Squaw Leap When the Squaw tribal people found out the European immigrants were coming closer to their territory, many of them " leaped " off those cliffs and committed suicide because they didn't want to be captured and enslaved as that was the case for many other tribes. Hence , the name " Squaw Leap ". From the agricultural town of Fresno to the trail head is only about a 40- minute drive . You drive through a small town of Prather and Auberry , take Powerhouse Rd, Smally Rd and you'll reach the parking lots. As of May 22, 2021, the visitor center was closed , the Nuckhahee learning center was also closed but the Ya Gub Weh Tuh campground was opened, the trails were opened and the Indian Village was also opened. Aholul group campground also opened. Hiking : 1. You can hike to the bridge. It's a very easy short hike, but when you get to the bridge , you are rewarded with beautiful views of the San Joaquin River Gorge. A nice spot to eat lunch. Some folks fishing down below by the water. 2. You can hike the Pa'san Ridge Loop Trail. It's uphills and I'd rate it moderate. 7.9 mile , 1,538 ft elevation gain. Loop. (AllTrails.com) 3. You can hike the Wuh-Ki'o trail. I can't tell you because I've never done this one. 8.0 mile, 1,354 ft elevation gain. Out-back. (According to AllTrails.com ) It gets pretty hot here during summer months. Avoid doing this hike in the summer. Today was unusually cool for this time of the year in this area. All of the parking lots were full , tons of cyclists, trail runners, hikers. Pretty busy place. read more

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Great place. Friendly hikers. Honestly no complaints. Some people brought their dogs as well. A lot of people biking. read more

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This is truly a wonderful trail located about an hour from Fresno and I feel lucky to have this here. It located at the end of Smalley Rd, just a couple miles from Auberry in the scenic SJ River Gorge which is a portion of the SJ river trail. On the Fresno side there is a bridge that you can hike to that will have you cross over to the Madera side. From the trail head parking lot there is some signage and a map of the area and this is the last signage you will see. There are several trails so it is best to do your homework and figure out which trails you wish to attempt that day. I took screen shots of the maps on my phone the day prior since I knew there will be no cell coverage there. I took the Wuh-ki'o Trail as well as a portion of the Pa'san Ridge trail. They are relatively easy hikes but rated online as moderate difficulty due to the distance which is about 9 miles roundtrip in total to get back to the parking lot. It is dog friendly and they have the usual wild life around but mostly cows. The area is well maintained overall and I would certainly suggest it for the cooler months. There are large portions that are not well shaded and are likely too warm in the summer. read more

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This place is beautiful! Pretty wild flowers and river view during the spring. Always looking to take my dog on hiking trails where there is not too many people. Came here for her first hike and she totally loved it! Didn't know this place was so close to Clovis. You can hike up the hills on the other side of the river by crossing the bridge. There was friendly staff there to help since we trouble finding the trail leading to the river. My only advice is that I've been warned not to come here during rainy season because the river level will rise and there are PG& E wires dangling above the dam which might be a hazard in the rainy weather. read more

San Joaquin River Gorge - I want to frame this in my house. - Parks Near Me - Auberry, California

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This area is run by the the Bureau of Land Management and is located off of Auberry Rd and Smiley Road near Prather/ Auberry. On a recent late January day in 2017, the weather was in the low 60s and the grass was green. Because of weeks of rain and snow, the streams tumbling into the San Joaquin River were like waterfalls. Certain areas of the San Joaquin River Gorge Trail were very wet but passable. The 2.2 mile roundtrip hike (San Joaquin River Gorge Trail) was very easy although you do have to do a bit of light climbing as you head back to the paved parking lot. The fee is $5 for day use but if you have a national parks pass, there is no fee. I recommend this site if you want to hike any of the trails. You may download the trail on your phone so that you know where you are at as you hike and you do not get on the wrong trail. I recommend this site: http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/san-joaquin-river-gorge-trail read more

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Quaint little spot to hike to. Took the kids on a weekday to get out of the house. We only passed 2 other hikers the entire 2 hours there. Everything was pretty dry when we went in June, as in there were no pretty wildflowers or any green pastures. The bridge is neat, and the rocks below were pretty cool, the water was crystal clear and you can see all the way to the bottom. They had holes in them like cheese, which I'm assuming was carved by moving water or water crashing above them? Path is a bit narrow, easier to walk in a single file. The warnings about cows are true, we spotted some as we drove up, but there were none on the trail. So please drive slower as you get closer. There is a $5 to day use fee, which you fill out an envelope and drop into a slot. Our first time here and we will be back. read more

Had a great time today! Spring is a great time to come here. The wild flowers were amazing, the bridge was cool, and the water was freezing- fun day hike! read more

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My new trail running spot. How have I deprived myself of such a beautiful trail? I've seen this place in pictures but pictures don't do it justice. This is why I fall in love with the Central Valley a little more each day, because of how close I am to nature. read more

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This is a beautiful Hike. It is only 45 minutes from Fresno and you get to go on the bridge. There are three trail on the hike: Bridge Trail, Pasan Trail, and Wuh-Kio Trail. You have to take the Bridge Trail to get to the other two. Bridge Trail gets you to the bridge and then you either choose the Pasan Trail or Wuh-Kio trail. Pasan Trail is a loop and a bit strenuous. Wuh-Kio trail is shorter and easier. Pasan Trail has gorgeous views. The Bridge Trail and Pasan Trail loop together makes a 7.6 mile hike. Full video of my experience on this hike is on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ro7vz5Al5Q read more

San Joaquin River Gorge - Get to go on the bridge on this hike. - Parks Near Me - Auberry, California

Had a great time hiking today great views great people weather was perfect dogs had a blast,we did the hike to the bridge and the loop great views all around read more

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Great hiking trails and views. Trails range from easy, moderate-strenuous, or strenuous and are a few miles or longer depending on what you are up for that day! Heading across the river you cross a large bridge and there are nice views of the river. You can even take a path to get closer to the river itself. Lots of shady areas thanks to the mature trees and restrooms at the trailhead are maintained. Overall, a nice area for a day hike! read more

San Joaquin River Gorge - Parks Near Me - Auberry, California

About a 45-minute drive from Fresno. The hike to the bridge is about 40 minutes, round trip, and there are trails beyond that. I went in early Spring several times. It's beautiful! Not too strenuous of a hike. Lots of gorgeous wild flowers were blooming. The first time I hiked there, I ran into a snake! So, good shoes and socks are recommended. read more

San Joaquin River Gorge - The water is coming through swiftly. Beautiful and inviting, but be careful! - Parks Near Me - Auberry, California

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Really beautiful and easy hike! Getting to the bridge is easy, coming back is a little hilly. Great hike overall! Would recommen

Excellent hiking trail with great spring wildflowers. Saw poppies, owls clover, shooting stars, many others as I walked this trail. It is a bit steep in places but not bad. $5 day use begins after the water is hooked up in the spring; there is no fee during the months with no water at the facilities. Gorgeous views and lovely vista points. read more

San Joaquin River Gorge - San Joaquin River Gorge approaching the bridge - Parks Near Me - Auberry, California

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Nice little hiking spot close to home. Dog friendly as long as your dog is on leash, which is great! Be careful though. There are signs saying that there are rattle snakes. Luckily we didn't see any, but maybe it'd be best to go when it's colder. The bridge is not too far from the first parking lot. I think it took us about 2-3 miles. It was a little difficult to find as the trails from the parking lot are not easy to find. The bridge is not super spectacular but it's just a nice little place to get away. I'd say that the Spring months are best! We went in March & the green is so beautiful! I believe I heard from other people that the whole hike is about a 9 mile loop. I'd definitely go back again! read more

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Very nice trail. Never too many people there when I go. I have seen cows on the trails and also foxes and deers as I am leaving crossing the street (so drive slow!). I love this spot I go often because it I less crowded than the trails at sky harbour and close to Fresno for a day trip / picnic. read more

This was a moderate hike, rest rooms are open before you start hiking, I wouldn't recommend taking kids if you want to complete it all. Nice views and seemed pretty safe, the only downside for us was the cows being loose and being in our way through the trail but besides that it was an awesome experience. read more

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Here is an update. Read the PG&E Danger signs!!! Beware when upstream powerhouses come on line, or a dam spill occurs, the flow in the river can and will go from 30 to 50 cubic feet per second to over 5,000 cubic feet per second. A week ago a kid, 18 year old found that out the HARD WAY. So, if you go in the river, look for a wall of water coming from upstream. Slim chance but still a chance. read more

Great place for a hike! Please drive carefully there's cow roaming in the area sometimes.

I like hiking at higher altitude, above Huntington Lake especially. However in winter this area is generally not accessible due to snow. I was looking for an alternative and found the River Gorge, in January. It took twice for me to get the full experience. First time I got across the bridge and perhaps about a mile up the Pa'san trail. I hit a point were I got a cell signal and got a text that made me have to turn around. I learned my lesson and turn off the phone, except to take photos. The second time was better. You have at least two options. You can cross the bridge, and proceed a bit until you may go to the left, labeled "Wuh-ki'o Trail" (indigenous language for "San Joaquin River" which will connect to the Pa'san Trail ("Pine Nut"), and loop back. This route is easier that the opposite due to the rate of climb, and mountain bikes take this route. On the day I went at the higher parts I was in the overcasting clouds. It gave the whole experience a very ethereal aspect, that was actually enjoyable. Ran into cattle, that seemed not very accustomed to humans. It took me about 4 hours but I was kind of quick, as I was concerned about running out of daylight. To get there you go up 168 about a mile past Prather, make the left turn towards Auberry. Just past Auberry the road forks. To the left is Powerhouse Road, (Mono Wind Casino to the right). A couple of miles or so up Powerhouse Road is Smalley Road. It is well marked, and you will go about 15 minutes to the parking lot, with wilderness bathrooms and benches/camp sites. You will need $5 as a day fee, that you put in an envelope and then a lock box. From what I understand if you go in the warmer/hotter months you will need more water than you think. read more

Beautiful hike. Wildflowers, water, cool bridge. Not too difficult. Excellent loop.

This hike is hike is the definition of eating your dessert before your dinner. The hike down to the view is easy but getting back is where the real hike is. read more

This is a great hike. We did the ~7 mile loop which had some spectacular views. It's less than an hour from Fresno and highly recommended.

Good hiking trials and nice view overall. Occasionally, there will be bicyclist on the trial; sort of not what I would like to see on a hiking trial. read more

Great space for hiking and trails. Dog friendly. I see a bunch of bikers also. It's never too crowded and people seem considerate of each other and trails as it's clean and well maintained. read more

Great family hike! Take the dogs too! Beautiful spring flowers! Be sure you take $5 for parking. Worth your time!

Nice and easy trail. Very pleasing to the eye as your hiking. Not too many people on the trail when we went which made it a more peaceful experience. read more