|
|
|
|
Clear Creek Management Area
|
|||||
| Explore Your World! | Short Cuts | ||||
Most information provided by the Bureau of Land Management
Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA 95023
Phone: (831) 630-5000 Fax: (831) 630-5055
Located next to the central San Joaquin Valley in the coastal foothills, The 50,000-acre Clear Creek Management Area is a good example of a multi-use area where people interested in a variety of pursuits visit each year. On any given day you may see rockhounds, OHV enthusiasts, miners, hikers, hunters, and others sharing the same area. There is one primitive campground and six staging areas, each with pit toilets and dumpsters. The road system is rugged with many narrow and/or steep sections. You will find great views of the Central Valley and the Sierras in places, you'll find yourself deep in the forest at others. In many places there is evidence of past human activity, while at others you might wonder if anyone had traveled there before. Please be aware that there are many parcels of private land interspersed with the public land. Tread lightly and be courteous of the interests of others.
Unusual landscapes and rare botanical features make this an interesting area. The federally threatened San Benito evening primrose grows primarily on the alluvial terraces along the creeks. Due to the combination of soils and conditions this and several other rare plants are only found here. A portion of the unique plant community is preserved in the San Benito Mountain Natural Area, which is also a Wilderness Study Area.
How to get there
From the San Jose area, travel south on Highway 101 to Gilroy. Just past Gilroy, take the Highway 25 exit towards Hollister. Continue through town (Hwy. 25 runs through the town of Hollister) and head south for about 35 miles. You will pass by the Pinnacles National Monument. Turn left onto the Coalinga-Los Gatos Creek County road. Continue approximately 14 miles. At the BLM sign indicating the entrance to the Clear Creek Management Area, turn left. You will then be on the main road, Clear Creek Road, which is an unpaved road bisecting the Management Area. From Coalinga, take the Coalinga-Los Gatos Creek County Road to the turn-off to the Management Area, which will be a right-hand turn. From I-5, take the Panoche Road exit, and head west approximately 25 miles (the road turns to dirt within 2 miles of the highway, and turns back to pavement again after 14 miles). Continue on Panoche Road to the Idria Road, and left. This road will lead you to the north entrance of the Clear Creek Management Area.
Recreation opportunities:
a) OHV Recreation: With the exception of the Desert, there is probably no place in California quite like Clear Creek for vehicle recreation. The old roads provide an infrastructure for exploring Clear Creek. Whether you enjoy four-wheeling or dirt-biking, , you will be able to find a trail to enjoy. There are technically difficult routes and there are easy routes, and most are ruggedly spectacular throughout.
b) Rockhounding:
Hobby gem and mineral collectors are drawn to the Clear Creek areas by the presence of over 150 semi-precious mineral and gemstones. One of the most highly mineralized areas in California, collectable minerals include serpentine, jadeite, cinnabar, tremolite, topazite, neptunite and benitoite. Some minerals such as benitoite are extremely rare, and the Clear Creek is practically the only place where they may be found. Look near rocky outcrops and stream channels for these minerals.
Several commericial gem collectors also maintain mining claims and work in the area. The only known commerical deposit of benitoite is found on a patented mining claim (private land) in the Clear Creek area. A beautiful mineral, benitoite is phosphorescent, and is prized almost as much as diamonds. The unique geology also attracts geology students and researchers from local and national universities.
c) Hunting:
Hunters find the non-serpentine areas of the Management Area most productive for hunting. In August, there is a surge of hunters, particularly into the Condon Peak, Spanish Lake, and Joaquin Ridge areas, for the opening of deer season. Wild pig hunters hunt here throughout the year, and small game hunters also enjoy some degree of success.
d) Hiking and Mountain Biking
Hikers and mountain bikers are increasingly looking to the Clear Creek area for a rugged, remote outing. The San Benito Mountain Natural Area, for example, because of restricted vehicle use, and the areas to the east and north of Spanish Lake, offer better hiking and mountain biking opportunties.
e) Camping: Camping is permitted throughout the area, with the exception of the San Benito Mountain Natural Area, which is closed to camping. There are also some stream terraces in the Clear Creek canyon, which are closed to vehicle use and car camping, in order to protect rare plant habitat and occurrences. The six Staging Areas and the Oak Flat Campground are all open to camping and have dumpsters and pit toilets. There is no running or potable water in the area.
Asbestos
However, one rare mineral presents a health danger to people who use this area. Old asbestos mines are found on the east side of the district, and there are several outcroppings of the white fibrous material along the trails in the area. The dust from these outcroppings could contain dangerous amounts of asbestos, which is a cancer-causing material. The hazard is most severe during the dry periods of late summer and fall.
Use caution and stay away from the mines, and avoid disturbing the soil of the outcroppings,
which are white and devoid of vegetation. If you get into asbestos-bearing soil there are several
precautions you should take. Keep your vehicle windows up and if you have air conditioning,
put it on recirculate. If traveling in a group, stay out of the dust cloud of the
vehicle ahead ouf you. You could also wear a HEPA type dust mask. Remember that the fine dust
will be all over your vehicle, so wash your vehicle in a
commercial car wash (not at home to avoid contaminating your residence) after leaving the
area. While these steps may
or may not eliminate your asbestos exposure, they will reduce it.
| Related Links |
|
| 4X4Wire
| Site Index
| Links Index
| Search 4x4Wire |
|
|||||
