called "Phantom" Falls. Similar to the Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite, the water don't hit the ground as a stream but turns into a ghost-like mist beforehand. There was a large cavity behind the waterfall but I couldn't see anything behind there but rock.

Phantom Falls

At the cliff edge I found a familiar plant that was just coming out of winter hibernation with new foliage - the poison oak. I was glad there wasn't any close to the trail.

Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum

I saw a sign pointing toward "Little Phantom Falls" so I decided to explore a bit in that direction and took the narrow path west. I thought it would be good to make best of the time before the storm.

The little trail led me to another view point at the cliff edge, more west of the first one. The black basalt ledge was adorned with bright yellow lomatium flowers. These plants too, were just starting their bloom season.

Hog Fennel, Lomatium utriculatum

From the second view point I could see the Phantom Falls, and to its right, the Little Phantom Falls. It looked as if the little creek I crossed earlier was feeding that thin waterfall. This one seemed like it was higher than the Phantom Falls.

Phantom Falls (left) and Little Phantom Falls (right)

I looked around me. There were no other humans in sight. I suppose no one was as crazy as to go out on a day like this.

A sole turkey vulture was circling the sky. I wasn't near death enough so it didn't mind me. I managed to capture it on the background of the Little Phantom Falls.

Turkey Vulture

I wondered if there was a trail leading down to the canyon. My navigator didn't show any, and it didn't look like there was any safe way of descending down there, at least not from the south edge of the canyon. Across the gap I saw a place where it looked like the canyon wall collapsed and had taken a bunch of trees on the slide. Perhaps it was possible to go down there, I don't know. I wasn't about to go there and try.

The drizzle started again, and soon intensified into rain. I took it as my cue to turn around and start heading back. Over the trail the trees were swaying, their boughs looked like hi-fiving one another.

I walked quickly, but still paused to pull my camera from beneath my poncho and and take wildflower photos. To be clear, there weren't all that many of them, and most I have already photographed on the way in.

Moose-horn Violet, Viola lobata

The rain eased back into a drizzle. The clouds looked lower now, and the gap through which I could see the Sutter Buttes earlier, had closed.

I made it quickly back to the view point of the Ravine Falls. The drizzle paused again and I was thankful because I was hoping to take a break to rest and eat and I didn't want to sit in the rain. 

Ravine Falls

I made it quickly down the trail to the narrow canyon into which the Ravine Falls fell. A tree had broken and fallen on the trail and I had to straddle it and go over - there was no going around it at that spot.

Phantom Falls Trail

The rain paused long enough for me to take a short, but relaxing break and eat my lunch. In a perfect timing, the rain resumed after I swallowed my last bite. I snapped one last photo of Ravine Falls and got up to go.

Ravine Falls

Up the trail leading out of the canyon there's a place of basalt pillars that looked like would be hexagons that simply cooled off too quickly when formed. Some of them had a really nice cover of lush moss interlaced with lichen.

As soon as I was back up on the table top the sky opened for real and the rain came pouring down. I tightened the hood of my poncho over my head and wrapped the sides of my poncho well around my body. i still pulled my camera out for quick photos, then had to wipe the lens from the rain drops.

Now the trail became really muddy. Thankfully, this wasn't heavy, sticky mud, but my shoes and the bottom of my trousers turned rust-colored from the mud.My trouser bottoms were not protected by the poncho and were getting soaked quickly.

Phantom Falls Trail

I reached the Beatson Falls trail junction, but at this point the decision was easy - I would save Beatson Falls for another visit at the North Table Mountain Preserve. Today was just too wet and stormy, and Beatson Falls was never part of my hiking plan for the group, so I wasn't under any pressure to check out that trail.

Phantom Falls Trail

But the rain did ease as I made my way back, and when I saw the trail junction to Hollow Falls I thought it would be nice to go and see it running strong. The cattle fence was there but there was a very large open gap between the fence post where the trail went through, so I followed it. Cows were everyw where, both inside and outside of the fence.

Western Buttercup, Ranunculus occidentalis

Soon I reached familiar terrain. The way to Hollow Falls I knew really well from my previous visits. It was nice to see it flowing high now. I merged with the Hollow Falls Trail and followed it westward.

There a small water hole with a little waterfall just before reaching Hollow Falls. On my previous visit there I saw a couple sitting under a tree on the other side of the water hole, enjoying a romantic seclusion. Now, there was no one there, and the atmosphere was anything but romantic.

The trail down to Hollow Falls was never very good, but now it was at the worst I've ever seen it. It was downright dangerous to get down there, especially when the rocks were so wet.

Hollow Falls

I did make it down safely though, and took the familiar path toward the nook where the waterfall was flowing down.  This creek I had to cross by hopping on some strategically placed rocks, but it wasn't difficult.

The buckeye trees there were already budding out, well out of their hibernation. Later in the season these lovely trees would be coated by the wild California grape vines, but now they were free of the climber's bonds.

California Buckeye, Aesculus californica

I sat down on a log by Hollow Falls and looked at the water rushing down the cliff edge. It was indeed the strongest I've ever seen this waterfall flow.

Hollow Falls

I remembered seeing newts in the pool at the bottom of this waterfall before, so I soon got up and went looking for them. Indeed they were there - and they were busy coupling. It was difficult to take their photos - the water surface wasn't calm at all and the newts felt they were being watched and moved away from the shallows. Still, I managed to get some images of them.

Sierra Newt

The fully foliaged early spring buckeye is a truly lovely sight. I think nothing heralds California spring time better in my eyes than the new leaf coat of the California buckeye trees.

California Buckeye, Aesculus californica

I looked down the creek before starting buck up the trail leading out if the canyon. There was a trail following this creek westward- this would have been the trail I'd be going back on had I continued to Beatson Falls.

I didn't go to Beatson Falls that day so I backtracked very carefully up the trail and out of the Hollow Falls ravine. Now it was a matter of simply going back east along the creek.

The rain started again, even stronger than before. Then, for a few minutes, I was hail-stoned. The sleek and hard ice balls were tiny, thankfully, and they didn't accumulate too much on the ground. Soon the hail stopped but the rain continued, and didn't stop again until the following day.

Hail

I knew this creek very well, but it was very different now. All green, without any wildflowers blooming at its side. This time it looked unwelcoming, and I felt lie a trespasser.

That feeling intensified when I reached the fence and found that there was no human gate there. For the first time since I saw that fence it occurred to me that it might have been placed there to keep people out rather than to keep cattle in. Well, too late now, I was in. Now how do I get out? There was of course, the option of turning back and exiting through the large gap in the fence through which I had entered, but that meant another detour. I followed the fence a bit until I found a place were the wire was pried and it looked possible to go through. I took my backpack off and slid it under the fence, then I carefully squeezed myself through the pried part of the wire. In less than a minute I was out.

When I reached the trailhead I was surprised to see another car parking there and a couple that was heading out in the direction of the Phantom Falls. I guess I wasn't the only crazy person there after all.

The first thing I did when I got to my car was to change trousers to a dry pair. I then drove off into town and got myself a hit beverage. From there I drove to the visitor center of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area to gather some information. From the attendant I learned that apparently most of the North Table Mountain is, in fact, private land, and that the California Fish and Game Department has easement there to have the preserve and cut trails. The owner, I was told, had put up the fence since people were abusing and trashing the Hollow Falls area. I was very dismayed to hear that. This meant that I couldn't plan to take  my group to Hollow Falls now, only to Phantom Falls. The wildflowers however, would be the main attraction in April, and those were outside the fence. As it turned out, the group trip didn't happen, but I got an excellent hike in this beautiful and unique place while preparing for it. 

I arrived the campground near dark. The storm was all in now, and I knew I'd sleep in the car tonight as well. I hoped that the weather would improve by tomorrow because I planned to hike a trail at at Loafer Creek - another trail I planned on taking my group on.