Adventures at Deep Creek - Gilligans Island
When it heats up in SoCal one of the best places to escape the heat is Deep Creek!
Deep creek is a fork of the Mojave river that runs from the desert floor up high into the San Bernardino mountains. All along it are great swimming holes, cliffs, beaches, lush riparian areas, and even multiple hot springs!
One of my absolute favorite places to go along Deep Creek is the swimming hole known as
Gilligans Island!!
Gilligan's Island, although much less popular than some other locations at Deep creek like the Hot Springs or Aztec falls, it is still fairly well known. Luckily the longer hike still keeps it from seeing to many people. I have spent many days there where I won't see a single person all day long. But Deep Creek is a great place to bring friends and I usually do! The fairly easy hiking, great scenery, and multitude of swim holes make it a good choice to bring just about anyone! There are a few ways to hike to Gilligan's. On this day my friends and I started at the Splinter's cabin trailhead and hiked the 2.5 miles down the PCT(Pacific Crest Trail) to the spot. The trail mostly stays on the hill high above the creek giving us some nice views along the hike.
The PCT bridge crossing Deep Creek near Splinter's Cabin
Views from the trail
Hiking down the PCT
Deep Creek
Deep Creek
Overlooking Gilligan's Island from the PCT
Gilligan's Island
Once we arrive the swimming and the cliff jumping begins! The super deep water and many different sized ledges give cliff jumpers of all different abilities the chance to have fun jumping in the water. And the sandy beach at the bottom edge of the pool provides a great spot to hang out when not in the water.
The cool water of Deep Creek is always a relief from the SoCal heat
Scoping out all the different ledges
My buddy getting ready to take the plunge off the cliff
A steezy 35ft backflip from off the island
Me jumping the 70 footer, the biggest cliff at Gilligan's
The paradise known as Gilligan's Island
The dogs love it too!
I wish I had some more killer action shots for you, but to really get more of a feel of the great fun we have up there you need to see it on video!! So here I'll provide two videos that I've created from a couple of my many trips to Gilligan's Island.
Video 1
Steemit World Map
https://www.facebook.com/CAmountainadventures
Contact me on Discord
#SoCalSteemit is building and supporting the Steemit community of Southern California. If you are from SoCal and are into creating quality content here on Steemit, we'd love for you to follow us @SoCalSteemit and join our group on Discord
Join us @steemitbloggers
Animation By @zord189
Thank you so much for being part of the #socalsteemit community.
Looks so fun..enjoyed your photos. :)
Thanks @rebeccabe. It can be a lot of fun, especially when you're out there with a bunch of awesome people.
Wow Beautiful pictures sir.
Thanks!
I love this spot! Your post just made me realize it's been over a year since I've visited it. I have pics of my kids playing there over the course of over 15 years!
https://steemit.com/nature/@creationofcare/good-clean-fun Gotta get back out there, it is truly amazing. I can't believe you jumped from 70 feet! Wow!!!
Heck ya! I really love it too. I remember seeing that post when I first scrolled your blog to check you out, and I was like "whoa she knows about Gilligans!" lol. The 70 footer is WAY gnarly! It's definitely for experienced jumpers only.
I had no idea it was called that, haha! As for 70 foot leaps, I will leave you to it. Awesome action shots!
Is there room to park my bus and camp along the creek?
Hey, Dave! You could probably camp in the parking lot at Splinters cabin trailhead. It's a big dirt lot. That's really the only spot where the road is right by the creek. Not sure the rules about camping there though, I think they say you have to camp 1/4 mile from the creek. I mean I hike down in there and camp right by the water all the time, never been busted. But at the parking lot is different, the rangers come there to clean the bathrooms. But also people camp all over the dirt roads in the surrounding hills too. There's actually lots of good spots in the area. If you ever do wanna check out this area I could take you up there and show you all the cool stuff. So may good swimming holes, and the hot springs is always a great spot to party, and when they get crowded I know about the secret hot springs just upstream!
There actually is a 4wd trail that takes you to a great spot! Midway between Splinters and the hot springs.
Yup. I know that way. That's the shortest way to Gilligans. Dave's bus wouldn't make it down that last hill though. I don't even take my truck down that last hill. That's 4wd stuff for sure.
wow... outstanding presentation.. that 70' plunge is pushing the envelope for sure... how'd it feel?
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the show! The 70 footer is GNARLY! I've jumped 80 footers before, but they were less sketchy than this 70ft. There's that dang ledge you see at the bottom of the cliff there, and although it's not really hard to clear it from that height it still makes it scary. The feeling of falling sends the adrenaline through the roof! And then ka-boom! You hit the water in what feels like an explosion. Then you swim to the surface just totally PUMPED riding that high.
I think I would have a heart attack lmao
What a beautiful spot when I was younger i would have taken that dive thnaks for including the videos
Oh heck ya. Video is the required when it comes to cliff jumping. I'm really glad you enjoyed watching 'em! Sometimes I feel like I'm getting to old for this crazy stuff too, but heck I'm only 33 I've still got at least a few wild years still ahead!
@derekrichardson At 33 heck even 44 I would have done it, I even did do similar last time I think was about 40 years old, but now at 58 I feel the aches and pains from even crazier things I did when younger os for sure would not do it now lOL
NIce!! We got a few places like that in Big Sur, and Arroyo Seco.
Heck ya! I've heard about some of the awesome spots in Arroyo Seco.
Superrrb
OMG! I don't think I could do that.
Haha! Ya. It's definitely not for everybody, you gotta be at least a little nuts to huck your body off a 70 foot cliff.