Schuman and Eckert - updated Oct 2004
| This file describes trailheads near the South Fork (Kaweah River) Ranger Station. | ||||||||
| Driving Directions | > | Central Valley | > | Visalia to Three Rivers | > | South Fork Kaweah River | ||
| Waypoints between Three Rivers and the South Fork are plotted to clarify the text below. | ||||||||
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Click here for GPS waypoints in Waypoint+ format (NAD83, decimal degrees) with descriptive comments, in a popup window. This file has waypoints from the intersection of 198 and 65, east of Visalia, to the trailhead Ranger Station
This trailhead can be used to climb Homer's Nose, Vandever, Moses, North Maggie, Dennison, etc.
Exit Hwy 99 at Hwy 198 (waypoint 099198), following signs for Sequoia / Kings Canyon national park. Go through Visalia on freeway, which is 65mph and below grade so you don't see anything like filling stations or restaurants. Cross Hwy 63 at waypoint 198063 and continue out of town - yes, that was Visalia you didn't see.
Once the freeway ends, there are a couple of flashing lights so you don't drive through the stop signs in the dense fog. There are a couple of filling stations with fast food outlets at the stop signs, the last of which is at Hwy 245. Two miles after Hwy 245, Hwy 198 starts to turn north at waypoint YOKOHL.
The regular well-marked turn from Hwy 198 to Southfork Drive is just after the Three Rivers golf course, but since we're optimizing we'll turn before that intersection, east onto Old Three Rivers Road (waypoint OLD3RV). This becomes Blossom Road and intersects Southfork Drive at a 4-way stop sign (waypoint SFORKD) about half a mile from Hwy 198. Turn right (south) onto Southfork Drive and follow the main road all the way to the end. On your way out this will be the only stop sign (waypoint SFORKD) and you can turn left. Or, if you want dinner in Three Rivers, go straight and reach Hwy 198 much further north.
South of waypoint SFORKD, you follow the South Fork of the Kaweah River for about 10 miles. You'll notice the road goes from wide to narrow to dirt before reaching the campground and ranger station (waypoint RANGER). Go on a few yards to the end of the road for trailhead parking. There is a large bear box here and some non-potable water for horses, but no other facilities. Another public use bear box is by the campground restroom just down-canyon.
The Garfield-Hockett trail leaves the south side of the road just down-canyon from the parking area, and can be used to climb Dennison Mtn. The Ladybug trail continues up-canyon from the parking area and can be used to reach Homer's Nose.
There is no longer a sign for Clough Cave, even though various maps show such a cave near the Ranger Station at the end of the road!
On 6/28/2003, David G. Huff adds:
The reason that you missed Clough Cave is that it is not marked and the rangers discourage entering it. I have been in it 2-3 times and it is a safe cave for novices, i.e. only one way in and out. To find it you walk north of the campground and cross the river on the bridge. On the north side of the river there will be a trail heading east. Look up the hill to your left and you will see a faint trail heading west. It is very hard to see. Walk west and the trail will climb. Eventually you will be on a narrow ledge 50-75 feet high. It curves to the right and you will see the entrance. The rangers made an attempt to put up a gate but somebody ripped it off. The last time I was there was 10 years ago. I was first in the cave in the middle 60s and took a few photographs. I returned in the late 80s and took a few more photographs. Quite a bit of damage has been done to the few formations there. Some have been sawed off. It is just a small cave but there are other openings near there that are more extensive. Only Spelunkers should enter them. This is the extent of my knowledge I have taken all of my sons there when they were 6-8 years old. The only danger is the ledge.
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