Lake Almanor is in the distance. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Considering how far up we kept driving it should have come as no surprise that the trail would involve some descending.

Normally I prefer going up at the get-go, and down on the return. Fortunately, the descents on this particular trail were not extreme.

Leo and I were exploring a part of the Pacific Crest Trail in Butte County I had not been on. This was my first hike with him, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

In the past hiking with a dog has brought me a sense of feeling protected. Though, truth be told, I’m not sure what Bailey or AJ would have done if I had ever been attacked by human or wild animal. Some things are better left never to be experienced.

On this particular Sunday in August I was with Leo, a 1-year-old Cavalier Kings Charles who probably looked more like a snack to some animals than a foe, and definitely is too peace loving to threaten a human.

Didn’t matter, we had a delightful excursion.

I opted to follow the sign to Robbers Spring thinking we would find water for him to cool off in even on this warm day in late summer. The 0.3 mile descent had two or three signs along the way with the word “water” etched into the wood. These were official signs that encouraged me to keep going downhill.

I can only guess in the spring this would have been a worthwhile detour. Not true on this day. Leo was able to get his feet wet and a bit of his belly, but we didn’t linger with all the bees flocking to this limited water source. I was worried he would get stung.

Back up we went to continue on our trek north on the PCT.

At the start of the trail Lassen Peak stands out in the distance. Going on, the single track mostly dirt trail at times it closed in and shady, while other times it’s wide-open with mountainous views in all directions.

While it was going to be triple digits at our home that day, I knew it would be cooler at 6,000-plus feet hiking among towering pines. Still, it was warmer than I expected. Leo let me know as much as one section of soft dirt was way too hot for his little paws. Good thing he doesn’t weigh much.

It was a great day to get my bearings with this pup, with plans for more exploring with him later in the fall.

Leo doesn’t understand why it’s necessary to pause to take pictures while hiking. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

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Deets:

• Directions: From Chico, take Highway 32 east, go right on Humboldt Road toward Butte Meadows, go past Jonesville. Continue another 3½ miles to a parking area on the left. Trailhead is to the north. The road is not paved the entire way, but 4-wheel drive is not needed.
• Dogs: Allowed on leash.
• Bikes: Not allowed.
• Horses: OK.
• Length: Totally up to you. We did an out and back of almost 4½ miles.
• Elevation: Elevation gain was 734 feet. Max elevation was 6,736 feet and minimum was 6,094 feet.
• Terrain: Mostly compact dirt, with rocks embedded in single-track trail.