Wilamar Farm: Steamboat Creek Drive

We took a drive up the Steamboat Creek area. We thought we'd see if there were some falls we could photograph and have a picnic lunch. Well, the road was closed about 15 miles up allegedly to replace a culvert. The sign said it was closed until August 15. Seems like a long time to me to replace a culvert.

Anyway we turned around and went back a ways to where we saw a picnic table on the other side of the creek. We found the bridge and a narrow trail that led to the table. The road was rough and windy.

If you look carefully you can see our truck parked back in there.

The creek wasn't exactly rip-roaring.

Since we weren't exactly positive about blue-green algae we couldn't let Clyde play in the water.

It was very pretty though. There were a lot of big flat areas where the creek flowed through.

After lunch we decided to take a little side road. We ended up going way up a mountain where we found this road.

It led to a big water tower. I think it is a tower where helicopters come to fill up with water when they are fighting fires. I can't be sure but I think it was full of water. The walls were rather cool to the touch.

The view from the top (by the water tower).

On the way back down we passed the trailhead for McKinley Rock.

This is the trail leading from the sign. One day we will take the walk. It's reportedly only about 1.25 miles.

This is the view of McKinley Rock from a break in the road a little ways from the water tower. It's a 300 foot shear rock where climbers go. It has permanent thingies in the rock where climbers put their ropes to keep from falling to their deaths. Here is a link to the Forest Service web site.

When we came down from the water tower and trailhead we got back to the little intersection we turned up onto we had a decision to make. Go back down the way we came (left) or continue on the original road (right) and see where it took us. We chose right.

I don't think a lot of people go up this way. The road was kind of overgrown.

But it was a good thing somebody was there before us at one time. I'm sure this tree fell across the road and it was slightly pushed to the side.

Just enough to go around. You can see where the original road is and where the "new" trail goes around.

Just when we were wondering if we made a terrible mistake by going right instead of left a lovely deer jumped out in front of us on the road. (Look in the middle and you can see her. Click on the picture to enlarge.)