This evening I decided to take a hike up the Two Trees Trail. I arrived at the trailhead about 4:45. I checked my Sundroid app to determine that sunset was at 7:17 and that I should have plenty of time for a long hike. I made it to Cassina Springs where I stopped to take a picture and drink some water. Another hiker came along and let me know that he has seen a couple of rattlesnakes that were about 4 feet long in the area in the past couple of weeks. The hills are really brown as compared to the area around the spring.
I kept hiking on and watching how the colors had changed from my last hike. The vegetation was starting to turn brown on the southern faces. The grass was long enough now that as the wind blew over the grass it acted as waves in the ocean moving about.
I continued up until I arrived at the actual park parking lot. The sun was still fairly high off the horizon so I continued on up the Spring Trail. I arrived at the place where the spring water, which I have never seen, seeps down the ravine. It was also green in this area in contrast to the browner parts of the park.
Once I got to the end of the Spring Trail, I decided to go up the road to the Ridge Trail. I made fairly good time as the elevation gain was not as great. Once I was up on top of the ridge, I looked eastward towards Mt San Gorgonio rising above the Cherry Valley and Oak Glen area in the distance. Moreno Valley is scattered closer in the valley.
As I came down the Ridge Trail it was obvious I was not going to make it back to the truck before the sun set. I elected to go back on the road to the parking area rather than go further out on the road to get to the Edison Trail. I made quick time on back to the top of the Two Trees trail. As I descended, the sun moved lower in the sky. The light began to paint the hillsides with an orange red glow.
Continuing down the trail the sun began to hide behind the hills in the West. There was enough ambient light to make it back to the truck. The hike was 6.4 miles in two hours and 46 minutes. It was a great hike and I did not have the opportunity to meet up with Mr. Rattlesanke after the sun went down.
