The Jeepway follows a long ridgeline for more than 6 miles before it ascends steeply to the top of Hildreth Peak. After the first half mile the hike is relatively moderate, with beautiful views out over Agua Caliente and Mono canyons, and in the springtime hillsides filled with green grass and wildflowers. A fire access road leads down into Mono Canyon.
Difficulty: Moderate
Points of Interests: Car Camp, Out & Back
User Types: Hikers, Equestrians, Mountain Bikers, Dog Walker, Trail Runners
Locations: Upper Santa Ynez River
Driving Directions
Get Directions to Hildreth Jeepway which is located at 34.5141,-1195893.
Download Directions: Download PDF Map Directions
Driving Directions
Get Directions to Hildreth Jeepway which is located at 34.5141,-1195893.
P-Bar Flats is a very nice place to camp, with a scattering of sites located beneath the oak trees. Not too far up the road you'll also find the trail leading up to Cottam Camp and Blue Canyon, both with small camps that offer easy access for an overnight backpacking trip.
Unlike the Pendola Jeepway, this ridgeline hike is gentle enough to provide an enjoyable 1-6 mile long hike. The ridge is somewhat like a long finger reaching out from Hildreth Peak and once on top of it, you have views out over the entire Mono and Agua Caliente drainages. The ridge is especially nice in the early morning and evening, when the interplay of light and shadow create mysterious patterns and you are most apt to spot a deer or other wildlife.
From P-Bar Flats walk east several hundred yards to the beginning of the jeepway, which is on the other side of a fence. Look for the gate which marks the beginning of the road. The jeepway cuts up to the right, on top of the end of this long finger, then turns back to the left, gaining 600’ over the first half mile. Beyond this the climbing is much more gentle, as the road undulates for 3 miles up and over a series of knolls, eventually intersecting with another jeep road that drops down into Mono Creek.
You can continue on the ridge for another several miles before you reach the base of Hildreth Peak, where the jeepway becomes extremely steep.