Noble Canyon Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Loose uneven rock and stream crossings.

From the parking lot head to the water pump and continue on the well-marked trail with signs saying "Noble Canyon Trail." The first three miles of the trail is sun-drenched and crosses through well-announced roads a few times. In those miles, you fight up a few hills, but you are mostly trending down.

After crossing Pine Creek Road for the last time, you enter a section of ancient Live Oak trees and picturesque, grassy fields. From here, the trail gets rocky and uneven, and you cross Noble Creek a few times. The oaks are huge and provide plenty of shade for rests along the way.

A little ways into the sixth mile, the trail rises above the stream, and the land gets drier and the view are more expansive. A little past mile 7.5, you reach the Noble Canyon Spur on your right. You can use this to access the Upper Noble Canyon Parking or bail onto Pine Creek Road which is an easier finish.

The next mile and a half is a steady rise along the much drier creek valley until you finally reach the summit of a hill and turn back down. From here, the dusty trail switchbacks its way down to the parking lot which provides needed shade under some large pine trees.

Live Oaks, pines, manzanita, lots of birds by the river and lots of reptiles in the desert.