DEVIL’S PUNCHBOWL NATURE CENTER, CA :: The Devil’s Punchbowl is a curious area of geology, consisting of large slabs of rock that seemed to have toppled over each other like dominoes which were then swirled around and fractured by the shifting tectonic plates of the Punchbowl fault. The long trail to Devil’s Chair leads to a precipiced vantage point overlooking this tortured landscape. Unfortunately, the photos I took on this hike do not do it any justice.
The trail starts at the Devil’s Punchbowl interpretive center, where a mile-long loop descends into the Punchbowl and back out. From there, it’s seven miles to the Chair and back on an arid trail that passes through some nice stands of ponderosa and around cactus speckled hillsides, gaining 1200′ in elevation. I thought it was a great trip, and I really enjoyed the desert/alpine feel of the area, which resembles the Teanaway region in Eastern Washington. At Devil’s Chair, sturdy rails protect hikers from the loose, steep slopes and narrow paths that drop on both sides deep into the canyon.
I wish I had scheduled this hike earlier or later in the day. The sun shining from directly above shortened the shadows and reduced the dimensionality of the layered rocks. Perhaps others knew better than me, as this was my third hike in a row without anyone else on the trail.
The trail starts at the Devil’s Punchbowl interpretive center, where a mile-long loop descends into the Punchbowl and back out. From there, it’s seven miles to the Chair and back on an arid trail that passes through some nice stands of ponderosa and around cactus speckled hillsides, gaining 1200′ in elevation. I thought it was a great trip, and I really enjoyed the desert/alpine feel of the area, which resembles the Teanaway region in Eastern Washington. At Devil’s Chair, sturdy rails protect hikers from the loose, steep slopes and narrow paths that drop on both sides deep into the canyon.
I wish I had scheduled this hike earlier or later in the day. The sun shining from directly above shortened the shadows and reduced the dimensionality of the layered rocks. Perhaps others knew better than me, as this was my third hike in a row without anyone else on the trail.
