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** Use at Your Own Risk **
02B |
Bald Eagle Peak |
6181' |
Location: Kern County, 4 miles south of Bodfish/Lake Isabella, 155 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | Kern County |
| Forest Service | Sequoia National Forest |
| USGS Topo | Lake Isabella South 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 400K | |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) | |
| Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Lightner Peak, Piute Lookout
ROUTE 1
- Distance: 1 1/2 miles round trip on use trail and cross-country
- Gain: 600'
- Time: 1 1/2 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, easy
- Navigation: Easy
- Route: Easy brush and moderate rock scrambling
Original: Cliff Black, October 1972
DRIVING ROUTE 1
(Bakersfield approach)
- Exit SR 178 at Borel Road 3 miles before reaching the town of Lake Isabella.
- Turn east, then turn left toward Bodfish at 1/4 mile, and then turn right at Lake Isabella Road.
(Walker Pass approach)
- Drive west on SR 178 to SR 155 at Lake Isabella.
- Turn left a short distance to Lake Isabella Road, then turn right (south) and drive about 3 miles to Bodfish.
- Drive through the town of Bodfish on Lake Isabella Road (which becomes Caliente-Bodfish Road) for about 3.2 miles to dirt Saddle Spring Road (27S02) on the left at the very top of a grade. Note your odometer and turn left.
- Drive in about 5.5 miles, where 27S02 meets the main ridge before crossing over to the south side. Park on the west side of this shallow saddle.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (6060'), walk a few yards west along the ridge, find a downhill use trail to the left, follow the use trail as it descends about 10-15' onto the south slope of the ridge, reverses direction and heads northwest contouring on the south slope of the ridge.
- Hike the use trail northwest around the first bump into the saddle before the peak.
- Scramble up to the summit, climbing over two main rock layers.
ROUTE 2
- Distance: 1.2 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 825'
- Time: 2 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, easy
- Navigation: Easy
- Route: Easy brush and moderate rock scrambling
Original: Dave Comerzan, May 2013
DRIVING ROUTE 2
(Bakersfield approach)
- Exit SR 178 at Borel Road 3 miles before reaching the town of Lake Isabella.
- Turn east, then turn left toward Bodfish at 1/4 mile, and then turn right at Lake Isabella Road.
(Walker Pass approach)
- Drive west on SR 178 to SR 155 at Lake Isabella.
- Turn left a short distance to Lake Isabella Road, then turn right (south) and drive about 3 miles to Bodfish.
- Drive through the town of Bodfish on Lake Isabella Road (which becomes Caliente-Bodfish Road) for about 3.2 miles to dirt Saddle Spring Road (27S02) on the left at the very top of a grade. Note your odometer and turn left.
- Drive in about 3.5 miles to start of a gully leading to a ridge. Park here. Room for about 3 cars. Additional parking about 100 yards further at a curve in the road.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking spot (5271'), hike southwest up the gully to a saddle on the ridge.
- Turn left and hike southeast up the ridge to the summit.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Saddle Spring Road (27S02) is seasonal. Call Greenhorn Ranger District at (760) 379-5646 for road condition information.
NOTES
The peak is in the Bodfish Piute Cypress Botanical Area. The endangered species Piute cypress, distinguishable from juniper by the soccer-ball seams on the berries, is found on north and east slopes within the Botanical Area.
"Exploring the Southern Sierra: West Side" by J. C. Jenkins and Ruby Jenkins, 1995. Page 33 of this Guide contains a photograph of the peak and a description of the route.
Learn more about Bald Eagle Peak.
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.