River of Life, River of Love: Hiking the Kern River Trail

The River Kern, July 7

Date: July 5, 7, 2024 Kern River

Place: Johnsondale Bridge, Johnsondale, California

Coordinates: 35.969204, -118.487118

Length: 2.2 miles round trip

Level: moderate

 

The Kern River is the main river that drains the southern part of the Sierra Nevada Range. I usually see the Kern at its artificially expanded area of Isabella Lake when I take hwy 178 across the southern part of the Sierra Nevada, from Bakersfield to Inyokern. It was years ago, when I first took the Sherman Pass Road with my family that I got to see the Kern as the mighty river it is, and that was from the Johnsondale Bridge vista point. During my 2017 backpacking trip at the Golden Trout Wilderness I hiked all the way down to the Kern River and was greatly impressed with this fast, powerful mountain river. On this latest 2024 4th of July trip with Pappa Quail the river Kern was a fixed point on our itinerary, a not to be missed place. 

We wanted to hike along the River Trail, which starts at the Johnsondale Bridge and extends along the east river bank about six miles to the north. When we arrived there on July 5th is was already 11 am and the heat was unbearable. We walked less than a mile before giving up and escaping to higher altitude to hike the Sherman Peak Trail instead. 

On the last morning of our trip we decided to return home the long way round, which included going up to the Kern once again. It was expected to be the hottest day of our trip yet, but this time we arrived much earlier, and the shade of the mountainside was still on a good part of the trail.  Moat of the photos in this post are from the 7th of July hike, but I include also some photos from the 5th of July.

The first thing we did after parking is to look down at the river below. The trailhead was on the other side of the bridge - where the a case of metal stairs extended down to the east river bank. I took a very good care to avoid including in my photos the numerous people who were sitting in the water, cooling off. It was a very hot day and sitting in the Kern was probably the best thing to do. 

July 5

Pappa Quail and I however, were there to hike as far out north as we felt like, and then find our own place to go down to the Kern and sit in the water. 

Our hike as captured by my GPS

The old part of Johnsondale Bridge is now for pedestrians only. We crossed it to get to the stairs down to the river. Pausing in the middle of the bridge we looked north to where the river curved into the curves of the mountains. The water level wasn't very high but the flow seemed nice snd strong. 

View north from Johnsondale Bridge, July 5

The River Trail begins at the east base of the Johnsondale Bridge. It isn't at the water level, which is probably a good thing - the Kern isn't dammed upstream of Kernville. There is however, a water access trail where people go down to a small beach to spend time cooling off in the heat. There were people there already, and we went on hiking the trail.

The Kern River, July 7

Although the day was already hot, the morning shade was still on the trail, at least partially. The trail is straight forward - there is no problem following it. There are however, a few places where it was necessary to go down and up the rocks, and the rocks were already sleek from all of the feet that polished them over the years. 

River Trail, July 7

The crevices of these rocks are the perfect hiding places for lizards. On July 5th we were there near mid-day and the lizards were out in the sun. In the morning of July 7 they were still in hiding, though we did see some later on the hike. 

July 5

There are no waterfalls in the main (north) fork of the Kern River. It is not however, a lazy river by any means. While there were flat and relatively calm stretches, there were also quite a few whitewater sections, and the current was very swift.  

The Kern River, July 7

Rafting and kayaking are certainly a thing on the Kern, although on July 5th we haven't seen any and on July 7th we saw some kayaks only at the end of our hike. 

The Kern River, July 7

As baked as we were in the intense heat, I could still pay attention to the surroundings. There was a rich vegetation along the Kern and while most of the plants there were way past their bloom time but the California buckwheat was still going on strong. 

California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum, July 5

The close up photo I got two days later, when it was early enough and not as sweltering yet so i could hold my camera still. 

Califronia Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum July 7

Johnsondale Bridge, where the River Trail starts, is at about 4,000 ft in elevation. The Kern headwaters is well above 11,000 ft. Looking at the mild-sloped mountains that the Kern snaked through it was hard to imagine that altitude difference. Looking up the river I resolved to visit the Kern headwaters sometime in the near future - that's an area of the Sierra Nevada I have yet to see. 

The Kern River, July 5

The water looked cool and very inviting. On July 5th we didn't last long on the trail but on the 7th we were looking specifically for a place to go down to the river and cool off in the Kern. On that day we were there early enough that the places closer to the bridge were still fairly free of people, but we also wanted to hike a bit further than what be managed on our first day there, so on we went. 

The Kern River, July 5

Faster than we would have liked, the morning shade receded and soon we were being baked again by the sun. The air was hot and stuffy, and sweat was dripping on our faces and down our backs. I admit that I had some hope that we'd hike as least 2 miles in to where we might be able to see the Seven Teacups Canyon across the Kern, but as we progressed in the intense heat that thought was soon baked away from my mind, broiled by the sun and flaked away like burnt crisps. 

River Trail, July 7

The bushes along the trail were of mountain mahogany. They were done blooming a while ago but their feathery seeds were very pretty to look at. Some of the mahogany bushes were even tall enough to cast enough shade for us to stop for brief hydration. 

Birchleaf Mountain Mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides, July 7

Spiders are not an uncommon sight in the bushes, but the spider I saw on this hike was more interesting because of the tunnel it spun. In fact, I saw the spider itself very briefly because it quickly retreated into its web home and hiding. Its fore legs are barely visible inside the tunnel in the photo below.  

July 5

On any other day I might have waited for the spider to come out from its hiding but that day on July 5th was simply too hot to stand there in the sun. Pappa Quail was already ahead and I hastened after him. Around the trail curve he found a small patch of shade and stopped there to drink and wait for me. We exchanged a single look and knew we would go no further. We made it to about two thirds of a mile and turned around. After that hike we continued driving up to Sherman Pass and hiked the Sherman Peak Trail, which was less hot by at least 20 degrees. 

River Trail, July 5

On July 7th however, we did continue a bit farther. We even got to a stretch of the trail that was still well shaded. Still, it was getting hotter by the minute, and we started looking for a place to get down to the river. 

The Kern River, July 7

I saw a few more blooming plants in the shaded section of the trail. These were not at their peak bloom like the California buckwheat, but more like stragglers which enjoyed the protection that the shading eastern cliff provided them. 

Narrow-leaved Wire Lettuce, Stephanomeria tenuifolia, July 7

About a mile or so we found a place where we could get down to the river. It was obvious that others have been there before us but at the time there was no one else there. We made it carefully down the makeshift path and found a good place to sit down. 

The River Kern, up close July 7

I didn't waste any time. I took my shoes and pants off and went into a calm part of the river. As hot as it was outside, the river was cold! Little by little I submerged myself, eventually taking a deep breath and dunking myself all the way through. All the heat load vanished and I commenced sitting happily in the shallows near the bank. Pappa Quail took his time before taking his shoes off. He was satisfied with cooling off his feet only. 

The Kern River, July 7

We sat there for a good half an hour, enjoying the peace and the beauty of Mother Nature. There were no other human beings around and only sound that wasn't us was that of the Kern. I looked at the west side cliffs and so no movement there at all. Even the trees were not moving - there was no wind. 

July 7

For a while we were all by ourselves but eventually we were joined by another creature - a western fence lizard that popped from around the rocks, looked at us for a while, then went around another rock. 

Western Fence Lizard, July 7

We had a lovely time by the Kern River but eventually it was time to go. It didn't take me very long to dry out - the heat was that intense. After putting on our shoes we climbed back to the River Trail and started south toward the Johnsondale Bridge. 

The Kern River, July 7

One of the things we had to watch for along the trail, especially in the more shaded places, were the poison oak plants. I didn't really expect to see poison oak on this trip, but this part of the Kern is only 4000 ft in elevation, which is still within the range of the poison oak. It seemed to be thriving there despite the heat. 

Poison ak, Toxicodendron diversilobum, July 7

Pappa Quail moved ahead without stopping but I paused to take some more photos of the wildflowers that we saw before going down to the water. 

Bush Beardtongue, Keckiella brevifolia, July 7

The phacelia was definitely at the end of its bloom time for the season.  Two last open flowers adorned long stalks of developing seeds. 

Phacelia distans, July 7

Once again baked by the direct sunshine, we were now going downstream along with the water flow of the Kern. 

River Trail, July 7

Two days before, on July 5th, we stopped under a tree not too far from the end of the trail. We wanted to rest a bit before driving off. Below us, the water looked deep and inviting, but we could tell that the current was swift.  

July 5

While we were sitting there I looked at the trees that grew on the pebble bar near the west side of the river and I noticed a tamarisk tree blooming there. The tamarisk is an invasive species that aggressively pushing away native vegetation throughout the southwest.  It does so by salinating the soil, a condition to which it is resistant but other plants are not.

July 5

Pappa Quail also looked at the other side of the river and saw a couple of birds there. There was a black phoebe standing on the wet pebbles by the water. Maybe it was looking for insects, or maybe it wanted to cool off its feet.  

July 5

There was also a Steller's Jay perched up one of the bare branches on the other side of the river. It too looked hot and not too energetic. The heat was affecting them as well. 

Steller's Jay, July 7

On or second hike there on July 7th we didn't stop to sit at the same place but we did pause there for a little bit. The johnsondale Bridge was visible from that place. 

Johnsondale Bridge, July 7

The river cascaded beautifully below us. I was already completely dry from the river water and completely drenched with my own sweat, but inside my mind I could still recall the refreshing coldness of the Kern water. 

July 7

I looked with some envy at the people that were down by the river. By the looks of the stuff that they hauled down there it looked like they were about to stay there the whole day. That was probably the best way to pass such a hot day anyway. Besides the people on the beach there were also a couple of kayakers who made the rounds up and down the water by the bridge. They too seemed to be enjoying themselves.

July 7

Near the base of the bridge were a few milkweed plants. They were all done blooming already but they did have many aphids on them and I challenged myself to photograph these tiny creatures.  

July 5

On a somewhat removed milkweed plant that was blooming still Pappa Quail spotted a monarch butterfly. The adult butterflies lay their eggs on the milkweed plant - this plant that is toxic to humans and many other mammals is the food for the monarch larvae.  

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed, July 5

Back on the bridge I looked down again upon the River Kern. I don't know when next I'll see it but I sure hope it'll be for a time longer than a short visit. 

July 7

Following our July 5th hike we continued east and up to hike Sherman Peak. After  July 7th we continued up on the other side - east and then north. We had one more place to see before going home - we were going to visit the Giant Sequoia at the Trail of 100 Giants.