On Saturday, October 14, 2006, I hiked down to China Hole at Henry Coe State Park. The hike descends around 1400 feet and if you hike the trail down to China Hole, well, one way or another, you have to hike back out. The elevation change is pretty much the same as the descent down into Poverty Flat except the climb out from China Hole is not as bad since the elevation change is stretched out over more distance. That hike still tires you out though. As with Poverty Flat, I would hate to do this hike on a hot day.
Timeline:
1:00 PM - Began the hike from the park Visitor Center
2:14 PM - reached Manzanita Point
3:14 PM - reached China Hole
4:14 PM - Back at Manzanita Point
4:30 PM - Left Manzanita Point after a bathroom break and rest
5:37 PM - Made it back to the Visitor Center
I kept track of my time and I am surprised that it took me the same amount of time to hike out of China Hole as it took me to hike in the 2.5 miles from Manzanita Point. I was walking fairly fast on the way in but I also stopped a lot to take pictures. Once I made it to China Hole, I only stayed long enough to change the batteries in my camera, take a few pictures, eat a couple of gel shots, drink some water, and then head on back. I was worried about how long it would take as I did not want to finish the hike in the dark. I carry a head lamp in my pack just in case but I still didn’t want to hike alone in the dark.
Hiking back up the China Hole Trail, I had to take quick rest stops on the way and I could not walk as fast as I did coming down. Let’s face it, hiking back up 1400 feet in elevation when you are out of shape takes a toll on you and I honestly thought it would take me closer to 2 hours to get back to Manzanita Point. In spite of it all, I did it in 1 hour!
Distance: 10.8 miles
Time: 4 hours, 37 min
Water consumed: 3 liters water plus 600 ml of Gatorade
Hiking temperature: Cool, upper 60’s, low 70’s
Henry Coe State Park
China Hole hike
Walking on the Corral Trail
View along the Corral Trail
Manzanita Point Road
Further along on the Manzanita Point Road
Group campsite at Manzanita Point
Bass Pond at Manzanita Point
Manzanita Point
One of the outhouses at Manzanita Point
Trail marker for the China Hole Trail
Walking along the China Hole Trail
China Hole trail descent to China Hole
Still on the China Hole Trail
Dead king snake on the trail.
I made it! China Hole!
Another shot of China Hole from the trail
Trail to Coit Lake from China Hole
At China Hole
The China Hole Trail heading back
Heading back up the China Hole Trail
On the China Hole Trail
Coyote Creek (I think)
3.5 miles to the park headquarters
Wheel barrow along the China Hole Trail
Manzanita trees
Back at Manzanita Point again
Two ways back to the Coe Park Headquarters
On the Springs trail
A deer!
I talked softly to it as I approached. It stayed!
A neat tree by the trail
The sun is going down on the Corral Trail
Looking back at the start of the trail
Back at the Visitor Center
A tarantula on the road
Close up of the tarantula
Sunset on the way home
