Cobblestone Mountain
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Elevation
feet
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Description
Cobblestone Mountain has a distinctive profile that is visible from two counties. It is named for the conglomerate rock layers on the way to the summit. It is a tough and rewarding peak to reach, and its historic cast aluminum register box placed by the Los Padres Chapter Sierra Club in memory of Jack Cross has been there since 1960. Bob Burd’s trip report has a transcription of this history.
Route 1 begins at the western Buck Creek Trailhead, goes over Sewart, splits off from the route to Snowy and Black at the head of the Buck Creek drainage, then follows the overgrown remnants of old road and primitive trail to a ridge, the Cobblestone-White Saddle, then steeply up over loose rock to the forested summit area. Route 2 begins at the eastern end of the Buck Creek Trail and follows Buck Creek until it joins Route 1 at a saddle near the 5600′ elevation. This route was usually done as a backpack, but the trail is seldom used and the most recent trip report is from 1991.
Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission
Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides
Driving route
Go north on I-5 to the town of Gorman. Get off on the signed Gorman exit.
Turn left at the bottom of the off-ramp and go under the freeway.
Go 0.1 mile to Peace Valley Road. Turn right.
Go 1 mile to the entrance to Hungry Valley Recreation Area on your left (paved). Turn left. Note your odometer and go as follows:
At 0.2 miles, entrance station. If manned, you can avoid payment of the fee by telling the State Park employee that you are passing through to Alamo Mountain.
At 5.2 miles, intersection. Turn right (west) toward “Piru Creek”, signed.
At 11.2 miles, improved car camping area on right, with toilets. Often used as a meeting point.
At 11.4 miles, Piru Creek crossing. There is a seasonal gate just before this stream crossing.
At 13.4 miles, the pavement ends.
At 17.8 miles, fork to the left. Keep right.
At 17.9 miles, junction with the Alamo Mountain Road. Go straight. Note your odometer again and go as follows:
At 3.3 miles, fork immediately beyond a small road cut through the ridge. To the right leads to Alamo Mountain Route 1. Turn left.
At 4.0 miles, the road forks at the Little Mutau trailhead. Turn left. Past this point the road can sometimes be poor but is usually passable.
At 6.3 miles, the parking spot for McDonald Peak.
At 7.2 miles, a dirt berm, a sign indicating no further motor vehicle traffic, and a large parking area, suitable for car camping. Park here.
Hiking route
From the parking area (6500′), pass the gate and hike east on the old road for 1 mile to the obvious high point of the road. This is the summit area of Sewart Mountain.
Continue downhill on the old road for about 0.5 mile to a fork with an obscure road on the right, signed “Sespe Wilderness”. Turn right onto this road (continuing straight leads to Snowy Peak and Black Mountain #2).
Follow this overgrown road as it first descends steeply south to a saddle, turns east over bump 6043′, then proceeds downhill in roller-coaster fashion.
After about 2.5 miles the overgrown road turns to trail. Follow the trail eastward onto the northern slopes of a forested ridge, looking for a side trail coming steeply in from the right, possibly signed “Cobblestone Trail”.
Turn right on this side trail, which is very deteriorated and should be considered cross-country travel.
Take this old trail as it goes southeast up a ridge. After a long 1/2 mile it comes to a fork in a shallow saddle with the remains of a sign (5840’+). Continuing straight along the ridge goes to White Mountain #2. Cobblestone Mountain can be seen directly to the south.
Take the right fork and follow an overgrown, rough trail down through a saddle (5300′). Beyond the saddle the trail is primitive, with occasional ducks, and is essentially cross-country. It passes first through a break in the large buttress south of the saddle, then ascends steeply to and then through a series of loose steps composed of conglomerate rocks that give the peak its name, and finally exits onto forested slopes near the summit. The summit has a very fancy register box.
Additional Peak Information
Cobblestone Mountain is often combined with White Mountain #2. This hike is 16 miles round trip and has 6500′ gain.
The peak is in the Sespe Wilderness, but permits are not required at this time.
Contact the USFS at (661) 245-3731 for information about the status of the seasonal gate at the Piru Creek crossing.
External Links
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External Links
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