Liberty Springs Trail via Basin Parking Lot

[DayTrip]

Considering Liberty Springs Trail this weekend and was going to try coming in from the Basin Parking Lot instead of the Flume Lot or Whitehouse Trailhead. Considering the likely Winter weather though I had a few questions:

1) Is the Basin parking area maintained year round or will it likely be closed? (i.e. do they plow it, will the outhouse be open, etc)

2) Is the herd path/bushwhack from the bike path to the sharp turn on actual trail easy to spot? I know it is very obvious coming down the Liberty Spring Trail (probably even with snow on it) at the sharp, v-shaped turn but I have no idea how obvious it is from bike path. I seem to remember someone asking this question (or a similar one) in a thread from last Summer or the Summer before and I forget what the answer was. The Cap Topo, Forest Service and MapBuilder layers on CalTopo.com seem to differ a bit. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I did the bike path all the way to official trail head but I'd rather get onto an actual trail sooner if possible. Assuming MapBuilder is accurate it appears to be only 0.4 miles on the bike path to hit the actual herd path (vs I think 0.8 miles of path from Flume Visitor Center).

Mostly concerned about the status of the lot but any info on this route would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[sierra]

The Lot will be open, I don't think it ever closes. as far as the herd path goes, I've come down it but never been up it. Considering the use it gets, I think you'll see it.

 

[alexmtn]

Once there's snow on the ground, it's usually obvious because you'll see people's tracks. It's not obvious otherwise. despite my carefully studying things upon exit each time I'm there, I still don't have a definitive, landmark-based way of recognizing it. My typical approach is to use dead reckoning. I know how fast I walk, and I'll walk for long enough to be certain that I'm a little past being abreast of the elbow -- and then I head up/E through the open woods. And yes, like you said, it's not the end of the world if I blithely arrive at the trailhead before heading in. Alex

 

[DAYHIKER]

When you are in the general area of the trail the bike path has small brook fairly close to the bike path on the left, if you glance across this little stream you will see an arch shaped (or more A shaped) tree that you could walk under. Cross the little stream here and head to the left at this arched tree and the trail becomes obvious the rest of the way. You will know this tree when you see it.

 

[DayTrip]

When you are in the general area of the trail the bike path has small brook fairly close to the bike path on the left, if you glance across this little stream you will see an arch shaped (or more A shaped) tree that you could walk under. Cross the little stream here and head to the left at this arched tree and the trail becomes obvious the rest of the way. You will know this tree when you see it.

Thanks. That sounds like a landmark that could be spotted. I wound up taking Osseo Trail up to Flume Saturday instead. I didn't want to screw around with trying to locate the spot in the dark. I'll probably hit in next few weeks when we set the clocks back.

 

[DayTrip]

I was finally able to do this section of trail SUN on a Flume Slide/Flume/Liberty loop. It was all a non issue because there is a pretty obvious tread starting the herd path in a cluster of 3 somewhat conspicuous trees in a traingular arrangement (one dead and about 12 ft tall on left and the center tree had a large rotten hollow at it's base - I took a photo if it is of interest to anyone. I suspect not).

DAYHIKER: I saw your A-shaped, arch tree but only after I was into the woods. It is set back about 100' off the bike path and with all the leaves was not visible at all. Of course, I was supposed to have done this back in the Winter which I'm sure would make that tree a very useful landmark back when I had originally asked. Even in 6' of snow that tree would be obvious. Thanks.