Leek Springs Lookout

Drove up with the faithful hound Commando for a hike/bike ride. Weather was perfect, sunny, hot (but not too hot) with a few puffy clouds for interest.

My original plan was to take some roads around a meadow (Leek Springs Meadow?) based on the view from Google Maps. I thought I'd bike and give my Achilles tendon another weekend of rest. On the way down, a ranger passed and suggested that I head to Leek Springs Lookout instead. I should have listened. She didn't sound too sanguine about a meadow loop.

We continued on and got to the junction of forest road 9N15 and the way to LSL. 9N15 was (according to Google) the right road to go along the meadow. I took that one, the less travelled one.

Shortly after, there was a private road leading off across the meadow (barely glimpsed through the pines). We forged ahead on the rocky road with two snow berms and two downed trees to struggle through and over. The road traversed a hill and seemed to NOT be going to cross the meadow anytime soon.

Have I mentioned that I can be stubborn? We continued on and just as it looked like the road was going to turn and cross...it ended. True, it ended at a nice overlook towards the Valley with some granite hills nearby filling in the scenery nicely, but, no meadow crossing.

We strolled around a little and I briefly considered striking out overland to get to the road I "knew" was just on the other side of the ravine at the apparent west end of the meadow. If I'd had hiking boots and no bike I might have tried it. Fortunately, I had my sandals and bike and didn't feel like trying to schlep through the forest with those impediments.

We drank some more water and headed back. It was beautiful both ways with many, many blue flowers of many kinds. There were also several seasonal creeks from the snow melt and Commando cooled his paws in most of them.

Back at the car, I loaded up and we drove to LSL. Wow. Beautiful. Stunning 360 degree views of the Sierras. I could see where we had been earlier down below. The woman at the lookout was chatty but entertaining. There is quite a complex there with a helicopter pad, many satellite dishes and various scientific looking devices. I would have asked more questions, but she couldn't let me up in the tower and she couldn't come down.

After leaving LSL we drove along Foster Meadow Road which took us back to 88, the to the Mormon Emigrant Trail. We briefly explored the road on the other side of Leek Spring Meadow that I'd been trying unsucessfully to walk. I was a short road and ended at the meadow with a locked gate. It said this was a sensitive ecological area (true) and no one could pass without the express written consent of Fish and Game. Hmpph.

Good day though, I will definitely be visiting this area more often.