South Fork Kaweah River Canyon to Hockett

[iHartMK]

After many, many years of backpacking and exploring the south fork of the Kaweah river canyon, we have decided to try something new. We are going to hike the Ladybug trail to its end at the South Frok Grove, then from there continue up the south fork of Kaweah canyon to Hockett Lakes and Hockett Meadow. I have been searching online for days trying to see if anybody has ever done this. I have found nothing.
So my question is for people who know this area well... how far up past the end of the trail at 5.1 miles have you been? We have been about another mile up and it seems to open up..but that's as far as we've been. It looks doable on topo and Google Earth..
Any feedback is welcome.

[caddis]

Trust me....don't do it

[maverick]

Here you go: http://goldentroutwilderness.files.word ... -trail.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[iHartMK]

Trust me....don't do it

Have you tried it?
Following the south fork Kaweah river from South Fork Grove up to Hockett Lakes?
we went up it for another mile or so past whiskey Log last year. We came across a couple of really cool campsites on the north side of the river and the non maintained trail seemed to keep going..
Looking at Google Earth it doesn't look that bad.

[iHartMK]

Here you go: http://goldentroutwilderness.files.word ... -trail.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks Maverick, but that's a different route than what I'm talking about. They tried to follow the original Hockett Trail. We have tried that in the past... it doesn't work anymore, way too overgrown.
We are going to try following the south fork Kaweah river up to Hockett Lakes. We will start this adventure where the trail ends at South Fork Grove beyond Whiskey Log.

[rightstar76]

Sounds like an exciting adventure. Here's another web site on this trail:

http://kaweah.com/category/hockett-trail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to do it except I'm poison oak adverse. I admire anyone willing to walk through it.

There's also an abandoned trail that goes from Homer's Nose to where Cahoon Lookout used to be. If I'm ever in that part of the park again, I might give it a whirl. No poison oak there.

[iHartMK]

Sounds like an exciting adventure. Here's another web site on this trail:

http://kaweah.com/category/hockett-trail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to do it except I'm poison oak adverse. I admire anyone willing to walk through it.

There's also an abandoned trail that goes from Homer's Nose to where Cahoon Lookout used to be. If I'm ever in that part of the park again, I might give it a whirl. No poison oak there.

Thanks rightstar76, ya I've read this website as well. This guy also tried to find the original Hockett Trail. Its the same info that Maverick sent me.
However, this is not what we are trying to do. We won't be crossing the Kaweah, as the original Hockett Trail did. We will keep the south fork on our right the entire way up.
Also, where we will be is above the poison oak grow zone. The only thing we will have to watch for is bears and geting lost.

[maverick]

The only thing we will have to watch for is bears and getting lost.

And the cougars.

[DH-1]

I am new to this forum. Some time ago a friend and I hiked on the Ladybug Trail to Hockett Lakes Trail. I think that was in 1975. Even then it was overgrown and hard to follow. We ended up spending the night in the middle of the trail and made it to Hockett Lakes the next morning.
I always wanted to hike the old South Fork trail but have only been as far as Whiskey Log. Keep us posted on how your trip goes, hopefully you will throw in a few pics.

Good luck to you,
David

[iHartMK]

The only thing we will have to watch for is bears and getting lost.

And the cougars.

True!..