Hites Mine Road (El Portal, CA)

Click map to enlarge

While at Yosemite, we looked for hiking trails near us. We found the Hite Cove Trail just a few miles away from our campground. However, upon closer examination, we discovered this ideal hiking trail was closed because of last season’s wild fires. Nuts.

Then we looked closer to home.

Turns out that Hites Mine Road starts in our campground and ends up at the same place — Hite Cove — as the closed trail. But, of course, there’s a gotcha — Hites Mine Road has several switchbacks and climbs 1,600′ and then descends 1,200′. Well, it turned out to be a great hike and Flirt loved it.

Lots of switchbacks

The first day we made it up to about 1,900′ (the 1st switchback) and then the following day Flirt & I climbed to 2,300′ (the 2nd switchback).

On the way up . . . plenty of Indian Paintbrush . . .

. . . wild fire damage . . .

. . . and the occasional trash cabin

On the 1st day, Jan stopped, but I kept going . . .

. . . and going (Jan’s in the white circle)

Lots of great views the higher I went . . .

Flirt was with me all the way up . . .

However, both Flirt and I were getting winded

Going down was hairy as the 2nd switchback was littered with baby-fist sized rocks that really slowed down walking.