RATING |
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 |
DISTANCE |
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3.0 miles round-trip |
HIKING TIME |
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1.5 hours |
ELEVATION GAIN |
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500 feet |
HIGH POINT |
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1,800 feet |
EFFORT |
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Moderate Workout |
BEST SEASON |
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February to May |
PERMITS/CONTACT |
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New Melones Reservoir, (209) 536-9543 or |
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(209) 536-9094 |
MAPS |
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Download at www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/ |
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newmelones/maps |
NOTES |
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Dogs allowed |
Pay a springtime visit to Tuolumne County’s geologic oddity: Table Mountain, a long, flat-topped volcanic ridge with an extraordinary display of wildflowers.
From Highway 49 in Sonora, drive south for 3 miles to Jamestown, then turn right (north) on Rawhide Road. Drive 2 miles and turn left on Shell Road; follow Shell Road 1.8 miles (take the left fork) to the end of the pavement at a yellow gate across the road. The trail starts to the right of the gate.
Wildflower lovers, this is your trail. The only trick is timing your visit for the exact period when Table Mountain is at its most colorful splendor. The peak of the bloom varies from year to year, so your best bet is to start calling the New Melones visitor center in late February to see how the Table Mountain flowers are coming along. When they say it’s “go time,” don’t wait too long. The mountain’s flowers put on a fleeting show that must be seen at exactly the right time to fully savor their splendor. Some years it’s all over by the middle of May, although Table Mountain’s lovely high vistas are there for the taking at any time of year.
The driving directions above suggest parking at the end of the pavement on Shell Road and hiking from there, although you may see some people who continue driving another mile on the dirt road, which shortens their hike. A high-clearance vehicle may be needed to negotiate this last stretch on dirt, and if you drive, you will miss some of the grassland wildflowers. It’s much better to walk, both for your car and you. Most of Table Mountain is private property, so it’s important that you use this one public trail to access it.
From the pavement’s end, the road/trail crosses through a grassy oak woodland dotted with basalt rocks. Straight ahead is Table Mountain, a flat-topped plateau that juts upward from the surrounding lowlands. The plateau was formed by a lava flow about 10 million years ago, when a volcano erupted east of Sonora Pass. The mountain is a source of pride for local geologists, as it is one of America’s best examples of an “inverted stream,” a feature formed by a riverbed filling with lava.
Table Mountain’s craggy rock is favored by rock climbers year-round, but in the spring months it is amateur botanists and native plant lovers who flock here. In February and March, Table Mountain’s volcanic soil creates ideal conditions for vernal pools–multicolored rings of flowers that surround small pools of water. Fairy shrimp can often be seen in the pools. A bit later in spring, the mountaintop hosts a colorful array of wildflowers including sky lupine, Indian paintbrush, blue dicks, owl’s clover, harvest brodiaea, and goldfields.
Before you start out on this trip, note that although this trail’s distance is short, the going can be slow, as the volcanic rock is rather rough, and the last 0.25 mile to the top is steep, narrow, and rocky in places. (Hiking boots are a very good idea here.) Besides, you’ll be staring at the ground trying not to miss a single wildflower species. If you can take your eyes off the flowers, the top of Table Mountain provides a wide vista of New Melones Reservoir.
Another nearby trail that is equally fascinating from a geologic standpoint is the Natural Bridges Trail, also managed by New Melones Reservoir. The signed trailhead is located off Parrotts Ferry Road between Columbia and Murphys. The 1.5-mile trail leads you down to Coyote Creek’s amazing swimming holes. You can actually swim through limestone canyons and under a natural bridge.
