[pct-l] Camping south of Tehachapi

[Paint Your Wagon]

Michael- 

I just reread your post. 
Where are you starting your hike? 
Hwy 58 TH, 
mile #566? 
There’s 8 miles of trail through a turbine field, 
then Willow Springs Rd., 
and then the TH south, 
along with a parking area. 
There may be a small water cache here too. 
FWIW: 
Section E ends at this trailhead, 
and conversely, 
section F starts here. 
You can hitch hike the 9 miles from Tehachapi, 
to the TH, 
or petition one of the eighteen trail angels that are on a list floating around here, 
for a ride. 
That’s if you choose to start your hike from here. 
My advice was with the thought that you were starting at this TH, 
mile #558. 
I’ve camped twice right at this location. 
About a tenth of a mile south of this TH, 
is a large oak tree, 
where there is a very small area with a picnic table. 
The campsite is right before a small elevated foot bridge crosses over Oak Creek. 
You can camp here.
There’s a large sign nearby, 
perhaps further south on the trail, 
that pays homage to an equestrian group responsible for the trail’s upkeep in this section. 
The picnic table and small campsite were either built by the group, 
or placed there by the group (I think) for their use, 
and therefore for hikers use too. 
You’ve got at least these two options, 
for launching a half day hike your first day.
HWY 58 TH- mile #566,
or Willow Springs Rd. TH- mile #558. 
One cruel note: 
there’s a large BLM sign that is nearby, 
and if you are hiking NOBO, 
the first thing you see is the back of the sign. 
When you get to the front, 
it reads- Entering The Desert. 
One could interpret therefore, 
that as a northbound hiker, 
you are- Leaving The Desert. 
The cruelty is in the fact that the desert does not give way easily. 
It’s still desert for much of the next two hundred miles, 
even a bit beyond Kennedy Meadows. 
Ha!

PaintYW