PCT 2015 Day 87: Burney Falls State Park

• Start: 1,412.4
• End: 1,428.9
• Miles: 16.5
• Camp: Upper Jack Spring

We started the day with a good breakfast at Anna’s Country Kitchen, and then got a ride back out to the trail and were hiking by 9:30am. Not bad for an overnight in town! Just a mile from the highway we came to Wild Bird cache. It was incredible, with a grill, solar showers, solar charging station, food and toiletry resupplies, and water, although Randy and Kathy who stock it were sadly not there.

It was only a short hike to Burney Falls State Park where we picked up our latest fantastic package from Frankenstein. We divvied up the box in a picnic area where Odysseus and Daydreamer were sitting. Odysseus is a southbounder, the first genuine SOBO thru hiker we have met. He is incredibly fast; he has been on trail only 45 days but has covered nearly half of the miles. 

It was getting hot again so we waited in the park before heading out again. We took a short trail down to the impressive Burney Falls, and took advantage of the nearby shop and its ice cream and cold soda.

Eventually we hiked out, crossing the huge Pit River dam before arriving at Rock Creek. We had been told this was the best swimming hole on the trail by a number of people, but found this to be over hyped too. It was two small pools and a rocky area under a bridge to sit. We made dinner there but wouldn’t have spent much time swimming, even if we had arrived earlier. Firecracker and Big Fish also made dinner when they arrived, but planned to hike later than us. We made it to Upper Jack Spring and made camp just as it was getting dark. A few minutes after we had set everything up, they arrived and decided to call it a day after all. It’s hot up here though. We need tents because of all the mosqitoes, but that just makes it hotter. I don’t think it will be an easy night’s sleep.