Trailhead to Big Cone Campground is at Ferndale Ranch, but Big Cone is 2 1/5 mile Backpack from there. Big Cone is a popular, primitive camp. The "Punch Bowls" is a nearby water play area where the creek has formed pools and slides in the solid rock.
Tue, 07-Mar-00
Big Cone is a Las Padres National Forest Campground.
Tue, 07-Mar-00
I went there many times as a scout 30 years ago. Beautiful camp. The "Punch Bowls" are smooth and fun to play in as was the "Canyon Run". In early spring monarch butterflies swarm on some of the trees near the trail head. Be watchful of the poison oak . it abounds. RLG Eagle Scout 1967.
Wed, 08-Mar-00
Just took some scouts in last weekend, June 10-11, 2000. Parking for the trailhead is on the highway, outside St ??? Aquino College entrance. Two lots, one just south, one just north. Park, then start the trail at the gate to the college. Distance to Big Cone is actually more like 3 1/2 miles from the highway. We were going to camp at "Crosscamp" supposedly 1-mile past Big Cone, up the East fork of the river, but a very large slide has taken the hillside out about 1/2 mile up the river making passage impossible. We returned to Big Cone for a great time.
Sat, 17-Jun-00
Cross Camp is up the west fork, beyond the punch bowls. It is a series of three or so separate sites along the creek. Nice but more cramped than Big Cone.
Comments
Trailhead to Big Cone Campground is at Ferndale Ranch, but Big Cone is 2 1/5 mile Backpack from there. Big Cone is a popular, primitive camp. The "Punch Bowls" is a nearby water play area where the creek has formed pools and slides in the solid rock.
Big Cone is a Las Padres National Forest Campground.
I went there many times as a scout 30 years ago. Beautiful camp. The "Punch Bowls" are smooth and fun to play in as was the "Canyon Run". In early spring monarch butterflies swarm on some of the trees near the trail head. Be watchful of the poison oak . it abounds. RLG Eagle Scout 1967.
Just took some scouts in last weekend, June 10-11, 2000. Parking for the trailhead is on the highway, outside St ??? Aquino College entrance. Two lots, one just south, one just north. Park, then start the trail at the gate to the college. Distance to Big Cone is actually more like 3 1/2 miles from the highway. We were going to camp at "Crosscamp" supposedly 1-mile past Big Cone, up the East fork of the river, but a very large slide has taken the hillside out about 1/2 mile up the river making passage impossible. We returned to Big Cone for a great time.
Cross Camp is up the west fork, beyond the punch bowls. It is a series of three or so separate sites along the creek. Nice but more cramped than Big Cone.
Big+Cone+Camp+is+nice+but+no+fire+wood%2e+Cross+Camp+alot+better%2c+but+I+usually+go+out+to+the+%22Jackson+Hole%22+about+2%2d3+miles+up+a+ridge+from+Cross+Camp%2e+Plenty+of+fire+wood%2e+I+last+went+in+6%2f2002%2dIt+was+very+dry+and+hardly+any+water%2c+but+still+a+beautiful+place%21%0d%0a
Visited+Punch+Bowls+first+time+12%2f2003%2c+2nd+time+7%2f2004+with+my+adult+son+%28I%27m+57%29%2e+My+son+had+visited+Punch+Bowls+years+earlier+as+a+Cub+Scout%2c+got+separated+from+the+group%2c+had+a+%22significant+emotional+event%22+being+lost%2c+and+has+visited+the+Punch+Bowls+several+times+a+year+ever+since+%3a%29+He+loves+the+place+and+I+shudder+to+think+that+he+may+have+used+the+NE+highest+dive+point+into+the+lowest+pool+when+I+wasn%27t+there%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aA+young+in%2dlaw+slipped+on+the+wet+rocks+of+the+easy+W+dive+point%2c+didn%27t+clear+the+rocks+below%2c+broke+her+back%2e+Gotta+be+smart+and+careful+here%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aMost+recent+July+%2704+visit+saw+decent+size+trout+in+the+lower+pool+that+seemed+quite+used+to+people%2e+Thankfully%2c+most+folks+don%27t+try+to+catch+every+fish+in+this+pool%2e+I+think+these+are+probably+naturals+as+they+didn%27t+have+any+obvious+markings+as+seen+from+the+pool%27s+edge%2e+Observed+lots+of+tadpoles+and+fry+in+shallower+areas+of+the+stream+below+the+slides+and+continuing+down+to+the+lower+trailhead%2e+Didn%27t+hike+above+the+slides+to+see+where+the+stream+comes+from%2e+Can%27t+believe+there%27s+water+in+this+stream+in+July%21+Would+sure+like+to+know+where+the+water+comes+from+when+there+hasn%27t+been+rain+in+the+area+since+Winter%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aA+really+special+observation+we+saw+in+our+December+hike+was+the+rare+American+Dipper+bird+at+the+lower+pool%2e++This+is+a+bird%2c+not+a+duck%2e+The+bird+jumps+in+the+water%2c+flys+underwater+looking+for+bugs%2c+resurfaces+near+the+shore+and+flys+to+the+shore+to+eat+the+bugs+if+the+hunt+was+successful%2e+The+American+Dipper+is+a+grey%2c+nondescript+colored+bird%2e+Only+its+feeding+habits+are+really+interesting%2e+As+a+birder%2c+never+having+seen+such+feeding+habits+in+local+species%2c+I+had+to+check+with+a+professional+avian+scientist+to+confirm+the+species%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aThis+area+is+home+to+the+usual+SoCal+outback+animals%2c+ie+deer%2c+bear%2c+mountain+lion%2c+coyote%2c+bobcat%2c+wild+pig%2c+smaller+animals%2c+birds%2c+stream+life%2c+etc%2e+Cool%21++Luckily%2c+didn%27t+encounter+anything+that+eats+people+in+my+2+hikes%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aMy+thanks+to+the+St%2e+Thomas+Aquinas+College+%28stay+on+paved+road%29+and+Ferndale+Ranch+owners+for+continuing+to+allow+citizens+to+walk+over+their+private+properties+to+reach+the+Punch+Bowls%2e+Its+fun+to+think+that+this+area+was+also+used+by+American+Indians+for+hundreds+of+years+to+have+fun%2c+just+like+we+did%2e+Before+the+American+Indians+immigrated+across+the+Alaskan+Peninsula+from+Europe%2c+I+can+only+imagine+the+creatures+that+enjoyed+the+Punch+Bowls%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aUnfortunately%2c+there+are+a+few+visitors+to+the+area+who+leave+their+trash+strewn+around%2e+If+possible%2c+leave+a+little+extra+room+in+your+pack+to+carry+out+the+trash+left+by+those+who+don%27t+truely+appreciate+this+wilderness+experience%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aEnjoyed+the+hike%2e%0d%0a%28no+email+address+provided+so+to+avoid+spammer+web+crawlers%2e%29%0d%0a%0d%0a
July+8%2c+2004+Punch+Bowl+pictures+at%0d%0ahttp%3a%2f%2fmysite%2everizon%2enet%2fres1mnxp%2fpunchbowls%0d%0a%0d%0a
From+the+ScoutCamp%2eorg+webmaster+%2d+This+site+has+had+eight+comments+posted%2c+but+there+is+no+contact+information+for+this+place%2e++Obviously+it+is+popular+with+Scouters+and+others+are+interested+in+going+here%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aUnfortunately+%2d+I+can+not+locate+a+website+for+this+place%2e++If+anyone+who+has+been+here+can+give+me+any+contact+details%2c+we+will+add+them+to+the+listing+here%2e++Just+sent+them+to%3a%0d%0a%0d%0aWebmaster%40ScoutCamp%2eorg%0d%0a%0d%0aTHANKS%0d%0a%0d%0aEd+Henderson%0d%0aWebmaster+%2d+ScoutCamp%2eorg%0d%0a