Adventure 008, Hike 118 - Swinging Bridges

 Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 118 - Swinging Bridges

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 14, 2012

Location: Yosemite Wawona

Hike Info:

Trail: Swing bridges

Distance: 2.0 miles

Duration: 0:46

Elevation Rise: 274'

Description:

This is a fun little trail out of Wawona. It is a perfect trail to bring a picnic to sit beside the creek. You drive to the end of the road after passing through a residential section and a camp. The trail was rather short, so Thing One and thing Two decided we needed to make it longer. After getting to the bridge and swinging our way across, we went to the left on a well trod trail. After getting to the Redwood cottages, we decided to turn around as we could not get back to our car this way, in the time alloted for our hike. The trail had a nice view of the creek even if it was a bit dry because of being late season. The park Staff was cleaning up brush and putting it into tepee piles to burn. This protects the area from having a fire that burns too hot completely destroying the area. We returned the way we came.

Please note: There are two Swinging Bridges and Swinging Bridges trails. Both of them span the Merced River, but in two very locations. The one we went on in May is in Yosemite Valley. Today's is in Wawona.

Last Year's adventure:

Item: 8 - - Swinging Bridge
Team: Tired 'Tirees
Date:  Oct 4, 2011
Link:

• Trailhead - Remember Gary, no dogs
• Swinging Bridge-Gary cross it
• Swinging Bridge-The Sherri Crossing
• Historic Pond - You can see the pipe supplying the Wawona Hotel, if you look closely at the top of the dam.

Desc: Several Autum's ago, we walked this trail and enjoyed a lazy Fall afternoon. It was time to revisit it. But maybe not spend as much time, nor go quite as far as before. Today we only went 1.47 miles in 2/3's of an hour. Bu it was pleasant one, stopping by an old pond which we had questions about before, but now had answers to.

First, you go all the way down Forest Dr--this is in Wawona--to the end, where you find a Seventh Day Adventist camp. You can park your car in a turn around around, by a gate. At the gate, you are re-entering National park lands. You go down this utility road about .4 of a mile until you hit the Swinging Bridge over Chilnualna Creek. If you continue around on the trail, it will take you up to the Falls--we did not go the five miles to this.

Instead we went another third of a mile up the creek until we came to this little dam which forms a pond. This pond is the water supply for the Wawona Hotel.