NOT THE USUAL DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL HIKE (the 1-mile loop everyone else does....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.)
instead: WE'RE DOING 6 HOURS OF ROCKS, CAVES, ARCHES AND WATERFALLS EXPLORATION. The hike route itself is not off-trail or exploratory. It's just not an any official maps.
TWO WEEKS AGO WE CLIMBED UP THE FALLS BELOW THESE. I INTEND TO GET TO THESE ONES TODAY. HOPEFULLY AFTER THE RAIN THIS WED-THURSDAY, THESE WILL BE WETTER.
LEAVING AT 1:10 PM: PART 1 OF HIKE: We will go straight south of the parking lot and climb down into Punchbowl canyon. If you arrive late, take the trail on the map below to the 4th stone bench and on the left (east) of the bench is a trail that drops down about 50 feet to a low rocky ridge. DO NOT CONTINUE ON THE WIDER TRAIL WHICH HAS SOME WOODEN STAIRS JUST PAST THE BENCH. We will have lunch on the ridge, then continue south to the rocks at the south end of this canyon (in photo above), then loop back via the creek and climb down 6 waterfalls (4 to 6 feet high). Then we will return by going up the low rocky ridge to the nature center.
