Mulkey Meadow to Templeton Meadow

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

From Trail Pass Trail #3504, you enter the sandy basin around Mulkey Meadow, leaving Trail Peak behind you. The trail heads through the meadow and after a mile cross one of the tributaries to Mulkey Creek, then heads generally south staying on the western edge of Mulkey Meadow. You cross over a low sandy saddle at 2 miles, then drop back into the wetland crossing another tributary. The trail gains a few hundred feet of elevation now at it heads to a saddle between McConnel Meadow and Overholster Meadow. In the distance, you can see Kern Peak.

The trail descends more quickly, then passes along the western edge of a narrow meadow before reaching the northern part of Ramshaw Meadow. Stay on the eastern edge of the meadow within pine trees, then pass another low saddle to get to the southern part of Ramshaw Meadow. The trail crosses over a large sandy bank, crests yet another low saddle and heads into Templeton Meadow. Templeton Mountain is straight ahead, Olancha Peak is dominant in the distance. Leaving the sandy banks behind you, ford the South Fork Kern River which is about five feet wide and a foot deep. Make your way south across Templeton Meadow. The trail is very faint here, but not too hard to follow if you head for the wooden guideposts in the distance. Reach Ramshaw Meadow Trail at 7.5 miles.

Woolly Sunflower is abundant on some of the arid sandy banks along the trail.