Is the lower Kern worth it?

[Cross Country]

I know what to do. I'll transfer some pics to my I pad. Not now. Got to go.

[overheadx2]

For many years this area was my go to early season hike. The pay offs between spring and fall are easily weighed. The area is beautiful in spring, but the fishing is not that good due to water levels. Fall has sign better fishing, but every thing is brown. You could probably do pretty well up at Kern Lake though. There is a lot of horse use with a lot of pre made camps along the river. If you come back through fork of the Kerns you will have to wade the Little Kern which wont be so little. I am not the Fisherman you are, but I've gotten skunked a few times in the spring due to water levels and have done great in the fall. the area is not spectacular like the sierra, but it is very pretty. definitely check with the kern ranger station about road conditions out of Johnsondale.

[Wandering Daisy]

My plan would be, when I arrived, to do a quick day-hike down the Forks to see if the Little Kern is crossable. If not, I would just come back via Jerky Meadow (same route as inbound). I am not that good of a fisherman- I only do well where the fish are hungry and stupid. Thankfully, that is the case for many remote mountain lakes. Probably not the case for the Kern. Yes, the plan would be to go to the hotsprings and return.

Likely will not be able to consider this until second weekend in May the earliest. I have committed to babysit the grandkids one weekend and then babysit the dog the next when my husband is gone. I do not think dogs are allowed in this area.

CC - yes it would not be fantastic scenery, but it is somewhere I have not been. I may head up the Merced instead, even though I have done that many times. It is pretty hard to resist Yosemite at peak flows.

But, thanks all for the information and opinions.

[Cross Country]

I have crossed the Little Kern at least 15 times, almost always in spring. I made it a point for many years to pay attention to the snow pack so as to know what to expect. I was never surprised at the level. I would be VERY surprised if you could cross it this year before July.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks. Maybe I will rely on your expertise and save myself a walk down to the river! I am not good at river crossings anyway being that I am short.

[Cross Country]

One night "saint" Diane and I stayed at trout meadow. It was our 15th night out. It rained really hard. There we tent cabins there with the roofs on and no one around. We utilized a makeshift warm shower that the trail crew had made. It was a real treat. Obviously we slept in a cabin, but on the floor. The beds were in really bad condition. We cooked and ate inside during a hard rain. Again, what a treat at the end of a long trip.

[overheadx2]

If you haven't been, you should go. While not quite the Minerets, the meadows ad e kern are beautiful and worth the effort. This spring should be very nice.

[Cross Country]

Also Daisy, you must be aware that there are creeks that cross the trail to the Kern in the canyon. I should imagine that this year the might be immensely high.

[emcd661]

I think this trip is definitely worth it. I have done a variation of it...twice. I came in via jerkey meadow, crossed the bridge, and then up through trout meadow to the Kern Lakes.

[Ants]

The Lloyd Meadow Road has not been opened yet. Snow is not the issue, a portion of the road is missing. Not much information about when the road may be opened.

The Kern will likely have high flows into late summer but the bridge crossing to Jordan Hot Springs trail would get you over safely.

Crossing the Little Kern River could be a problem, depending on your trailhead. If you use the Forks trailhead, the Little Kern will need to be waded - caution is always suggested.

If you go from the end of the Lloyd Meadows Road or Golden Trout Wilderness Pack Station, there is a bridge crossing the Little Kern, but both areas seemed to be snow bound.

Keep checking with USFS offices in Lake Isabella or Kernville for updated road conditions. It could be a while.

Ants