Approaching Boat-In Access Trailhead
Paddle up Pope Creek Canyon and then hike up the Cedar Roughs Boat-In Access Trail to a large meadow. Launch from the Pope Creek Bridge (see map below). The paddle up the Canyon is about two miles and takes a bit less than an hour one way. The entire canyon is a no-wake zone and is very scenic with large rock outcroppings and steep canyon walls on both sides. Idyllic. The trailhead is on the left shoreline and is marked by a cairn. An old carriage road goes uphill from the shoreline to the left of the cairn. See the photo above showing the cairn and the the beginning of the trail. The trail switchbacks through woods and across an open slope with great view, ending in a peaceful meadow dotted with large oaks. The trail is unmaintained and unmarked but evident and easily walked.
The GPS coordinates of the trailhead are:
The paddle route and trail are shown on the map below.
A four page brochure entitiled "Cedar Roughs" with more information about the Cedar Roughs and the Access Trail, including a map, is available from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is highly recommended that hikers obtain this brochure before hiking into the Roughs from the meadow. To request a copy online, go to the BLM Ukiah Map Request Page. The written description from the brochure is also available online at http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah/cedarroughs.html and the map may be downloaded for printing from http://www.ca.blm.gov/pdfs/ukiah_pdfs/cedarroughs.pdf.
*Degree of Difficulty: Easy paddle (2 miles), moderate 1 mile hike with an elevation gain of 350 ft. (distances are one way and are approximate).
*Trail Condition: unmaintained and unmarked, trailbed along old road is rough but obvious, overgrown and needs trimming in spots.
