20.6 miles

From Acton RV Park (mile 444, elev 2259) 

Through Agua Dulce (mile 454, elev 2523)

To trail camp (mile 464.3, elev 3957)

Climb 4373

Descend 2662

Acton RV Campground

Looking back at Acton RV campground

Most reviews I’ve seen lean towards advising hikers to avoid the Action RV Campground, but I thought it was fine.

I really like the pool. The people I talked to in the office were very nice. The Campground itself was okay. It felt like an old Campground that used to provide all sorts of facilities, but hasn’t been kept up.

They have lots of people and RVs who stay there for extended periods of time, setting up their yards and so on around the RV. Early in the evening there were dogs that were barking quite a bit and owners trying to keep them from barking, but all of that noise, and the train whistles, seemed to settle down by about 9:30. The regular trash cans I saw were not full, but I did see a few dumpsters that were overflowing and where the ravens were having a field day. 

While I was at the office, some rodent decided to get the leftover chocolate peanut butter drink mix I had left over from breakfast. It chewed some holes in the mesh pocket of my pack. It is usable as is and pretty easily repaired. The rodents didn’t get into my Ursack, where ask my other smellables were stored, and didn’t damage anything else. I got lucky and will have to be more careful.

Vasquez Rocks

Tunnel under the highway approaching Vasquez Rocks

I got up this morning around 5:00 and was hiking by 6:20. I made it into Agua Dulce by 10:30. I found this morning’s hike to be very interesting. First, everyone was passing me. I think 10 different hikers passed me between my Campground and Agua Dulce. Second, I really thought that Vasquez Rocks, with all it’s various Rick formations, was a fascinating park to go through. I can understand why it would be popular for movie and TV sets.

Agua Dulce

When I got to Agua Dulce, I joined Scrodo, Vegas, Secondhand, and a bunch of other hikers for a late breakfast at the Terra Dulce restaurant. Both the food and conversations were great.

Brunch on the outdoor patio at Terra Dulce restaurant

While at the Terra Dulce restaurant, another couple – non-hikers – were curious about some of the little signs talking about supporting PCT hikers and what PCT hikers were. So we had a nice little conversation. They got to ask questions about what we’re doing, if we’re a club, how/what we eat when we’re out there, what we do about water, how far we hike, and all the usual questions. They were very friendly and curious, so it was fun to talk to them. 

We found fortune cookies from Panda Express in the hiker box at the Terra Dulce restaurant. Mine read: “You have a contagious exuberance for life.”

My fortune cookie

Agua Dulce is an interesting little town. It is really about 1 and 1/2 blocks long with its liquor store, grocery store, hardware store, rustic mercantile store, and a couple of restaurants. It makes me wonder what goes on around here to support the businesses, especially since some of the houses on the outside seen pretty new and relatively fancy.

Agua Dulce main street

Resupply and Ice Cream

After breakfast I wandered down to the Sweetwater Market. It is not listed in FarOut, but it is a truly legitimate grocery store and deli. It is a great place for resupply. 

After getting a couple things at the grocery store, I walked across the street to the Rustic Mercantile where they have a coffee and ice cream bar. I got another ice cream bringing my ice cream count up to eight, which now doubles the alcohol count.

I then went back to Terra Dulce and talked with Iris and Skippy for a little while before we started hiking again. They stopped at Serenity Oasis, a hiker-friendly hostel at the edge of town, to just hang out for a couple of hours in the mid-day heat. I continued to walk the road walk through and out of Agua dulce. 

I hiked for an hour or two before taking a real lunch break and eating the fruit cup I was holding in my hand (no real room in my pack without it getting messy). 

Finding a little shade for lunch and a brief rest

Looking back at Agua Dulce during the afternoon hike

Campsite

I found a beautiful tent site at mile 20.6 which made it worth stopping instead of hiking on. I can see the sunset over the distant reservoir from right outside my tent. And there must be 7 or 8 lines of hills. This is why I backpack!

My campsite

Sunset from my campsite

Miscellaneous

Yellow Mariposa Lily

… I’m wondering what this prickly plant is.

White Mariposa lily