Bat Trail / No Name Loop CCW - 7/1/23

No Name Trail among the Old Bristlecones

Bat Ridge

Spring Mountains Bat Exhibit

Starting up Bat Trail

Four of us plus one (Odie) got up into the upper elevations of Lee Canyon Road early in the morning and parked at the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead. We had passed Lee Meadows that was filled with several wild horses. A short walk down to the bottom of the McWilliams Campground started us on a climb all the way up to the Upper Bristlecone Trail. The hike began up the campground pavement. We passed a full house of campers on the way. Some were still quiet in their tents and RVs. Some were outside getting breakfast started and some were just sitting on camp chairs enjoying the fresh and cold morning air. As soon as the sun started coming through the trees, warmth permeated all around us. We hiked up to the top of the beautiful, well-groomed campground to the Spring Mountains Bat information sign that talks about the 17 species of bats found here.

Climbing Bat Ridge

Junction with Upper Bristlecone Trail (Add a rock to a cairn and you will be back!)

Heading toward the Bristlecone / Bonanza Junction

Enjoying the Bonanza Switchbacks

From there, we started the gentle ascent up the Bat Trail, a very old road that runs up into the "holler." Near the end of the trail, a ridge comes down to meet the trail on the right side. This is Bat Ridge. We turned to the right and began a much steeper climb up to the Bristlecone Trail. Breathing barely for a moment, we turned right onto the worn trail and turned left onto the Bonanza Trail at the next junction. To continue our exercise of the morning, we climbed the four long switchbacks that came next. Finally, we arrived at the Bonanza / No Name junction saddle and took our break. This would be our high point of the morning and we still hadn't seen any other hikers.We posed for photos and tried to get Odie to pose, too. He just wasn't in the mood!

Ralyn at a Bonanza Switchback

A new species found on the Trail. (We called it Odie.)

Taking a break at the top of the Hike (Bonanza / No Name Junction)

Bonanza / No Name Junction

After the break, we turned to the left and started out one of the most beautiful sections of trail in the Spring Mountains NRA; the No Name Trail among the old bristlecones. Here, we began passing a trickle of hikers. We hiked over to the No Name Saddle and started down the steep trail to a lower section of the Upper Bristlecone Trail. A right turn took us down the very worn trail until we were well within the rails of the fencing. A trail turns to the left that leads down to the opposite side of the campground below. A right turn onto the pavement, a gulley crossing and back down the pavement on the original side of the campground brought us back to Lee Canyon Road and up to the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead. This hike is an excellent workout of only 5 miles and 3 hours. We all went home prepared for the long holiday weekend.

Stats: 5 miles; 1300' gain; 3 hours

P.S. Do not use the campground restrooms unless you are a paying customer.

No Name Trail

Upper Bristlecone Trail

Camp Trail down to Campground from Bristlecone