Since my return to the Central Valley after a 5-year job hiatus to the San Francisco Bay Area I have absolutely fallen in love with our national parks and various lakes. Can you believe that Fresno is only an hour or so away from Yosemite National Park and that I’d never visited it before 2017? I know, I know, believe me I have scolded myself plenty. I’ve really started to change all of that over the last 2-3 years and I even bought an annual National Park pass last year. Anyway, I have made a pact with myself to change all that one of the local gems I visited last week was Lewis Creek Trail.
Lewis Creek is less than an hour away from River Park and Woodward heading north on Highway 41. The southern most trail head is off Cedar Valley road. About a quarter mile down the road there is a nice clearing so you can park and the trail is clearly marked so you can’t miss it. The trail is just over 3 miles (one way) and 6 miles if you do the whole thing up and back. Ronan and I snuck away last Friday just to get out of the house, get some fresh air in our lungs, and still observe social distancing. On the scale of low, medium, and hard I would rate this trail as medium. Serious hikers won’t bat an eye at it but it’s not a walk in park so if you are beginner make sure you are wearing hiking shoes, comfortable clothing, and plenty of water. I’d highly recommend taking a day pack with a water reservoir.
The trail follows Lewis Creek most of they way up and back and you’ll get a great gander at Corlieu and Red Rock falls. With the spat of warm weather we had last week you could tell the beginning of the snow melt from the mountains was gearing up and the creek was full. There is just something special, and I daresay spiritual, about hiking in nature with the sound of rushing mountain water in the background. If you like the outdoors, want to get out of the house, and get a good workout to boot you should put Lewis Creek Trail on your radar. You will not regret it!
